The dying Chriftian to his SOUL. O D E. I. Vital spark of heav'nly flame! II. Hark! they whisper; Angels fay, III. The world recedes; it difappears! LETTER X. To Mr. ADDISON. July 20, 1713. AM more joy'd at your return than I should be at that of the fun, fo much as I wish for him this melancholy wet feafon; but 'tis his fate too, like I yours, yours, to be difpleafing to Owls and obfcene animals, who cannot bear his luftre. What put me in mind of these night-birds was John Dennis, whom, I think, you are best revenged upon, as the Sun was in the fable upon those bats and beaftly birds abovementioned, only by shining on. I am fo far from efteeming it any misfortune, that I congratulate you upon having your share in that, which all the great men and all the good men that ever lived have had their part of, Envy and Calumny. To be uncenfured and to be obfcure, is the fame thing. You may conclude from what I here fay, that 'twas never in my thoughts to have offered you my pen in any direct reply to fuch a Critic, but only in fome little raillery; not in defence of you, but in contempt of him*. But indeed your opinion, that 'tis intirely to be neglected, would have been my own had it been my own cafe; but I felt more warmth here than I did when firft I saw his book against myfelf, (tho' indeed in two minutes it made me heartily merry.) He has written against every thing the world has approv'd these many years. I apprehend but one danger from Dennis's difliking our sense, that it may make us think so very well of it, as to become proud and conceited, upon his disapproba tion. I must not here omit to do juftice to Mr. Gay, whose zeal in your concern is worthy a friend and honourer of you. He writ to me in the most pressing terms about it, though with that just contempt of the Critic that he deserves.. I think in these days one honeft man is obliged to acquaint another who are his friends; when so many mischievous infects are daily at work to make people of merit fufpicious * This relates to the Paper occafioned by Dennis's Remarks upon Cato, call'd, Dr. Norris's Narrative of the Frenzy of John Dennis. P. of of each other; that they may have the fatisfaction of feeing them look'd upon no better than themselves. I am Your, &c. LETTER XI. I Mr. ADDISON to Mr. POPE. Oct. 26, 1713. Was extremely glad to receive a letter from you, but more fo upon reading the contents of it. The *Work you mention, will I dare fay, very fufficiently recommend itself when your name appears with the Propofals: And if you think I can any way contribute to the forwarding of them, you cannot lay a greater obligation upon me than by employing me in fuch an office. As I have an ambition of having it known that you are my friend, I fhall be very proud of fhowing it by this, or any other inftance. I queftion not but your Translation will enrich our Tongue and do honour to our Country; for I conclude of it already from those performances with which you have oblig'd the public. I would only have you confider how it may moft turn to your advantage. Excufe my impertinence in this particular, which proceeds from my zeal for your cafe and happiness. The work would cost you a great deal of Time, and, unless you undertake it, will, I am afraid, never be executed by any other; at least I know none of this age that is equal to it befides yourself. I am at prefent wholly immerfed in country business, and begin to take delight in it. I wish I might hope to fee you here fome time, and will not defpair of *The Tranflation of the Iliad. P. it, when you engage in a work that will require folitude and retirement. I am Your, &c. LETTER XII. Mr. ADDISON to Mr. POPE. Növ. 2, 1713. Have receiv'd your letter, and am glad to find that you have laid to good a scheme for your great undertaking. I queftion not but the Profe* will require as much care as the Poetry, but the variety will give yourself fome relief, and more pleasure to your readers. You gave me leave once to take the liberty of a friend, in advising you not to content yourself with one half of the Nation for your admirers when you might command them all. If I might take the freedom to repeat it, I would on this occafion. I think you are very happy that you are out of the Fray, and I hope all your undertakings will turn to the better account for it. You fee how I prefume on your friendship in taking all this freedom with you: But I already fancy that we have lived many years together in an unreferved converfation, and that we may do fo many more, is the fincere with of 1 Your, &c. * The notes to his tranflation of Homer. i Vol. VII. LET YOUR LETTER XIII. To Mr. ADDISON. YOUR laft is the more obliging, as it hints at fome little niceties in my conduct, which your candour and affection prompts you to recommend to me, and which (fo trivial as things of this nature feem) are yet of no flight confequence, to people whom every body talks of and every body as he pleases. 'Tis a fort of Tax that attends an estate in Parnaffus, which is often rated much higher than in proportion to the fmall poffeffion an author holds. For indeed an author, who is once come upon the town, is enjoy'd without being thanked for the pleafure, and fometimes ill-treated by those very perfons who firft debauched him. Yet, to tell you the bottom of my heart, I am no way difpleafed that I have offended the violent of all parties already; and at the fame time I affure you confcientiously, I feel not the leaft malevolence or refentment against any of those who mifreprefent me, or are diflatisfied with me. This frame of mind is fo eafy, that I am perfectly content with my condition. As I hope, and would flatter myfelf, that you know me and my thoughts fo entirely as never to be miftaken in either, fo 'tis a pleafure to me that you guefs'd fo right in regard to the author of that Guardian you mentioned. But I am forry to find it has taken air, that I have fome hand in thofe papers, because I write fo very few as neither to deferve the credit of fuch a report with fome people, nor the difrepute of it with others. An honeft Jacobite. spoke to me the sense or nonsense of the weak part of his party very fairly, that the good people took it ill of me, that I writ with Steele, tho' upon never fo indifferent fubjects. This, I know, you will laugh |