(who governed that Family) was like to be highly favoured in this Reign, therefore, the Prince had no more to do but to promife the Princess a great Penfion by a Settlement in Parliament; which being in prefent Money, and enough to keep her Court in Splendor, was then thought an Equivalent to three Kingdoms in Reversion.

The Houfe of Commons was the most unanimous in new Courtfhip, and therefore it was thought wifeft to begin this great Bufinefs there; from whence they fent up to the Lords this following Vote, that "the King, by having broken the Original Con"tract, and by having withdrawn himself out of "the Kingdom, had abdicated the Government, and "fo the Throne was become vacant.". The Houfe of Lords concurr'd, and the Prince of Orange was elected King, and the Princefs Queen of England.

By which we obferve, that it feem'd that a facerdotal Star did not rule at Mr. Pope's Birth, for the Hopes of the Papist Families leffened from this Time, and many were induc'd through interefted or other Views, to come over to the Proteftant Intereft; ; but Mr. Pope's Father and Mother being fo very hearty and indeed honest Papifts, that he knew no fuch Thing as his fwerving from their Faith, would have broke their Hearts, and no Son ever lov'd Parents more tenderly than he did; when he speaks or writes about them a certain filial Regard is feen ripe as Manhood, but at the fame Time foft as Infancy; it does not appear that ever he did one Thing to difoblige them, and they alfo were doatingly fond of him, who in his Infancy called for much Care, continually fick almost, and when well, weak, and in Danger from every little Accident to relapse into former Disorders: His Mother liv'd to a very great Age, being more than 93; fhe died on the feventh of June, 1733, VOL. II.

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and Mr. Pope according to a Refolution before form❜d, had her Picture drawn after fhe was dead, by the famous Mr. Richardfon, the Letter which he wrote him from Twickenham bearing Date the tenth of June, has fomething remarkably expreffive in it, an unruffled and calm Grief, confiderate Sorrow, and great Love.

Dear Sir,

SI know you and I mutually defire to fee one

another, I hoped that this Day our Wishes would have met, and brought you hither. And this for the very Reason which might poffibly hinder your coming, that my poor Mother is dead. I thank God, her Death was as eafy, as her Life was innocent; and as it coft her not a Groan, or even a Sigh, there is yet upon her Countenance fuch an Expreffion of Tranquility, nay almoft of Pleasure, that it is even amiable to behold it. It would afford the finest Image of a Saint expir'd, that ever Painting drew; and it would be the greatest Obligation which even that obliging Art could ever beftow on a Friend, if you could come and sketch it for me. I am fure, if there be no very prevalent Obstacle, you will leave any common Business to do this; and I hope to fee you this Evening as late as you will, or Tomorrow Morning as early, before this Winter-flower is faded. I will defer her Interment till Tomorrow Night. I know you love me, or I cou'd not have written this -I could not (at this Time) have written at allAdieu! May you die as happily!

Your affectionate Friend and Servant,
A. POPE.

After the Death of his Father and Mother, it was too late in Life for Mr. Pope to leave a Profeffion of

that

that Faith which he had long been in, of which some People were in Expectation, as he had at Times fhewn great Moderation, and openly confefs'd that he was

Papift nor Proteftant but both between,
Like good Erafmus in an honeft Mean.

For which and other like Declarations he was fevere ly cenfured by the holy Vandals, and had Sentences pass'd upon him, which he did not fail to remember, and gave in Return, that he thought himself not affected by it, and that he believ'd that the best Service that could be done to true Religion, was openly to express a Detestation and Scorn of those mean Artifices and Pia Fraudes, which it ftands fo little in Need of.

Another Thing which was very odious to him, was that peremptory and uncharitable Affertion of an utter Impoffibility of Salvation to all but Papifts, invincible Ignorance excepted, which would introduce almoft univerfal Damnation; for befides the fmall Number fuppos'd faithful in the Romish Church, they must again fubdivide; the fanfenift is damn'd by the Jefuit, the Jefuit by the Fanfenist, the Scotift by the Thomift, and fo forth; this he afcribes to their Want of Humility and Charity, from whence it proceeds, for St. Auften finely fays, Where there's Charity, there's Humility, and where Humility is, there is Peace.

Of thefe Things Mr. Pope had confidered much, it being cuftomary for him to walk in warm fine Nights, wholly for the Sake of Contemplation, one Set of fuch Reflections he confeffes to: I have been (fays he) just taking a folitary Walk by Moon-fhine, full of Reflection on the Transitory Nature of all human Delights; and giving my Thoughts a Loofe in the T 2

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Contemplation of those Satisfactions which probably we may hereafter taste in the Company of feparate Spirits, when we shall range the Walks above, and perhaps gaze on this World at as vast a Distance as we now do on those Worlds. The Pleafures we are to enjoy in that Conversation muft undoubtedly be of a nobler Kind, and (not unlikely) may proceed from the Difcoveries each fhall communicate to another, of God and Nature; for the Happinefs of Minds can furely be nothing but Knowledge.

The highest Gratification we receive here from Company is Mirth, which at the beft is but a fluttering unquiet Motion, that beats about the Breast for a few Moments, and after leaves it void and empty. Keeping good Company, even the beft, is but a fhameless Art of lofing Time. What we here call Science and Study, are little better: The greater Number of Arts to which we apply ourselves are meer groping in the Dark; and even the Search of our most important Concerns in a future Being, is but a needlefs, anxious, and uncertain Hafte to be knowing, fooner than we can, what without all this Sollicitude we shall know a little later. We are but curious Impertinents in the Cafe of Futurity. Tis not our Business to be gueffing what the State of Souls fhall be, but to be doing what may make our own State happy; we cannot be knowing, but we can be virtuous.

As this is my Notion of a great Part of that high Science, Divinity, I lay no mighty Stress upon the reft. Even of my darling Poetry I really make no other Ufe, than Horfes of the Bells that gingle about their Ears (tho' now and then they tofs their Heads as if they were proud of them) only to jogg on, a little more merrily.

Iremark, that the Variety of Opinions in Politicks or Religion is often rather a Gratification, than an Objection, to People who have Senfe enough to confider the beautiful Order of Nature in her Variations. I think it a generous Thought, that it is not improbable but God may be delighted with the various Methods of worshipping him, which divide the whole World. I am pretty fure I should make no good Inquifitor to the modern Tyrants in Faith: I as little fear God will damn a Man that has Charity, as I hope that any Prieft can fave him without it, &c.

In the latter Part of Mr. Pope's Time, he pass'd it much in this Manner, for Reading and Writing, for which he had ftill the greatest Relifh, grew painful to him, his Eyes became weak and dim, with fo great Application to Study, and Sorrow for his Mother, which, when in her laft Illness, was without Intermiffion In this Circumftance, to a Friend he fays thus: I am unfeignedly tired of the World, and receive nothing to be called Pleafure in it, equivalent to countervail either the Death of one I have long liv'd with, or of one I have fo long liv'd for: I have nothing left but to turn my Thoughts to one Comfort, the last we ufually think of, tho' the only one in Wisdom we should depend upon, in fuch a disappointing Place as this: I fit in her Room, and he is always prefent before me, but when I fleep. I wonder I am fo well; I have shed many Tears, but now weep at nothing.

One capable of defcribing the Paffions as he was able to do, muft certainly feel them himself very ftrongly, more especially one, which he had been feeding all his Life-time, no other Tie of Friendship or Affection but what immediately submitted to this filial Love. How ftrange would it have feem'd to that Mother to hear, that there were in the World Women, who without any Offence, but fome trifling

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