Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

when he read him at Preneste: Qui, quid fit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non, &c. I break off with that quid non? with which I confess I am charm'd.

Upon the whole matter I intreat you to fend this prefently to be added to the Mifcellanies, and I hope, it will come time enough for that purpose.

I have nothing to fay of my Nephew B's obfervations, for he fent them to me fo late, that I had not time to confider them; I dare fay he endeavour'd very faithfully (though, he told me, very hattily) to execute your commands.

All I can add is, that if your excess of modesty fhould hinder you from publishing this Effay, I fhall only be forry that I have no more credit with you, to perfuade you to oblige the public, and very particularly, dear Sir, Your, &c.

LETTER

III.

Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL to Mr. POPE.

I

March 6, 1713

Think a hafty fcribble shows more what flows

from the heart, than a letter after Balzac's manner in ftudied phrases; therefore I will tell you as faft as I can, that I have received your favour of the 26th paft, with your kind present of The Rape of the Lock. You have given me the trueft fatiffaction imaginable, not only in making good the just opinion I have ever had of your reach of thought,

and my Idea of your comprehenfive genius; but, likewife in that pleafure I take as an Englishman to see the French, even Boileau himself in his Lutrin, out-done in your poem: for you descend, leviore plectro, to all the nicer touches, that your own obfervation and wit furnifh, on fuch a fubject as requires the finest strokes and the livelieft imagination. But I must say no more (tho' I could a great deal) on what pleases me fo much and henceforth, 1 hope, you will never condemn me of partiality, fince I only fwim with the stream, and approve of what all men of good taste (notwithstanding the jarring of Parties) muft and do univerfally applaud. I now come to what is of vaft moment, I mean the preservation of your health, and beg of you earneftly to get out of all Tavern-company, and fly away tanquam ex incendio. What a mifery is it for you to be destroyed by the foolish kindness ('tis all one whether real or pretended) of those who are able to bear the poison of bad wine, and to engage you in fo unequal a combat? As to Homer, by all I can learn, your bufinefs is done: therefore come away and take a little time to breathe in the country. I beg now for my own fake, but much more for yours; methinks Mr. has faid to you more

than once,

Heu fuge, nate dea, teque bis, ait, eripe flammis!

I am

Your, &c.

LETTER IV.

To Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL.

March 12, 1713.

TH

HOUGH any thing you write is fure to be a pleasure to me, yet I muft own your last letter made me uneafy; you really ufe a ftyle of compliment, which I expect as little as I deferve it. I know 'tis a common opinion that a young scribbler is as ill pleas'd to hear truth as a young lady From the moment one fets up for an author, one must be treat→ ed as ceremoniously, that is, as unfaithfully,

As a King's Favourite, or as a King.

This proceeding, join'd to that natural vanity, which firft makes a man an author, is certainly enough to render him a coxcomb for life. But I muft grant it is a juft judgment upon poets, that they, whose chief pretence is Wit, should be treated as they themselves treat Fools, that is, be cajol'd with praises. And, I believe, Poets are the only poor fellows in the world whom any body will flatter.

I would not be thought to fay this, as if the obliging letter you fent me deferv'd this imputation, only it put me in mind of it; and I fancy one may apply to one's friend what Cæfar faid of his wife: "It was "not fufficient that he knew her to be chafte himself, “but she should not be fo much as fufpected."

As to the wonderful discoveries, and all the good news you are pleas'd to tell me of myself, I treat it, as you who are in the secret, treat common news, as groundless reports of things at a distance; which I, who look into the true fprings of the affair, in my own breaft, know to have no foundation at all. For Fame, though it be (as Milton finely calls it) the laft infirmity of noble minds, is fcarce fo ftrong a temptation as to warrant our lofs of time here: it can never make us lie down contentedly on a death-bed, (as fome of the antients are faid to have done with that thought.) You, Sir, have yourself taught me, that an eafy fituation at that hour can proceed from no ambition less noble than that of an eternal felicity, which is unattainable by the strongest endeavours of the wit, but may be gain'd by the fincere intentions of the heart only. As in the next world, fo in this, the only folid bleffings are owing to the goodness of the mind, not the extent of the capacity: friendship here is an emanation from the fame fource as beati tude there: the fame benevolence and grateful difpofition that qualifies us for the one, if extended farther, makes us partakers of the other. The utmost point of my defires in my present ftate terminates in the fociety and good-will of worthy men, which I look upon as no ill earnest and foretaste of the fo ciety and alliance of happy fouls hereafter.

The continuance of your favours to me is what not only makes me happy, but caufes me to fet fome value upon myfelf as a part of your care. The in

stances I daily meet with of these agreeable awakenings of friendship, are of too pleasing a nature not to be acknowledged whenever I think of you. I am

Your, &c.

LETTER V.

April 30, 1713.

Have been almoft every day employ'd in follow

I ing your advice, and amufing myself in painting.

in which I am most particularly obliged to Mr. Jervas, who gives me daily inftructions and examples. As to poetical affairs, I am content at present to be a bare looker-on, and from a practitioner turn an admirer, which is (as the world goes) not very usual. Cato was not fo much the wonder of Rome in his days, as he is of Britain in ours; and tho' all the foolish induftry poffible has been used to make it thought a party-play, yet what the author once faid of another may the most properly in the world be apply'd to him on this occafion,

Envy itself is dumb, in wonder loft,

And Factions frive, who fall applaud him most.

The numerous and violent claps of the Whigparty on the one fide of the theatre, were echo'd back by the Tories on the other; while the author fweated behind the fcenes with concern to find their applause proceeding more from the hand than the head. This

« ZurückWeiter »