I 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 testimony which one part of it gives you, that your merit is unquestionable. What would you have otherwise, from ignorance, envy, or those 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 exasperated too at the vanity of its labours; then we speak ill of happier ftudies, and fighing, condemn the excellence which we find above our reach.

m

My Zoilus*, which you used to write about, I finished last spring, and left in town. I waited till I came up to fend it you, but not arriving here before your book was out, imagined it a loft piece of labour. If you will still have it, you need only write me word. I have here seen the First Book of Homer", which came out at a time when it could not but appear as a kind of fetting up against you. My opinion is, that

you

Printed for B. Lintot, 1715, 8'. and afterwards added to

the laft edition of his poems.

P.

* Parnelle affifted Pope by giving him the Effay on Homer's Life; in which, though there appears a good deal of research and ancient learning, yet it is delivered in so uncouth and harsh a style, even after it was repeatedly corrected and altered, that Pope always continued much diffatisfied with it.

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

P.

you may, if you please, give them thanks who writ it. Neither the numbers nor the spirit have an equal mastery with yours; but what furprizes me more is, that, a scholar being concerned, there should happen to be fome mistakes in the author's fenfe; fuch as putting the light of Pallas's eyes into the eyes of Achilles, making the taunt of Achilles to Agamemnon (that he should have spoils when Troy fhould be taken) to be a cool and serious propofal; the tranflating what you call Ablution by the word Offals, and fo leaving water out of the rite of luftration, etc. but you muft have taken notice of all this before. I write not to inform you, but to fhew I always have you at heart.

I am, etc.

EXTRACT from a. LETTER of the Rev. Dr. BERKLEY, Dean of London-Derry.

July 7, 1715.

-Some days ago, three or four gentlemen and my. self, exerting that right which all readers pretend to over authors, fate in judgment upon the two new Translations of the firft Iliad. Without partiality to my countrymen, I affure you, they all gave the preference where it was due; being unanimously of opinion, that yours was equally just to the sense with Mr.'s, and without comparison more eafy, more poetical,

poetical, and more fublime. But I will fay no more on fuch a thread-bare fubject, as your late performance is at this time.

I am, etc.

EXTRACT from a LETTER of Mr. GAY to Mr. POPE.

July 8, 1715.

I have just fet down Sir Samuel Garth at the Opera. He bid me tell you, that every body is pleased with your tranflation, but a few at Button's: and that Sir Richard Steele told him, that Mr. Addifon faid the other tranflation was the beft that ever was in any language. He treated me with extreme civility, and out of kindness gave me a squeeze by the fore-finger.-I am informed that at Button's your character is made very free with, as to Morals, etc. and Mr. Addison fays, that your tranflation and Tickell's are both very well done, but that the latter has more of Homer.

I am, etc.

• Sir Richard Steele afterwards, in his preface to an Edition of the Drummer, a Comedy by Mr. Addison, fhews it to be his opinion, that "Mr. Addison himself was the person who translated "this book."

P.

EXTRACT from a LETTER of Dr. ARBUTHNOT to

Mr. POPE.

July 9, 1715.

-I congratulate you upon Mr. T * 's first book. It does not indeed want its merit; but I was ftrangely disappointed in my expectation of a translation nicely true to the Original; whereas in those parts where the greatest exactness feems to be demanded, he has been the least careful, I mean the history of ancient ceremonies and rites, etc. in which you have with great judgment been exact.

MR. POPE TO THE HONOURABLE JAMES CRAGGS, ESQ.

I

July 15, 1715.

LAY hold of the opportunity given me by my Lord Duke of Shrewsbury, to affure you of the continuance of that esteem and affection I have long born you, and the memory of fo many agreeable converfations as we have paffed together. I wish it were a compliment to fay, fuch converfations as are not to be found on this side of the water: for the Spirit of diffention

3

diffention is

gone forth among us: nor is it a wonder that Button's is no longer Button's, when old England is no longer old England, that region of hofpitality, fociety, and good humour. Party affects us all, even the wits, though they gain as little by politics as they do by their wit. We talk much of fine sense, refined fense, and exalted fenfe; but for use and happiness, give me a little common fenfe. I say this in regard to fome gentlemen, profeffed Wits of our acquaintance, who fancy they can make Poetry of consequence at this time of day, in the midst of this raging fit of Politics. For they tell me, the busy part of the nation are not more divided about Whig and Tory, than these idle fellows of the feather about Mr. T's and my Tranflation. I (like the Tories) have the town in general, that is the mob, on my fide; but it is ufual with the smaller party to make up in industry. what they want in number, and that is the case with the little Senate of Cato. However, if our principles be well confidered, I must appear a brave Whig, and Mr. T. a rank Tory: I tranflated Homer for the public in general, he to gratify the inordinate defires of one man only. We have, it feems, a great Turk† in poetry, who can never bear a brother on the throne; and has his mutes too, a fet of nodders, winkers, and whisperers, whose business is to ftrangle all other offsprings of wit in their birth. The new tranflator

of

† He afterwards verfified this thought, and indeed many others from his letters. Milton did the fame from his profe works.