book of the " Thebais,' which, with some revision, he afterwards published. He must have been at this time, if he had no help, a considerable proficient in the Latin tongue.

2

By Dryden's "Fables," which had then been not long published, and were much in the hands of poetical readers, he was tempted to try his own skill in giving Chaucer a more fashionable appearance, and put " January and May," and the "Prologue of the Wife of Bath," into modern English. He translated likewise the Epistle of "Sappho to Phaon" from Ovid, to complete the version, which was before imperfect; and wrote some other small pieces, which he afterwards printed.

66

99 6

He sometimes imitated the English poets, and professed to have written at fourteen his poem upon Silence,' after Rochester's "Nothing.' He had now formed his versification, and in the smoothness of his numbers surpassed his original: but this is a small part of his praise; he discovers such acquaintance both with human life and public affairs, as is not easily conceived to have been attainable by a boy of fourteen in Windsor Forest."

66

1 Ald. P. vol. i. p. 137. The Thebais was the chief work of the Latin poet Statius, and was dedicated to the emperor Domitian about the year A.D. 86 or 90. Cf. Juvenal, Sat. vii. 82.

2 Published in 1700. Vid. supr. Life of Dryden, vol. i. pp. 405,

469.

3 Ald. P. vol. ii. p. 253.

4 Ibid. vol. ii. p. 281.

5 Ibid. vol. i. p. 119.

6 Ibid. vol. ii. p. 306.

7 Vid. supr. Life of Rochester, vol. i. p. 223.

8 Windsor Forest, vol. i. p. 49. This work appeared before March 9, 1713, on which day Swift writes to Stella: "Mr. Pope has published a fine poem, called Windsor Forest. Read it." It was printed in folio in 1713, again in folio the same year, and in octavo the next. E. and C. vol. i. p. 319. Dedicated to George Lord Lansdowne and, according to the opening lines of the poem, written at his instigation.

Next year he was desirous of opening to himself new sources of knowledge, by making himself acquainted with modern languages; and removed for a time to London, that he might study French and Italian, which, as he desired nothing more than to read them, were by diligent application soon dispatched. Of Italian learning he does not appear to have ever made much use in his subsequent studies.

He then returned to Binfield, and delighted himself with his own poetry. He tried all styles, and many subjects. He wrote a comedy, a tragedy, an epick poem, with panegyricks on all the princes of Europe; and, as he confesses, thought himself the greatest genius that ever was. Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings; he, indeed, who forms his opinion of himself in solitude, without knowing the powers of other men, is very liable to errour; but it was the felicity of Pope to rate himself at his real value.

The

Most of his puerile productions were, by his maturer judgement, afterwards destroyed; "Alcander," the epick poem, was burnt by the persuasion of Atterbury. tragedy was founded on the legend of "St. Genevieve." Of the comedy there is no account.

1

Concerning his studies it is related, that he translated "Tully on old Age; " and that, besides his books of poetry and criticism, he read "Temple's Essays " " and " Locke on human Understanding." His reading, though his favourite authors are not known, appears to have been sufficiently

1 St. Geneviève (A.D. 424-512) was the patron saint of Paris. She twice saved the city, according to the traditions, by her prayers: first from Attila and the Huns, and again on another occasion when it was besieged; but of this latter siege there are neither dates nor details. There is a church called after her standing in the Quartier Latin.— A. MILNES.

2 Published 1680-90. The fourth edition appeared in 1705. 3 First edition, 1690.

Folio.

extensive and multifarious; for his early pieces shew, with sufficient evidence, his knowledge of books.

He that is pleased with himself, easily imagines that he shall please others. Sir William Trumbal,' who had been ambassador at Constantinople, and secretary of state, when he retired from business, fixed his residence in the neighbourhood of Binfield. Pope, not yet sixteen, was introduced to the statesman of sixty, and so distinguished himself, that their interviews ended in friendship and correspondence. Pope was, through his whole life, ambitious of splendid acquaintance, and he seems to have wanted neither diligence nor success in attracting the notice of the great; for from his first entrance into the world, and his entrance was very early, he was admitted to familiarity with those whose rank or station made them most conspicuous.

From the age of sixteen the life of Pope, as an author, may be properly computed. He now wrote his pastorals,2 which were shewn to the Poets and Criticks of that time; as they well deserved, they were read with admiration, and many praises were bestowed upon them and upon the Preface, which is both elegant and learned in a high degree: they were, however, not published till five years afterwards.

Cowley, Milton, and Pope, are distinguished among the English Poets by the early exertion of their powers; but the works of Cowley alone were published in his childhood, and therefore of him only can it be certain that his puerile

1 One of the Secretaries of State to King William III. Fellow of All Souls Coll. Oxford. He resigned his place and died in retirement at Easthampstead, Berkshire, in 1716. Vid. infr. his Epitaph, by Pope.

* The Pastorals were written from 1704 to 1706. For an account of these poems, and a collection of criticisms upon them, see E. and C. vol. i. p. 232. Ald. P. vol. i. p. 13.

performances received no improvement from his maturer studies.

At this time began his acquaintance with Wycherley,' a man who seems to have had among his contemporaries his full share of reputation, to have been esteemed without virtue, and caressed without good-humour. Pope was proud of his notice; Wycherley wrote verses in his praise, which he was charged by Dennis with writing to himself," and they agreed for a while to flatter one another. It is pleasant to remark how soon Pope learned the cant of an author, and began to treat criticks with contempt, though he had yet suffered nothing from them.

But the fondness of Wycherley was too violent to last. His esteem of Pope was such, that he submitted some poems to his revision; and when Pope, perhaps proud of such confidence, was sufficiently bold in his criticisms, and liberal in his alterations, the old scribbler was angry to see his pages defaced, and felt more pain from the detection than content from the amendment of his faults. They parted; but Pope always considered him with kindness, and visited him a little time before he died.

Another of his early correspondents was Mr. Cromwell,3 of whom I have learned nothing particular but that he used to ride a-hunting in a tye-wig, He was fond, and perhaps

My first friendship was contracted with a man of seventy, and I found him not grave enough or consistent enough for me, though we lived well till his death. I speak of old Mr. Wycherley. Pope to Swift, Nov. 28, 1729. E. and C. vol. vii. p. 173.

Caruthers gives (p. 29) an account of Wycherley, who is called by Leigh Hunt "the earliest of the chiefs of our prose drama."

2 On Dennis and his attacks, see Notes on Pope's line in the Dunciad:

-

“And all the mighty mad in Dennis rage."

E. and C. vol. iv. pp. 109-316.

3 Henry Cromwell. Characterized by Gay as "honest, hatless Cromwell." He died in 1728. See Caruthers,

pp. 35-45.

vain, of amusing himself with poetry and criticism; and sometimes sent his performances to Pope, who did not forbear such remarks as were now-and-then unwelcome. Pope, in his turn, put the juvenile version of “Statius” into his hands for correction.

Their correspondence afforded the publick its first knowledge of Pope's Epistolary Powers; for his Letters were given by Cromwell to one Mrs. Thomas, and she many years afterwards sold them to Curll, who inserted them in a volume of his “Miscellanies."

Walsh, a name yet preserved among the minor poets, was one of his best encouragers. His regard was gained by the “Pastorals,” and from him Pope received the council by which he seems to have regulated his studies. Walsh advised him to correctness, which, as he told him, the English poets had hitherto neglected, and which therefore was left to him as a basis of fame; and, being delighted with rural poems, recommended to him to write a pastoral comedy, like those which are read so eagerly in Italy; a design which Pope probably did not approve, as he did not follow it.

Pope had now declared himself a poet; and, thinking himself entitled to poetical conversation, began at seventeen to frequent Will's, a coffee-house on the north side of Russel-street in Covent-garden, where the wits of that time used to assemble, and where Dryden had, when he lived, been accustomed to preside.

During this period of his life he was indefatigably diligent, and insatiably curious; wanting health for violent, and money for expensive pleasures, and having certainly excited in himself very strong desires of intellectual eminence, he spent much of his time over his books; but he read only to store his mind with facts and images, seizing all that his authors presented with undistinguishing voracity, and with an appetite for knowledge too eager to be nice.