ought, one muft forget father and mother, and cleave to it alone. My reverie has been fo deep, that I have scarce had an interval to think myself uneafy in the want of your company. I now and then juft mifs you as I ftep into bed; this minute, indeed, I want extremely to fee you, the next I fhall dream of nothing but the taking of Troy, or the recovery of Brifeis.

I fancy no friendship is fo likely to prove lafting as ours, because, I am pretty fure, there never was a friendfhip of fo eafy a nature. We neither of us demand any mighty things from each other; what Vanity we have, expects its gratification from other people. It is not I that am to tell you what an Artift you are, nor is it you, that are to tell me what a Poet I am; but 'tis from the world abroad we hope (pioufly hope) to hear these things. At home we follow our bufinefs, when we have any; and think and talk moft of each other when we have none. 'Tis not unlike the happy friendship of a fray'd man and his wife, who are feldom fo fond as to hinder the business of the houfe from going on all day, or so indolent as not to find confolation in each other every evening. Thus, well-meaning couples hold in amity to the laft, by not expecting too much from human nature; while romantic friendships, like violent loves, begin with difquiets, pro- : ceed to jealoufies, and conclude in animofities. I have lived to fee the fierce advancement, the fudden turn, and the abrupt period, of three or four of these enormous friendships, and am perfectly convinced of the truth of.a maxim we once agreed in, that nothing hinders the con ftant agreement of people who live together, but merely. vanity; a fecret infifting upon what they think their dignity of merit, and an inward expectation of such an overmeasure of deference and regard, as anfwers to their own y extravagant falfe fcale; and which no body can pay, be caufe none but themfelves can tell exactly to what pitch it amounts.

I am, &c.

LETTER

LETTER XXII.

Mr. JERVAS to Mr. POPE.

Aug. 20, 1714. Have a particular to tell you at this time, which pleases me fo much, that you muft expect a more than ordinary alacrity in every turn. You know I could keep you in fufpenfe for twenty lines, but I will tell you directly, that Mr. Addison and I have had a conversation, that it would have been worth your while to have been placed behind the wainscot, or behind fome half-length picture, to have heard. He affur'd me, that he would make use not only of his intereft, but of his art, to do you some service; he did not mean his art of poetry, but his art at court; and he is fenfible that nothing can have a better air for himfelf than moving in your favour, efpecially fince infinuations were spread, that he did not care you should profper too much as a poet. He protefts that it fhall not be his fault, if there is not the best intelligence in the world, and the moft hearty friendship, &c. He owns, he was afraid Dr. Swift might have carried you too far among the enemy, during the heat of the animofity; but now all is fafe, and you are escap'd even in his opinion. I promis'd in your name, like a good Godfather, not that you should renounce the devil and all his works, but that you would be delighted to find him your friend merely for his own fake; therefore prepare yourself for fome civilities.

I have done Homer's head, fhadow'd and heighten'd carefully; and I inclofe the out-line of the fame fize, that you may determine whether you would have it so large, or reduced, to make room for feuillage or laurel round the oval, or about the fquare of the bufto? perhaps there is fomething more folemn in the image itself, if I can get it well perform❜d.

If I have been inftrumental in bringing you and Mr. Addison together with all fincerity, I value myself upon

it as an acceptable piece of fervice to fuch a one as I know you to be.

Your, &c.

LETTER XXIII.

Mr. POPE's Answer.

Aug. 27, 1714.

AM juft arrived from Oxford, very well diverted and entertain'd there. Every one is much concern'd for the Queen's death. No panegyrics ready yet for the King.

I admire your Whig-principles of refiftance exceedingly, in the fpirit of the Barcelonians: I join in your wifh for them. Mr. Addifon's verfes on Liberty, in his letter from Italy, would be a good form of prayer in my opinion, O Liberty! thou Goddess heavenly bright! &c.

What you mention of the friendly office you endeavour'd to do betwixt Mr. Addison and me, deferves acknowledgments on my part. You thoroughly know my regard to his character, and my propenfity to teftify it by all ways in my power. You as thoroughly know the fcandalous meannefs of that proceeding which was used by Philips, to make a man I fo highly value, suspect my difpofitions toward him. But as, after all, Mr. Addison must be the judge in what regards himself, and has feem'd to be no very just one to me; fo, I muft own to you, I expect nothing but civility from him, how much foever I wifh for his friendship. As for any offices of real kindnefs or fervice which it is in his power to do me, I should be ashamed to receive them from any man who had no better opinion of my morals, than to think me a Partyman; nor of my temper, than to believe me capable of maligning, or envying another's reputation as a poet; fo I leave it to time to convince him as to both, to fhew him the shallow depths of thofe half-witted creatures who mifinformed him, and to prove that I am incapable of

endea

endeavouring to leffen a person whom I would be proud to imitate, and therefore asham'd to flatter. In a word, Mr. Addison is fure of my respect at all times, and of my real friendship whenever he shall think fit to know me for what I am.

For all that pafs'd betwixt Dr. Swift and me, you know the whole (without referve) of our correfpondence. The engagements I had to him were fuch as the actual fervices he had done me, in relation to the fubfcription for Homer obliged me to. I must have leave to be grateful to him, and to any one who ferves me, let him be never fo obnoxious to any party: nor did the Toryparty ever put me to the hardship of asking this leave, which is the greatest obligation I owe to it; and I expect no greater from the Whig-party than the fame liberty. -A curfe on the word Party, which I have been forc'd to ufe fo often in this period! I with the prefent reign may put an end to the diftinction, that there may be no other for the future than that of Honeft and Knave, Fool and Man of fenfe; these two forts muft always be enemies; but for the reft, may all people do as you and Í2 believe what they pleafe, and be friends.

I,

Lam, &c.

I

AM obliged to you both for the favours you havé done me, and for those you intend me. I diftruft neither your will nor your memory, when it is to do good; and if ever I become troublefome of folicitous, it muft not be out of expectation, but out of gratitude. Your lordfhip may either cause me to live agreeably in the town, or contentedly in the country, which is really all the difference I fet between an eafy fortune and a small one. It is indeed a high ftrain of generofity in you, to

think of making me eafy all my life, only because I have been fo happy as to divert you fome few hours: but if I may have leave to add, it is because you think me no enemy to my native country, there will appear a better reafon; for I muft of confequence be very much (as E I fincerely am)

Yours, &c,

I

LETTER XXV..

Dr. PARNELLE to Mr. POPE.

I

AM writing you a long letter; but all the tediousness I feel in it is, that it makes me, during the time, think more intently of my being fo far from you. fancy, if I were with you, I could remove fome of the uneafinefs which you may have felt from the oppofition of the world, and which you should be ashamed to feel, fince it is but the teftimony which one part of it gives you that your merit is unquestionable. What would you have otherwife, from ignorance, envy, or thofe tempers which vie with you in your own way? I know this in mankind, that when our ambition is unable to attain its end, it is not only wearied, but exafperated too at the vanity of its labours; then we fpeak ill of happier ftudies, and, fighing, condemn the excellence which we find above reach.

our

My + Zoilus, which you us'd to write about, I finish'd laft fpring, and left in town. I waited till I came up to fend it you; but not arriving here before your book was out, imagin'd it a loft piece of labour. If you will fill have it, you need only write me word.

I have here feen the Firft Book of Homer 1, which

* This, and the three Extracts following, concerning the Tranflation of the first Iliad, fet on foot by Mr. Addifon, Mr. Pope has omitted in his first Edition.

† Printed for B. Lintot, 1715, 8°, and afterwards added to the last edition of his poems.

Written by Mr. Addison, and published in the name of Mr. Tickell.

VOL. IV.

H

came