The life and writings of POPE," the great Poet of Reason," and "the Prince of Rhyme," have exhaufted the copiousness of Ruffhead, and received every poffible illuftration from the candid and well informed criticism of Spence, the elegant and claffical tafte of Dr. Warton, and the acute precifion of Dr. Johnson.

The facts stated, in the prefent account, are chiefly taken from the narratives of Ruffhead, and Dr. Johnson, whose copiousness and accuracy leave little to be corrected or supplied.

Ruffhead's information was collected from original manuscripts, communicated by Warburton, and Dr. Johnson's intelligence from Spence's MS. collections, communicated by the Duke of Newcaftle.

Alexander Pope was born in London, May 22, 1688. His father, Alexander Pope, was a linen-” draper in the Strand, of a good family in Oxfordshire, and a distant relation of the Earl of Downe. His mother, Editha Turner, was the daughter of William Turner, Efq. of York. She had three brothers, one of whom was killed, another died in the service of Charles I. and the eldeft, on the discomfiture of the royalists, going abroad, and becoming a general officer in Spain, left her what remained of the family estate, after sequestrations and forfeiture. Both parents were Papists.

About the time of the Revolution, his father quitted his trade, and retired to Binfield in Windfor Foreft, worth about 20,000l. which he put into a cheft, and spent as he wanted it; for, being a Papift, he could not purchase land, and he made a point of confcience not to lend it to the new government; fo that when Pope came to the inheritance, great part of the money was expended. He was, from his birth, of a very delicate conftitution, but is faid to have shown remarkable gentleness and sweetness of disposition. His voice, when he was young, was fo pleasing, that he was called in fondness "the little nightingale."

He was taught to read very early by an aunt, and when he was seven or eight years old, difcovered an eager defire for information and improvement. He firft learned to write by copying printed books, which he executed with great neatness and accuracy; though his ordinary hand was not elegant.

At eight years old he was placed in Hampshire, under Taverner, a Romish priest, who taught him the Greek and Latin rudiments together. He met with " Ogilby's Homer," and "Sandys's Ovid," which he read with a delight that showed the bent of his genius. Ogilby's affiftance he never repaid with any praise; but of Sandys he declared in his notes to the Iliad, that English poetry owed much of its beauty to his tranflations.

He was fent from Taverner, under whom his proficiency was confiderable, to a private school at Twyford near Winchester, where he continued a year; from this fchool he was fent to another at Hyde Park Corner, being then about ten years of age.

In the two last schools he considered himself as having made very little progress, of which he was fo fenfible, that among his earliest pieces, there is a fatire on his master at Twyford; yet, under those mafters, he translated more than a fourth part of Ovid's Metamorphofes."

While he was at the school at Hyde Park Corner, he was frequently carried to the play house, and was fo captivated with the drama, that he turned the chief transactions of the "Iliad" into a

kind of play, composed of a number of speeches from Ogilby's tranflation, connected with verses of

his own.

He prevailed upon his school-fellows to take part in this play, and upon his master's gardener, to at the part of Ajax.

At twelve years old, he was called by his father to Binfield, and there he had for a few months the affiftance of one Deane, another prieft, of whom he learned only to conftrue a little of "Tully's Offices," which, after having translated " Ovid," he might certainly do without great advances in

learning.

Hitherto, then, he must have known little more than what he learned during one year under Taverner; and from this time, till twenty, he became his own preceptor; and gained what other knowledge he had by reading the claffics, efpecially the poets, to whom he applied with great affi

His primary and principal purpose was to be a poet, with which his father accidentally concurred, by proposing subjects, and obliging him to correct his performance, by many revisals, after which, when he was fatisfied, he would fay, "These are good rhymes."

In perusing the English poets he foon distinguished the versification of Dryden, which he confidered as the model to be studied, and was impreffed with such veneration for his instructor, that he perfuaded a friend to conduct him to a coffee-house which Dryden frequented, and pleafed himself with having feen him.

"Who does not wish that Dryden could have known the value of the homage that was paid him, and foreseen the greatness of his young admirer ?"

The earliest of his productions is the Ode on Solitude, written when he was twelve, in which there is nothing remarkable.

His time was now wholly spent in reading and writing. He foon learned to read Homer in the original, as he himself records in one of his imitations of Horace.

Bred up at home, full early I begun

To read in Greek the wrath of Peleus' fon.

As he read the claffics, he amused himself with translating them; and at fourteen made a version of the first book of the Thebaid of Statius, which, with some revifion, he afterwards published. He tranflated likewise the Epifle of Sappho to Phaon, and Dryope and Pomona, from Ovid, which he afterwards printed.

He was also tempted, by "Dryden's Fables," to try his skill in reviving and imitating Chaucer's January and May, and the Prologue of the Wife of Bath, which he put into modern English.

He fometimes imitated the English poets, and profeffed to have written about this time, the poem upon Silence, in imitation of Rochester's "Nothing." He had now formed his versification, affisted by the rich melody of Dryden; and the smoothness of his numbers furpassed his original.

When he was fifteen, having made a confiderable progress in the learned languages, he went to London to learn the French and Italian, which, by diligent application, he soon acquired.

He then returned to Binfield, and delighted himself with his own poetry. He wrote a comedy, a tragedy, Alcander an epic poem in four books, with panegyrics on all the princes of Europe; and, as he confesses, "thought himself the greatest genius that ever was."

The fubject of the comedy is not known, but the tragedy was founded on the legend of St. Genevieve. Most of his puerile productions were afterwards deftroyed. The epic poem was burnt by the persuasion of Atterbury. Some of its extravagancies are produced in the Art of Sinking in poetry, figned Anonymous.

About this time, it is related, that he tranflated Tully on Old Age; and that, befides his books of poetry and criticism, he read "Temple's Effays," and "Locke on Human Understanding." Books were not the only means through which he acquired information. He early procured the acquaintance of men of talents and literature, and improved himself by conversation.

At fixteen, he acquired the Triendship of Sir William Trumball, a statesman of fixty, who had been in the higheft offices at home and abroad.

From that age, the life of Pope, as an author, may be properly computed. He now wrote his Pafto rals, which were for fome time handed about among poets, and critics, and at last printed in Tonfon's Mifcellany," 1709, in the fame volume with the "Pastorals" of Philips.

86

He had by this time become acquainted with Garth, Steele, Gay, Addifon, Congreve, Granville, Halifax, Somers, Walsh, Wycherly, Cromwell, and other wits. He loft the friendship of Wycherly, by correcting his bad poetry, and of Cromwell, by correcting his bad tafte.

Their correspondence afforded the public its first knowledge of Pope's epiftolary powers; for his letters were given by Cromwell to Mrs. Thomas, and the, many years afterwards, fold them to Curl, who inferted them in a volume of his mifcellanies."

Walsh was one of his first encouragers. He received an advice from him, which feems to have regulated his ftudies. Walsh advised him to corre&nefs, hitherto neglected by the English poets, and therefore an untrodden path to fame.

He had now declared himself a poet, and thinking himself entitled to poetical converfation, began at feventeen to frequent Will's Coffee-house, where the wits of that time used to assemble.

very high character. It was praised by Addison, attacked by Dennis, and commented by Warburton, who has difcovered in it fuch order and connection as was not perceived by Addifon, nor, as is faid, intended by the author. It has been translated into French by Hamilton, by Robotham, and by Reinel. It has also been tranflated into Latin verfe by feveral writers; particularly by Smart, and Dr. Kirkpatrick, the author of a poem called "The Sea-Piece," which, though it is little known, has many very fine paffages.

About the fame time, he wrote the Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, which he undertook at the defire of Steele.

In the "Spectator" was published the Meffiab, which he firft fubmitted to the perufal of Steele, and corrected in compliance with his criticifm.

The Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady, was probably written about the time when his Eay on Criticifm was published. Who the lady was, has not been afcertained. According to Ruffhead, he was a woman of high rank and large fortune, the ward of an uncle; fhe was in love with a young gentleman of an inferior condition. The uncle disapproved of her attachment, and propofed another perfon as a match. Finding the was determined to abide by her own choice, he fenc her abroad. Deprived of every opportunity of converfing or correfponding with her lover, the be came defperate, and procured a fword, which the directed to her heart.

In the "Gentleman's Magazine," vol. li. p. 314, it is afferted, that the lady's name was Within bury; that she was in love with Pope, a:.d would have married him; that her guardian, though fhe was deformed in her perfon, looked upon fuch a match as beneath her, and fent her to a convent, where the put an end to her life. How far this account is true, cannot be known. Pope certainly, from the Elegy, and the concluding lines of the Eloifa, appears to have been very deeply affected by her fate. Dr. Johnfon has cenfured her conduct with unreasonable severity. Hafty and culpable she was undoubtedly; but it ought to be confidered, that no perfont ever has, or cant be happy against violent inclinations, with conftancy to a forced partner for life. To thofe on whom love has made a deep impreffion, nothing but its object can give happiness or peace of mind; confiderations, indeed, that weigh little with the family pride of parents. It is evident that an indulgence of paffion may be attended with happiness, but that the disappointment of it cannot.

In 1712, he produced The Dying Chriftian to bis Soul, in imitation of the verfes of Adrian, and the fragment of Sappho, by the advice of Steele. It strongly resembles an ode of Flatman, of whom he was probably a reader, as he certainly was of Crafhaw, Carew, Quarles, and Herbert.

He contributed to the Spectator, Nos. 404, 408, and 409, and fome other papers.

In 1712, he published The Rape of the Lock, in its prefent form. It was occafioned by a frolic of gallantry, in which Lord Petre cut off a lock of Mrs. Arabella Fermor's hair. This trifling cause produced a serious quartel between the two families. Mr. Caryll, Secretary to King James's Queen, and author of the comedy of "Sir Solomon Single," and of feveral translations in Dryden's Mif. cellanies," folicited Pope to endeavour a reconciliation, by a ludicrous poem. The firft ketch was written in lefs than a fortnight, and published in 1711, in two cantos, without his name. It was received fo well, that he enlarged it by the addition of the machinery of the Sylphs, and extended it into five cantos. At its first appearance, Addison declared it was “merum fal,” a delicious little thing, and gave him no encouragement to retouch it. This was imputed to jealoufy in Addison, but contains no proof that he was actuated by any bad paffion. Pope fortunately did not follow Addifon's advice; his attempt was juftified by fuccefs.

When the Guardian was begun, he contributed the paper concerning the little club, under the name of Dick Diflies, a letter figned Gnatho, a description of the Gardens of Alcinous, and a very fevere ironical criticifin on " Philips's Paftorals," in which he pretends to praife Philips, but with great are takes the fuperiority to himself.

About this time, he published The Temple of Fame, written two years before; which, as Steele obferves, has a thousand beautics.

In 1713, he published Windfor Forefi, of which part was written at fixteen, and the latter was added afterwards. It is dedicated to Lanfdowne, who was then high in reputation and influence among the Tories.

When the tragedy of "Cato" made its appearance, he introduced it by a folemn and fublime

revenge Addifon by A Narrative of the Madness of John Dennis. Addison expreffed no approbation of the ridicule of Pope against Dennis, and perhaps did not think he deferved much by his officiousness. Two other pamphlets, published about this time against Edmund Curll, a bookfeller, who lived by the publication and fale of productions on which refpectable men of the profeffion would have no intereft, are ascribed to Pope, and printed in "Pope and Swift's Mifcellanies." Curll was concerned in many libellous pieces, both against individuals and the state; but it cannot be denied that English literature owes him confiderable obligations.

About this time, he wrote the Epifle from Eloisa to Abelard; in confequence, as Savage told Dr. Johnson, of his perufal of Prior's "Nutbrown Maid," which it not only excells, but every compofition of the fame kind.

He had a strong inclination to unite the Art of Painting with that of Poetry, and put himself under the tuition of Jervas, to whom, about this time, he addreffed an enconiaftic Epifle, with "Dryden's tranflation of Fresnoy."

A picture of Betterton, copied by Pope from Kneller, was in the poffeffion of the late Earl of Mansfield, and is said to be still at Caenwood.

After Betterton's death, he published, under his name, a verfion into modern English, of Chaucer's prologues, and one of his tales, which were believed by Fenton to have been the performance of Pope himself.

In 1713, when he was in his twenty-fifth year, he circulated proposals for publishing his translation of the Iliad, with notes, by fubfcription, in 6 vols. 4to, for fix guineas.

The proposals were very favourably received; and the leading men, political and literary, of both parties, were busy to recommend his undertaking, and to promote his intereft; but the Tories, in general, encouraged the fubfcription much more than the Whigs.

His contract with Lintot the book feller was very advantageous. It was agreed that he should re-. ceive 2001. for the copy-right of each volume, and that Lintot fhould fupply the copies to be delivered to fubfcribers, or prefented to friends, at his own expence.

The subscribers were five hundred and feventy-five. The copies for which subscriptions were given, were fix hundred and fifty-four; but only fix hundred and fixty were printed. For those copies Pope had nothing to pay; he therefore received, including the two hundred pounds a volume, five thousand three hundred and twenty pounds four fhillings, without deduction.

At firfl he found himself embarraffed with difficulties, which retarded his progrefs; but practice increafed his facility of verification, and in a fhort time he reprefents himself as dispatching regularly fifty lines a-day.

It is not very likely, as Dr. Johnson obferves, that he overflowed with Greek; but Latin translations were always at hand, and from them he could obtain his author's fense with sufficient certainty. He had the poetical translation of Eobanus Heffus, the French Homers of La Valterie, and Dacier, and the English of Chapman, Hobbes, and Ogilby. With Chapman he had very frequent confultations; and perhaps never translated any paffage till he had read his verfion, which, indeed, he has been sometimes suspected of ufing instead of the original.

Broome, in the preface to his "Poems," declares himself the commentator, "in part upon the Iliad;" and it appears from Fenton's letter, preserved in the Museum, that Broome was at first engaged in confulting Euftathius, of whofe work there was then no Latin verfion; but that after time, he defifted. Another Cambridge man was then employed, who foon grew weary of the work; and a third, that was recommended by Thirlby, is now difcovered to have been Jortin, a man fince well known to the learned world, who complained that Pope having accepted and approved his performance, never teftified any curiosity to fee him. Broome then offered his service a fecond time, and was probably accepted, as they had afterwards a closer correspondence.

Parnell contributed the Life of Homer, which Pope found fo harsh, that he took great pains in correcting it; and by his own diligence, with fuch help as kindness or money could procure him, in fomewhat more than five years, he completed the English Iliad, with notes, which is allowed to be the best version of poetry that ever was written; and its publication must, therefore, be con

verfion; but he paffed over peers and statesmen to infcribe it to Congreve. While the tranflation was in its progrefs, Mr. Craggs, Secretary of State, nobly offered to procure him a penfion, which he thought proper to decline.

Proud of the frank reward his talents find,

And nobly confcious of no venal mind;

With the just world his fair account he clears,
And owns no debt to princes or to peers.

HAYLEY.

The original manuscript of the Iliad, written upon envelopes of letters, and accidental fragments of paper, being obtained by Bolingbroke as a curiofity, descended from him to Mallet, and is now, by the folicitation of the late Dr. Maty, repofited in the Museum.

The first volume of the Iliad was published in 1715, and a verfion of the first book by Tickell, was published the fame year, which Pope fufpected was really written by Addison, with an intention to injure his character and intereft.

In an advertisement prefixed by Tickell, he profeffes to have no "other view in publishing this fmall fpecimen of Homer's Iliad, than to bespeak, if poffible, the favour of the public to a tranflation of the Odyfey, wherein he had already made fome progrefs."

Whether that was, or was not his motive, there is no evidence that Addifon caufed it to be published from envy and malice, as has been afferted, to injure Pope. Addison's oppofition to Pope, at that time, could do him no particular injury; for his subscription was full, and his contract with his bookfeller completed; and if he had been actuated by jealousy, it is not probable he would have spoken so highly of Pope's Iliad in the " Freeholder" of May 7, 1716.

Pope, whose disposition is acknowledged to have been irritable, was hurt beyond measure at this tranflation; and it is probable that the character of Atticus was written in the heat of his resentment on this occasion, as he expressed the very same sentiments to Mr. Craggs, in his letter of July 15, 1715. But it does not appear, as Ruffhead afferts, that there was any open breach between Addison and Pope upon this occasion, and Pope exprefsly tells Craggs there was none. Addifon, therefore, unless better proof can be given, must be acquitted of this odious charge, which feems to have been founded on some misapprehenfion in Pope; who, however excuseable he may be thought in writing the character of Atticus in the firft tranfports of poetical indignation, cannot be justified in fuppreffing it till after the death of Addison, and then permitting its publication; and at length, at the distance of eighteen years, tranfmitting it to pofterity ingrafted in his Epiffle to Dr. Arbuthnot.

The inferior tribe of writers endeavoured to depreciate the Iliad. Dennis attacked it with his afual bitterness and fcurrility; and among others, Ducket and Burnet, who was afterwards a judge of no mean reputation, cenfured it in a piece called "Homerides;"

In 1715, he prevailed on his father, it is faid, to fell the cftate at Binfield, and purchased the leafe of the house at Twickenham, fo much celebrated for his refidence in it. How his father could have faleable property in land, being a Papist, does not appear.

Here he planted the vines, and the quincunx, which he has celebrated in his poems; and being Ender the neceffity of making a fubterraneous paffage to a garden on the other fide of the road, he dignified it with the title of a grotto; the decoration of which was the favourite amusement of his declining years.

In 1717, he collected his former works into one quarto volume, to which he prefixed a preface, written with great spritelinefs and elegance.

In this year his father died fuddenly, in his 75th year, having paffed twenty-nine years in retirement. He is not known but by the character which his fon has given him in the Epiftle ta Dr. Arbuthnot.

In 1720, he was infected with the general contagion; but on the first fall of the South Sea Stock, was cured. He fold out just in time to fave himself from lofs.

The next year, he published the select poems of his friend Parnell, with an elegant poetical deditation to the Earl of Oxford.

In 1721, he gave to the world his edition of Stak peare, in 6 vols. 4to.; for which Tonfon demanded a fubfcription of fix guineas, and was fuccefful in difpofing of most of the copies. This