WILLIAM FORTESCUE, Esq., an eminent barrister, afterwards a Judge, and, finally, Master of the Rolls, was one of the early and intimate friends of Pope, whose attachment to him remained uninterrupted through life. To him Pope has addressed his first Satire of the second book of Horace, in which he applies to Mr. Fortescue as his legal adviser: a character not wholly imaginary, as Pope was accustomed to consult him on all difficult occasions, as well on behalf of his friends, as himself: "You'll give me, like a friend both sage and free 66 The Letters to Mr. Fortescue, now published, have been derived through two separate channels. The first portion of them was originally published by Mr. Polwhele in his History of Devonshire, by whose permission Mr. Bowles inserted them in his edition of the works of Pope. "These Letters," says Mr. Bowles, are valuable in one point of view, as they prove, clearer than a thousand arguments, that the letters which Pope published, were polished and laboured for the press. It may be amusing to compare these unvarnished and unaffected effusions of friendship, with his elegant and more elaborate epistolary compositions." The second series is derived from a collection of original letters, which had been reserved for several years amongst the papers of "the venerable, great, and good Richard Reynolds, Esq.,” of Bristol, on whose death they came into the hands of his only daughter; by whose permission they were published by Miss Rebecca Warner, in her excellent Collection of Original Letters: 8vo. Lond. 1817. They are now, with the consent of the owner, for the first time inserted in the works of Pope. As a great part of these letters have been deprived of their dates, it is impossible to arrange them in any certain order. Some attempt has, however, been made for that purpose, so far at least as to avoid incongruities in other respects the date is in many of them of little importance. Those which retain their dates are now given in their chronological series. LETTERS ΤΟ WILLIAM FORTESCUE, ESQ. LETTER I. Sept. 171. THE gaiety of your letter proves you not so studious of wealth as many of your profession are, since you can derive matter of mirth from want of business. You are none of those lawyers who deserve the motto of the devil, "Circuit quærens quem devoret." But your circuit will at least procure you one of the greatest of temporal blessings, health. What an advantageous circumstance is it, for one that loves rambling so well, to be a grave and reputable rambler; while (like your fellow-circuiteer, the sun) you travel the round of the earth, and behold all the iniquities under the heavens! You are much a superior genius to me in rambling: you, like a pigeon, (to which I would sooner compare a lawyer than to a hawk,) can fly some hundred leagues at a pitch; I, like a poor squirrel, am continually in motion indeed, but it is about a cage of three foot; my little excursions are but like those of a shopkeeper, who walks every day a mile or two before his own door, but minds his business. Your letter of the cause lately before you, I could not but communicate This is an early letter, probably written when Pope was at Bath, in 1714. to some ladies of your acquaintance. I am of opinion, if you continued a correspondence of the same sort during a whole circuit, it could not fail to please the sex, better than half the novels they read. There would be in them what they love above all things, a most happy union of truth and scandal. I assure you the Bath affords nothing equal to it. It is, on the contrary, full of grave and sad men; Mr. Baron S., Lord Chief Justice A., Judge P., and Counsellor B., who has a large pimple on the tip of his nose, but thinks it inconsistent with his gravity to wear a patch, notwithstanding the precedent of an eminent judge. I am, dear Sir, your, &c. DEAR SIR, LETTER II. June 24, 1720. I HAVE a great many obligations to you, and I may say, the lampreys are of the fresh water, since they are very fresh and good. I am really piqued at the stocks, which put a stop at present to all trade and all friendship, and, I fear, all honour too. I am sure, however, they do you as little prejudice, and your morals, as any man's; your memory of your friends is proved by the good offices you continue to do them; and I assure you I heartily wish some occasion may offer itself of my proving to you my sense of this which I say. Pray, if it is possible to remember a mere word of course in such a place as Exchange-alley, remember me there to Gay; for any where else (I deem) you will not see him as yet. I depend upon seeing you here now the books are closed. Dear Sir, adieu ! |