CHAP. I. 1688-1709. POPE's family descent-Character of his FATHER-His birth and constitution-His education-Leaves school to reside with his father at Binfield, in Windsor ForestODE TO SOLITUDE-Verses TO THE AUTHOR OF A POEM INTITLED SUCCESSIO-Obtains a sight of Dryden, and remarks thereon-Writes Dramatic Pieces and an Epic Poem-Translations from the Latin Authors-Reads the English prose writers-Writes his PASTORALS-Visits London-Educates himself, and consequences thereofUnfavourable effect of study on his health—His susceptible and affectionate disposition-His irritable temper and talents for satire-Forms an acquaintance with SIR WILLIAM TRUMBULL- With MR. WYCHERLEY-Criti cizes Wycherley's Poems-MR. WALSH-IMITATIONS OF ENGLISH POETS-JANUARY AND MAY-THE WIFE OF BATH-Visits London and frequents Will's Coffee-house -Acquaintance and correspondence with MR. CROMWELL-Writes his ESSAY ON CRITICISM-Publishes his Pastorals and other Pieces in Tonson's Miscellanies, and remarks thereon. THE LIFE OF POPE. THE CHAP. I. HE family of Pope has only been distinctly traced to the grandfather of the poet, a clergyman of the Church of England, settled in Hampshire.* He had two sons, the younger of whom, Alexander, being intended for a mercantile life, was sent to reside with a family at Lisbon, where he became a convert to the Roman Catholic faith. On his return he engaged in business, and married Editha, one of the daughters of William Turner, Esq. of York. Of this marriage Pope was the only offspring. Before her union with Pope's father, his mother had been married to a Mr. Rackett, by whom she had a son named Charles. The wife of this half brother of Pope, was the sister Rackett, so frequently mentioned by him, and who with her sons became possessed of the chief part of his property, as residuary devisees in his will.† The advantages of birth are seldom despised * From the information of Mr. Pottinger, a relation of Pope, to Dr. Bolton, late Dean of Carlisle: v. Warton's edition of Pope, vol. iv. p. 53. ↑ A sister of Pope's mother married Samuel Cooper, the cele by those who are entitled to them. Pope has advanced his claim to them in his Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot: 66 -Of gentle blood (part shed in honour's cause, Each parent sprung" And in a note on the same Epistle we are informed that "Mr. Pope's father was of a gentleman's family in Oxfordshire, the head of which was the Earl of Downe, whose sole heiress married the Earl of Lindsay. His mother was the daughter of William Turner, Esq. of York. She had three brothers: one of whom was killed; another died in the service of King Charles; the eldest, following his fortunes, and becoming a general officer in Spain, left her what estate remained, after the sequestrations and forfeitures of her family."* This account has not been suffered to remain uncontroverted. Dr. Warton informs us, that "when Mr. Pope published the notes on the Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, giving an account of his family, Mr. Pottinger, a relation of his, observed, that his cousin Pope had made himself out a fine pedigree, but he wondered where he got it; that he had never heard any thing himself of their being related to the Earls of Downe; and what is more, he had an old maiden aunt, equally related, a great brated miniature painter, which has given rise to an opinion that Pope's mother was the daughter of Cooper; and this error has been inscribed under her engraved portrait. *Note on Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, in Pope's works, fol. ed. vol. ii. 1735. genealogist, who was always talking of her family, but never mentioned this circumstance; on which she certainly would not have been silent, had she known any thing of it. The burial place and monuments of the family of Popes, Earls of Downe, is at Wroxton, in Oxfordshire. The Earl of Guildford had seen and examined the pedigree and descents of that family, and was sure that there were then none of the name of Pope left who could be descended from that family."* In addition to which, the last biographer of Pope assures us, "that from the most authentic intelligence, obtained at the Herald's office, it appears that the pedigree which Pope made out for himself, was as much fabricated as Mr. Ireland's descent from Shakespear." Mr. Ireland, it must be observed, had traced a regular series of ancestors from Shakespear to himself, and had afterwards acknowledged it to be a deliberate falsehood. Pope has made out no pedigree whatever, and has only mentioned what he had doubtless heard of an indefinite relationship between the families; which, whether well founded or not, is a matter of little importance, as such relationship would have conferred a greater honour on that family than he could possibly have derived from it. Pope lived at a time when the advantages of birth were perhaps somewhat more highly appreciated than they are at present; the consequence of which was, that amongst the various attempts *Note on Ep. to Dr. Arbuthnot: z. Warton's ed. vol. iv. p. 53. + Bowles, Life of Pope, p. 17. |