fhillings, is not reckoned to have contributed much to his reputation. Dr. Johnson observes, he did thany things wrong, and left many things undone.

Theobald, first in his "Shakspeare Reftored," and then in a formal edition, detected his deficiencies with all the infolence of victory; from which time he became an enemy to editors, commentators, and verbal critics.

About this time, he published proposals for a tranflation of the Odyssey, in 5 vols. 4to. for five guineas, and was affisted by Fenton, and Broome; who, as Ruffhead relates, had already begun the work. He tranflated only twelve books himself, his affociates the reft. The account of the feveral fhares, fubjoined at the conclufion, is now known not to be true. The first, fourth, nineteenth, and twentieth books were tranflated by Fenton; the fecond, fixth, eighth, eleventh, twelfth, fixteenth, eighteenth, and twenty-third books, by Broome; but he revised their verfions. Broome wrote the notes, for which he was not over liberally rewarded. The agreement with Lintot was the fame as for the Iliad, except that he was to receive but one hundred pounds for each volume.

The fubfcribers were five hundred and feventy-four, and the copies eight hundred and nineteen; fo that his profit, when he had paid Fenton 300 l. and Broome 600 1. was ftill very confiderable.

Spence wrote a criticism on the English Odyssey, which was esteemed impartial, judicious, and candid. Pope was pleased with it, and fought the acquaintance of the writer, who lived with him from that time in great familiarity, compiled memorials of his conversation, and obtained, by his influence, very valuable preferments in the church.

In 1723, he appeared before the Lords at the trial of Bishop Atterbury, to give an account of his domeftic life, and private employment, that it might appear how little time he had left for plots. He had but few words to utter, and in those few he made feveral blunders.

His letters to Atterbury, both before and after his misfortune, are full of esteem, gratitude, and tenderness. He often visited him in the Tower. At their laft interview, Atterbury prefented him with a Bible. Whatever might be Atterbury's political principles and views, he certainly poffeffed a highly cultivated understanding, an elegant tafte, and a feeling heart.

In 1726, Voltaire having visited England, was introduced to Pope, and wrote him a letter of confolation, on his being overturned in paffing a river, in the night, in Bolingbroke's coach, with } the windows closed, from which the poftillion fnatched him, when he was in danger of being drowned, by breaking the glass; the fragments of which cut two of his fingers, in such a manner that he loft their use.

In 1727, Swift vifited England, and joined with Pope in publishing three volumes of Misceltanies. Pope contributed the Memoirs of a Parifb Clerk, Stradling verfus Styles, Virgilius Reftauratus, the Baffet Table, and the Art of Sinking in Poetry, defigned as a part of the Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus, a fatire projected in conjunction with Arbuthnot and Swift, On the Abuses of Human Learning, in the manner of Cervantes.

The year following, he published the Duncial, one of his greatest and most elaborate performances; the hiftory of which is very minutely related by himself, in a dedication which he wrote to Lord Middlefex, in the name of Savage.

Pope appears by this narrative to have been the aggreffor; for nobody can believe that the letters in the Art of Sinking in Poetry were placed at random. If his intention had been to expose to ridicule and contempt, calumniators either of himself or of others, he ought to have confined himself to fuch libellers. If his defign was to difcourage bad writers from giving their productions to the world, he should have fatirized perfons of that defcription only. Theobald, Eufden, Blackmore, Philips, De Foe, Bentley, Hill, Welsted, and Cibber, were not such writers as deferved to be ridiculed; they were not generally flanderous, and had not calumniated him in particular. There is much reason to believe that he compofed the Dunciad, partly to be revenged on those who had abufed him, and partly to difplay his own fuperiority. He degraded himself by beftowing on fcribbling calumniators, even the notice of refentment; to display fuperiority was totally unneceffary, where there could be no competition.

In the fubfequent editions, he thought fit to omit the name of Hill, who expoftulated with him in a manner fuperior to all mean folicitation, and obliged him to fneak and fhuffle, fometimes to deny,

in the room of pieus passion, which was understood by Ducket to convey a fcandalous afperfion, and added a folemn difavowal of his malignant meaning.

The Dunciad is addrefied to Swift; of the notes, part were written by Arbuthnot; and an apologetical letter was prefixed by Cleland, but supposed to have been written by Popc.

In 1731, he published an Epifile to the Earl of Burlington, on Tafte: in which he feverely criticifes the house, furniture, garden, and entertainments of Timon, who was fuppofed to mean the Duke of Chandos, to whom he had been obliged. He wrote an exculpatory letter to the Duke, who accepted of his excufe, without believing his profeffions.

The next year he lost his friend Gay; who was a most amiable man, and loved by Pope with great tenderness.

The following year deprived him of his mother, who lived to the age of ninety-three; and did not die unlamented. His filial piety, Dr. Johnson obferves, was, in the highest degree, amiable, and exemplary; his parents had the happiness of living till he was at the fummit of his poetical reputation, till he was at ease in his fortune, and without a rival in his fame; and found no diminution of his respect or tenderness.. Whatever was his pride, to them he was obedient; and whatever was his irritability, to them he was gentle. Life has among its foothing and quiet comforts few things better to bestow than fuch a fon.

About this time, Curll published the furreptitious copy of Letters between Pope and bis Friends ; which were clandeftinely conveyed to him for publication, as is believed, by Pope's direction, that he might decently and defenfively publish them himself. The meffenger was Worfdale the painter.

From the perusal of his Letters, Mr. Allen conceived the defire of being acquainted with him. When Pope told him his purpose of afferting his property by a genuine edition, he offered to pay the coft. This, however, Pope did not accept; but, in time, with success, solicited a subscription for a quarto volume, which appeared in 1737.

In 1733, he published the first epistle of his Essay on Man, without his name, which, being favourably received, the second and third Epifles were published; and being now generally suspected of writing them, at laft, in 1734, he avowed the fourth, and claimed the honour of a moral poet.

In the conclufion, it is acknowledged, that the doctrine of the Efay was received from Bolingbroke, to whom it is infcribed, who is faid to have ridiculed Pope, as having advanced principles contrary to his own; and of which he did not perceive the confequences. However that may be, it is manifest that the pleasure of the taste and fancy, from the perufal of the Essay, is much greater than the information or conviction of the understanding.

The fame of the Effay on Man was very great; it was tranflated into French profe, and afterwards, by Refnel, into verfe. The tranflations were read by Croufaz, a profeffor in Switzerland. He believed that the pofitions of Pope were intended to reprefent the whole courfe of things as a chain of fatality, and made remarks on the Effay, tending to establish the free agency of man.

The celebrated Warburton undertook the defence of Pope, against the imputation of fatalism in "the Republic of Letters." Warburton, in his exculpatory comment, fhowed very great ingenuity, but is not generally reckoned to have completely removed the objections.

From this time, Pope lived in the clofeft intimacy with his commentator, who had before favoured his adverfaries, and amply rewarded his kindness and zeal; for he introduced him to Mr. Murray, afterwards Lord Mansfield, by whofe intereft he became preacher at Lincoln's Inn, and to Mr. Allen, who gave him his niece and his estate.

He was now received with attention, not only by the nobility, but by the Prince of Wales, who honoured him with his friendship, and dined at his houfe. It is faid that Queen Caroline expreffed an intention of vifiting him at Twickenham, but it was never accomplished.

In 1733, he published the Epifile to Lord Bathurst, on the Ufe of Riches; in which he draws the celebrated character of Kyrl the Man of Rofs.

la 1734, he infcribed to Lord Cobham his Charaters of Men, in which he endeavours to establish and exemplify his favourite theory of the Ruling Paffion; but with fo little skill, that in the examples by which he illuftrates and confirms it, he has confounded paffions, appetites, and ha

bits.

Martha Blount, to whom, during the greatest part of his life, he had been very much attached. The character of the Duchefs of Marlborough, under the name of Atoffa, was afterwards inferted, with no great honour to his gratitude.

Between 1730 and 1740, he published, from time to time, his Imitations of Horace, generally with his name, which modernize ancient ideas and characters, more fuccefsfully than any which had before appeared.

His Epifle to Dr. Arbuthnot, was published in January 1735, about a month before the death of his friend. It is to be regretted, Dr. Johnson obferves, that either honour of pleasure should have been miffed by Arbuthnot; a man eftimable for his learning, amiable for his life, and venerable for his piety.

Arbuthnot was a man of great comprehenfion, skilful in his profeffion, verfed in the sciences, acquainted with ancient literature, and able to animate his mass of knowledge, by a bright and active imagination; a scholar, with great brilliance of wit; a wit, who in the crowd of life retained and discovered a noble ardour of religious zeal.

In this epistle, Pope vindicates himself from cenfures, and, with dignity rather than arrogance, enforces his own claims to kindness and refpect. In the character of Sporus he ridicules Lord Hervey, who had written an invective against him. Whether he or Pope made the firft attack, perhaps cannot now be easily known.

In 1738, he published too fatirical dialogues, named from the year of their appearance. In the firft he degraded himself, by defcending to party politics. In the fecond he attacked feveral private characters, which had nearly exposed him to the resentment of the legislature.

The Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus were published about this time, extending to the first book of a work, projected by the Scriblerus Club; the production, probably of Arbuthnot, with a few touches perhaps by Pope. Befides its general refemblance to " Don Quixote," there will be found in it parsicular imitations of " The Hiftory of Mr. Ouffle.”

In 1740, he published a collection of Latin poems, written by Italians, in 2 vols. 12mo. including the former collection made by Atterbury, but injuriously omitting his preface.

He published likewife about this time, a revival in fmoother numbers, of Donne's Satires, which was recommended to him by the Duke of Shrewsbury, and the Earl of Oxford.

In 1742, he added, at Warburton's request, another book to the Dunciad.

In the Epifle to Arbuthnot, as in the Dunciad, he had attacked Cibber with great feverity. Cibber, who well knew the irritability of Pope, and confident that he could give him pain, wrote a spirited pamphlet, containing several stories, tending to make him ridiculous. The inceffant and unappeafeable malignity of Pope, he imputes to his ridicule of the exploded scene of the mummy and the orocodile in The Three Hours after Marriage, fuppofed to be the joint production of Gay, Pope, and Arbuthnot. Pope enraged, published a new edition of the Dunciad, in which he degraded Theobald, and enthroned Cibber in his flead. By transferring the fame ridicule from one to another, he destroyed its efficacy. Unhappily the two heroes were of oppofite characters, and Pope was unwilling to lose what he had already written; he has therefore depraved his poem, by giving to Cibber the old books, the cold pedantry, and sluggish pertinacity of Theobald. Cibber repaid the Duneiad with another pamphlet, which, though he pretended to difregard, really gave him great uneasiness. From this time, finding his diseases more oppreffive, and his vital powers gradually declining, he wrote nothing new, but satisfied himself with revifing his former works, in which he received advice and affiftance from Warburton, whofe hints, in the warmth of gratitude, he followed with alk the blindness of infatuated affection.

He laid afide his epic poem, on the ridiculous fiction of the arrival of Brutus, the Trojan, in Britain; which he had begun in blank verfe. The plan is exhibited by Ruffhead; but though the MS. was before him, he has given no fpecimen.

In 1743, he began to confider himself as approaching to his end. He had for at least five years been afflicted with an afthma, and other diforders, which his phyficians were unable to relieve. While he was yet capable of amufement and converfation, his literary friends were almost continually with him, and endeavoured to alleviate his pain. His favourite, Martha Blount, is faid to have neglected him, with fhameful unkinduefs, in the latter time of his decay. Of this, how

In May 1744, his death was approaching; on the 6th he was all day delirious. He afterwards complained of feeing things as through a curtain. He faid that his greatest inconvenience was inability to think. He received the Sacrament from a Romish priest; and expreffed undoubted confidence of a future ftate. He died on the evening of the 30th day of May, 1744, in perfect tranquillity; having, a few days before, entered the 57th year of his age. He was buried at Twickenham, near his father and mother, where a monument has been erected to him, by his friend Warburton.

By his will, made in the end of 1743, he appointed Lord Bathurst, Lord Marchmont, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Arbuthnot, his executors, and left the care of his papers to Lord Bolingbroke; and failing him, to Lord Marchmont; and to Warburton, the property of all his works, on which he had written, or fhould write commentaries, except thofe of which the property had been fold. To his noble friends he left his pictures, and ftatues, with fome of his favourite books; with other legacies to his other friends, and to his favourite domeftics; and the refidue of his fortune, to Martha Blount, for her life, and then to be divided among his relations.

The contemptuous mention made in his will of Mr. Allen, and an affected repayment of his be Ref:ctions with 150l, brought fome reproach on his memory. Martha Blount had been invited with Pope to Mr. Allen's house at Prior Park. Having occasion to go to Bristol for a few days, he left her behind him. In his abfence, the fignified an inclination to go to the Popish chapel at Bath, and desired of Mr. Allen the use of his chariot; but he, being at that time Mayor of the city, fuggefted the impropriety of having his carriage feen at the door of a place of worship, to which, as a magiftrate, he was at leaft restrained from giving a sanction, and might be required to suppress; and therefore defired to be excufed.

Mrs. Blount refented this refufal, and told Pope of it at his return; and fo infected him with her rage, that they both left the house abruptly. She parted from Mr. Allen in a ftate of irreconeileable diflike, and refused any legacy from Pope, unless he left the world with a difavowal of obligation to him. Pope complied with her demand, and polluted his will with female resentment. Mr. Allen accepted the legacy which he gave to the hospital at Bath.

He loft the favour of Bolingbroke, by a kind of posthumous offence. He had been defired by Bolingbroke to procure the impreffion of a very few copies of the "Patriot King ;" and he assured him that no more copies had been printed than were allowed; but after his death the printer refigned a complete edition of 1500 copies, to the right owner, which Pope had ordered him to print, and to retain in fecret. Bolingbrake delivered the whole impreffion to the flames, and employed Mallet, another friend of Pope, to expofe the breach of truft to the public, with all its aggravations. Warburton undertook not indeed to vindicate the action, but to extenuate it by an apology. To this apology an anfwer was written, in "A letter to the most impudent man living."

His works were published in 9 vols. 8vo. 1751, with a commentary and notes by Warburton. Another edition appeared in 5 vols. 4to. 1769, with an account of his life, and observations on his writings, by Owen Ruffhead, Efq. An edition with notes, has been lately announced by Mr. Wakefield, the learned author of the "Silva Critica" and another by Dr. Warton, the elegant author of the "Effays on the Genius and writings of Pope," in 2 vols. 8vo. 1762, and 1782: A work abounding with information, learning and just principles of taste.

The perfon of Pope was diminutive and mishapen. In the "Guardian," he compares himself to a fpider, and is faid to have been protuberant behind and before. His ftature was fo low, that, to bring him to a level with common tables, it was necessary to raise his feat. But his face was fweet and animated, and his eye remarkably intelligent and piercing. One fide was contracted. He wore a fur doublet under a fhirt of coarfe linen with fine fleeves. When he rofe, he was invested in boddice made of stiff canvafs, being scarce able to hold himself erect till they were laced. His legs were fo flender, that he enlarged their bulk with three pair of ftockings, which were drawn on and off by the maid; for he was not able to drefs or undress himself, and neither went to bed nor rofe without help. His weakness made it very difficult for him to be clean. The feebleness of his Game made him fickly and impatient. Both thefe caufes made him a troublefome gueft in the families which he visited. He was perpetually fending the fervants on frivolous errands, but took care to

his cafe or humour. When he wanted to fleep, he nodded in company, and once lumbered at his own table, while the Prince of Wales was talking of poetry. In familiar or convivial converfation he was not diftinguished by vivacity. In his eating, he was both dainty and voracious; and when he had eaten too much, if a dram had been offered to him, he pretended to be angry, but did not forbear to drink it. It does not appear that he was addicted to wine. His impatience and irritability often led him into little quarrels, that would make him leave the houfes of his friends abruptly. At Lord Oxford's he frequently met Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who knowing his peevishness, could by no entreaties be refrained from contradicting him, till their difputes were sharpened to fuch afperity, that one or other quitted the house. At home he was chiefly diftinguished for his frugality. It is faid that when he had two guests in his house, he would only fet a fingle pint of wine on the table. He fometimes gave a fplendid entertainment; and on thofe occafions showed taste, and magnificence. Of his fortune, which was very honourably obtained, he was proud. The great topic of his ridicule is poverty. He was accused of loving money; but his love was eagerness to gain, not folicitude to keep it. He affifted DodЛley with a hundred pounds, that he might open a fhop, and contributed twenty pounds a-year to the fubfcription for Savage; and bestowed confiderable fums on charity. He was a faithful and conftant friend; and notwithstanding the little defects of his conftitutional temper, was beloved by them during his life, and remembered with the most tender affection after his death. His refentment was too easily excited, and his revenge carried to too great a length. The provocation he received by no means juftified, in many cafes, the fevere fatire of the Dunciad. His malignity to Philips, whom he had at first made ridiculous, and then hated for being angry, continued too long. Of his vain defire to make Bentley contemptible, no good reason can be given. He was fometimes wanton in his attacks, before Chandos, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, and Hill, niean in his retreat. Though, on the whole, a man of integrity, he frequently used artifices that bordered on difengenuity. Thofe, however, seem to have resulted more from the idea of fuperiority, than of impofing upon others. Even that gratification was a weakness in the character of Pope. Artifice and cunning require very little ability. A man of fuch exalted fuperiority, and fo little moderation, would naturally have all his delinquencies observed; those who could not deny that he was excellent, would rejoice to find that he was not perfect.

Of his intellectual character, the conflituent and fundamental principle was good fenfe, a prompt and intuitive perception of confonance and propriety. He had likewife genius; a mind active, ambitious, and adventurous, always investigating, always afpiring. He was endowed with a fertile invention, and brilliant wit. To affift these powers, he had great strength and exaЯness of memory, which readily supplied the understanding with abundance of materials. Thofe gifts he improved by indefatigable industry, and acquired a great compafs of knowledge, completely digefted.

Thus endowed with the means of acquifition, he superadded the most effectual and agreeable modes of communication. His language is clear, forcible and elegant, enriched with figures, that at once illuftrate, adorn, and imprefs. He confidered poetry as the bufinefs of his life, and however he might seem to lament his occupation, he followed it with constancy; to make verses was his first labour, and to mend them was his laft. He ufed always the fame fabric of verfe. Of this uniformity the certain confequence was readiness and dexterity. By perpetual practice, language had in his mind a fyftematical arrangement; having always the fame ufe for words, he had words fo felected and combined as to be ready at his call.

On the general character and effect of his poems, it is the lefs necessary to enlarge, as little remains to be added to the diftinct examination of his excellent biographer, Dr. Johnson, and the mafterly criticism of Dr. Warton.

In his Paftorals, Dr. Warton obferves, there is not to be found a fingle inftance of a rural image that is new. The ideas of Theocritus, Virgil, and Spenfer, are indeed exhibited in language equally A mixture of mellifluous and pure, but the defcriptions and fentiments are trite, and common. British and Grecian ideas may juftly be deemed a blemish. An Englishman fpeaks of "celeftial Venus, and Idalia's Groves, of Diana and Cynthius." They exhibit, however, a feries of verfification, which had in English poetry no precedent, nor has fince had an imitation.