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they never were written; a counterfeited as

from Bishop Atterbury to him, which neither that Bishop nor he ever faw b; and advertiz'd even after that period when it was made Felony to correfpond with him.

I know not how it has been this Author's fate, whom both his Situation and his Temper have all his life excluded from rivalling any man, in any pretenfion, (except that of pleafing by Poetry) to have been as much afpers'd and written at, as any First Minister of his time: Pamphlets and News-papers have been full of him, nor was it there only that a private man, who never troubled either the world or common conversation with his opinions of Religion or Government has been represented as a dangerous member of Society, a bigotted Papist, and an enemy to the Establishment. The unwarrantable publication of his Letters hath at least done him this fervice, to fhow he has constantly enjoy'd the friendship of worthy men ; and that if a Catalogue were to be taken of his friends and his enemies, he needs not to blush at either. Many of them having been written on the most trying occurrences, and all in the

a. In Vol. 3. Letters from Mr. Pope to Mrs. Blount, &c. b. Vol. 2. of the fame, 8° pag. 20. and at the end of the Edition of his Letters in 120 by the Bookfellers of London and Westminster; and of the laft Edition in 12° printed by T. Cooper, 1725. openness

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opennefs of friendip, are a proof what were his real Sentiments, as they flow'd warm from the heart, and fresh from the occafion; without the leaft thought that ever the world should be witness to them. Had he fate down with a defign to draw his own Picture, he could not have done it fo truly; for whoever fits for it (whether to himself or another) will inevitably find the features more compos'd, than his appear in these letters. But if an Author's hand, like a Painter's, be more diftinguishable in a flight sketch than in a finifh'd picture, this very carelefsnefs will make them the better known from fuch Counterfeits, as have been, and may be imputed to him, either thro' a mercenary, or a malicious defign.

We hope it is needlefs to fay, he is not accountable for several paffages in the furreptitious editions of thofe letters, which are fuch as no man of common fenfe would have publish'd himself: The errors of the press were almost innumerable, and could not but be extreamly multiply'd in fo many repeated editions, by the Avarice and Negligence of pyratical Printers, to not one of whom he ever gave the leaft Title, or any other encouragement than that of not profecuting them.

For the Chafms in the correfpondence, we had not the means to fupply them, the Author having destroy'd too many letters to preserve any Series. Nor would he go about to amend them,

except by the omiffion of fome passages, improper, or at least impertinent, to be divulg'd to the publick: or of fuch entire letters, as were either not his, or not approv'd of by him.

He has been very sparing of those of his Friends, and thought it a respect shown to their memory, to fupprefs in particular fuch as were moft in his favour. As it is not to Vanity but to Friendship that he intends this Monument, he would fave his Enemies the mortification of fhowing any farther how well their Betters have thought of him and at the fame time fecure from their cenfure his living Friends, who (he promises them) fhall never be put to the blush, this way at least, for their partiality to him.

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But however this Collection may be receiv'd, we cannot but lament the Cause and the Neceffity of fuch a publication, and heartily with no honeft man may be reduc'd to the fame. To state the cafe fairly in the present situation. A Bookfeller advertises his intention to publish your Letters: He openly promises encouragement, or even pecuniary rewards, to thofe who will help him to any; and ingages to infert whatever they fhall fend: Any fcandal is fure of a reception, and any enemy who fends it skreen'd from a difcovery. Any domeftick or servant, who can snatch a letter from your pocket or cabinet, is encouraged to that vile praetife. If the quantity falls fhort of a volume, any thing else shall be join'd with it (more especially

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especially scandal) which the collector can think for his intereft, all recommended under your Name: You have not only Theft to fear, but Forgery. Any Bookfeller, tho' confcious in what manner they were obtain'd, not caring what may be the confequence to your Fame or Quiet, will fell and difperfe them in town. and country. The better your Reputation is, the more your Name will cause them to be demanded, and confequently the more you will be injur'd. The injury is of fuch a nature, as the Law (which does not punish for Intentions) cannot prevent; and when done, may punish, but not redrefs. You are therefore reduc'd, either to enter into a perfonal treaty with fuch a man, (which tho' the readieft, is the meanest of all methods) or to take fuch other measures to fupprefs them, as are con→ trary to your Inclination, or to publish them, as are contrary to your Modefty. Otherwife your Fame and your Property fuffer alike; you are at once expos'd and plunder'd. As an Author, you are depriv'd of that Power which above all others conftitutes a good one, the power of rejecting, and the right of judging for your felf, what pieces it may be moft ufeful, entertaining, or reputable to publish, at the time and in the manner you think beft. As a Man, your are depriv'd of the right even over your own Sentiments, of the privilege of every human creature to divulge or

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conceal them; of the advantage of your Second thoughts; and of all the benefit of your Prudence, your Candour, or your Modefty. As a Member of Society, you are yet more injur'd; your private conduct, your domeftick concerns, your family fecrets, your paffions, your tenderneffes, your weaknesses, are expos'd to the Mifconftruction or Refentment of fome, to the Cenfure or Impertinence of the whole world. The printing private letters in fuch a manner, is the worst fort of betraying Converfation, as it has evidently the most extenfive, and the moft lafting, ill confequences. It is the highest offence against Society, as it renders the most dear and intimate intercourfe of friend with friend, and the most neceffary commerce of man with man, unfafe, and to be dreaded. To open Letters is esteem'd the greatest breach of honour; even to look into them already open'd or accidentally dropt, is held an ungenerous, if not an immoral A&t. What then can be thought of the procuring them merely by Fraud, and the printing them me ely for Lucre? We cannot but conclude every honeft man will wifh, that if the Laws have as yet provided no adequate remedy, one at leaft may be found, to prevent fo great and growing an evil,

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