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I muft fay (and I do it with an old-fashioned fincerity) that I entirely approve of your translation of those pieces of Homer, both as to the verfification and the true fenfe that shines thro' the whole: Nay I am confirmed in my former application to you, and give me leave to renew it upon this occafion, that you would proceed in tranflating that incomparable Poet, to make him speak good English, to drefs his admirable characters in your proper, fignificant, and expreffive conceptions, and to make his works as useful and inftructive to this degenerate age, as he was to our friend Horace, when he read him at Prenefte: Qui quid fit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non, etc. I break off with that quid non? with which I confefs I am charm'd.

Upon the whole matter I intreat you to fend this prefently to be added to the Miscellanies, and I hope it will come time enough for that purpose.

I have nothing to fay of my Nephew B's obfervations, for he fent them to me fo late, that I had not time to confider them; I dare fay he endeavour'd very faithfully (though, he told me, very haftily) to execute your

commands.

All I can add is, that if your excess of modefty fhould hinder you from publishing this Effay, I fhali only be forry that I have no more credit with you, to perfuade you to oblige the public, and very particularly, dear Sir,

Your, etc.

LETTER

I

LETTER III.

Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL to Mr. POPE.
March 6, 1713.

Think a hafty fçribble fhows more what flows from the heart, than a letter after Balzac's manner in ftudied phrases; therefore I will tell you as faft as I can, that I have received your favour of the 26th paft, with your kind prefent of the Rape of the Lock. You have given me the trueft fatisfaction imaginable, not only in making good the juft opinion I have ever had of your reach of thought, and my Idea of your comprehenfive genius; but likewife in that pleasure I take as an Englishman to see the French, even Boileau himself in his Lutrin, out-done in your poem: for you defcend leviore plectre, to all the nicer touches, that your own obfervation and wit furnish, on fuch a fubject as requires the fineft ftrokes and the livelieft imagination. But I muft fay no more (tho'l could a great deal) on what pleases me fo much and henceforth, I hope, you will never condemn me of partiality, fince I only fwim with the Atream, and approve of what all men of good tafte (notwithstanding the jarring of Parties) must and do univerfally applaud. I now come to what is of vaft moment, I mean the preservation of your health, and beg of you carneftly to get out of all Tavern-company, and fly away tanquam ex incendio. What a mifery is it for you to be deftroyed by the foolish kindness ('tis all one whether real or pretended) of those who are able to bear the poifon of bad wine, and to engage you in fo unequal a combat? As to Homer, by all I can learn, your business is done therefore come away and take a little time to breathe in the country. I beg now for my own fake, and much more for yours; methinks Mr.

:

to you more than once,

Heu fuge, nate dea, teque his, ait, eripe flammis!

I am

has faid

Your, etc.

LETTER

LETTER IV.

To Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL.

March 12, 1713.

THOUGH any thing you write is fure to be a pleasure to me, yet I must own your last letter made me uneafy; you really use a stile of compliment, which I expect as little as I deferve it. I know 'tis a common opinion that a young fcribbler is as ill pleas'd to hear truth. as a young lady. From the moment one fets up for an author, one must be treated as ceremoniously, that is, as unfaithfully,

As a King's Favourite, or as a King.

This proceeding, join'd to that natural vanity, which firft makes a man an author, is certainly enough to render him a coxcomb for life. But I muft grant it is a juft judgment upon poets, that they, whofe chief pretence is Wit, fhould be treated as they themselves treat Fools, that is, be cajol'd with praises. And, I believe, Poets are the only poor fellows in the world whom any body will flatter.

I would not be thought to fay this, as if the obliging letter you fent me deferv'd this imputation, only it put me in mind of it; and I fancy one may apply to one's friend what Cæfar faid of his wife: "It was not fufficient "that he knew her to be chafte himfelf, but she should ❝ not be fo much as fufpected."

As to the wonderful difcoveries, and all the good news. you are pleas'd to tell me of myself, I treat it, as you who are in the fecret, treat common news, as groundiefs reports of things at a diftance; which I,¡who look into the true fprings of the affair, in my own breaft, know to have no foundation at all. For Fame, though it be (as Milton finely calls it) the laft infirmity of noble minds, is fcarce fo ftrong a temptation as to warrant our loss of time here: it can never make us lie down contentedly VOL. III. Iii

on

on a death-bed, (as fome of the Antients are faid to have done with that thought.) You, Sir, have yourself taught me, that an easy situation at that hour can proceed from no ambition lefs noble than that of eternal felicity, which is unattainable by the strongest endeavours of the wit, but may be gain'd by the fincere intentions of the heart only. As in the next world, fo in this, the only folid bleffings are owing to the goodness of the mind, not the extent of the capacity: friendship here is an emanation from the fame fource as beatitude there: the fame benevolence and grateful disposition that qualifies us for the one, if extended farther, makes us partakers of the other. The utmost point of my defires in my prefent ftate terminates in the fociety and good-will of worthy men, which I look upon as no ill earnest and foretaste of the fociety and alliance of happy fouls hereafter.

The continuance of your favours to me is what not only makes me happy, but caufes me to fet fome value upon myself as a part of your care. The inftances I daily meet with of these agreeable awakenings of frienship, are of too pleafing a nature not to be acknowledged whenever I think of you. I am

Your, etc.

LETTER V.

April 30, 1713.

I

Have been almost every day employ'd in following your advice, and amufing my felf in painting, in which I am moft particularly obliged to Mr. Jervas, who gives me daily inftructions and examples. As to poetical affairs, I am content at present to be a bare looker-on, and from a practitioner turn an admirer, which is (as the world goes) not very ufual. Cato was not fo much the wonder of Rome in his days, as he is of Britain in ours; and tho' all the foolish industry poffible has been used to make it thought a party-play, yet what the author once said

of

of another may the moft properly in the world be apply'd to him on this occafion.

Envy itfelf is dumb, in wonder loft,

And Factions ftrive, who shall applaud him moft.

Lord

The numerous and violent claps of the Whig-party on the one fide of the theatre, were echo'd back by the Tories on the other; while the author fweated behind the fcenes with concern to find their applaufe proceeding more from the hand than the head. This was the cafe too of the prologue writer, who was clapp'd into a stanch Whig, at almoft every two lines. I believe you have heard, that after all the applauses of the oppofite faction, my Bolingbroke fent for Booth, who play'd Cato, into the box, between one of the acts, and prefented him with fifty guineas; in acknowledgment (as he express'd it) for defending the cause of liberty fo well against a Perpetual Dictator. The Whigs are unwilling to be distanc'd this way, and therefore defign a present to the fame Cato very speedily; in the mean time they are getting ready as good a fentence as the former on their fide: fo betwixt them, 'tis probable that Cato (as Dr. Garth exprefs'd it) may have fomething to live upon, after he dies. I am

Your, etc.

I

LETTER VI.

From Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL.

Eafthamstead, Feb. 22, 1714-15. AM fenfibly oblig'd, dear Sir, by your kind prefent of the Temple of Fame, into which you are already enter'd, and I dare prophecy for once (tho' I am not much given to it) that you will continue there, with those, Who, ever new, not fubject to decays,

Spread and grow brighter with the length of days.

* Himself,

Iii 2

There

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