"but make Pedants, and I intend to breed him a "man of business."

As Mr. Lintot was talking, I obferv'd he fate uneafy on his faddle, for which I expreffed fome folicitude: Nothing, fays he, I can bear it well enough: but fince we have the day before us, methinks it would be very pleasant for you to rest a-while under the woods. When we were alighted, "See here, "what a mighty pretty Horace I have in my

pocket! what if you amus'd yourself in turning "an ode, till we mount again? Lord! if you

pleas'd, what a clever Miscellany might you make "at leisure hours." Perhaps, I may, said I, if we ride on; the motion is an aid to my fancy, a round trott very much awakens my spirits: then jog on apace, and I'll think as hard as I can.

Silence enfued for a full hour; after which Mr.. Lintot lugg'd the reins, ftop'd fhort, and broke out, "Well, Sir, how far have you gone? I anfwer'd, "Seven miles. Z-ds, Sir, faid Lintot, I thought "you had done feven ftanza's. Oldfworth, in a "ramble round Wimbleton hill, would tranflate a "whole ode in half this time. I'll fay that for "Oldsworth (tho' I loft by his Timothy's) he tran"flates an ode of Horace the quickest of any man "in England. I remember Dr. King would write "verfes in a tavern three hours after he could not

"fpeak and there's Sir Richard, in that rumbling "old chariot of his, between Fleetditch and St. Giles's pound, fhall make you half a Job."

Pray Mr. Lintot (faid I) now you talk of Tranflators, what is your method of managing them? "Sir, (reply'd he) thofe are the faddeft pack of "rogues in the world: in a hungry fit, they'll fwear

they understand all the languages in the universe: "I have known one of them take down a Greek "book upon my counter and cry, Ay, this is He"brew, I must read it from the latter end. By “G―d I can never be fure in these fellows, for I "neither understand Greek, Latin, French, nor Ita"lian myself. But this is my way; I agree with "them for ten fhillings per fheet, with a provifo, "that I will have their doings corrected by whom I please; fo by one or other they are led at laft to "the true fenfe of an author; my judgment giving "the negative to all my tranflators." But how are you fecure thofe correctors may not impose upon you?" Why I get any civil gentleman, (efpecially * any Scotchman) that comes into my fhop, to read "the original to me in English; by this I know "whether my firft tranflator be deficient, and whe"ther my corrector merits his money or not?

"I'll tell you what happened to me last month: "I bargain'd with S* for a new verfion of Lucretius "to publifh against Tonfon's; agreeing to pay the "author fo many fhillings at his producing fo many "lines. He made a great progrefs in a very short "time, and I gave it to the corrector to compare "with the Latin; but he went directly to Creech's "tranflation, and found it the fame word for word,

"all but the first page. Now, what d'ye think I did? I arrefted the tranflator for a cheat; nay, "and I ftopt the corrector's pay too, upon this proof that he had made ufe of Creech instead of "the original."

66

Pray tell me next how you deal with the Critics? "Sir (faid he) nothing more easy. I can filence "the most formidable of them: the rich ones for a "fheet a piece of the blotted manufcript, which "cofts me nothing; they'll go about with it to their “acquaintance and pretend they had it from the "author, who fubmitted to their correction: this "has given fome of them such an air, that in time they come to be confulted with, and dedicated to "as the top Critics of the town.-As for the poor "critics, I'll give you one instance of my manage ment, by which you may guefs at the reft. A lean

66

66

66

man, that look'd like a very good scholar, came "to me t'other day; he turn'd over your Homer, "fhook his head, fhrug'd up his fhoulders, and

pish'd at every line of it: One would wonder (fays "he) at the ftrange prefumption of fome men; "Homer is no fuch eafy tafk, that every stripling 64 every verfifier-He was going on, when my wife "call'd to dinner: Sir, faid I, will you please to "eat a piece of beef with me? Mr. Lintot, faid, "he, I am forry you fhould be at the expence of "this great book, I am really concern'd on your account-Sir, I am much oblig'd to you: if you can dine upon a piece of beef, together with a

66

46

"flice of pudding-Mr. Lintot, I do not fay but "Mr. Pope, if he would condescend to advise with "men of learning-Sir the pudding is upon the "table, if you please to go in― My critic complies, "he comes to a taste of your poetry, and tells me "in the fame breath, that the book is commend"able, and the pudding excellent.

66

Now, Sir, (concluded Mr. Lintot) in return to "the frankness I have fhewn, pray tell me, Is it "the opinion of your friends at court that my Lord "Landfdown will be brought to the bar or not?" I told him, I heard he would not, and I hop'd it, my Lord being one, I had particular obligations to. "That may be (reply'd Mr. Lintot) but by G-d "if he is not, I fhall lofe the printing of a very good Trial."

86

Thefe, my Lord, are a few traits by which you may difcern the genius of Mr. Lintot, which I have chofen for the fubject of a letter. I dropt him as foon as I got to Oxford, and paid a visit to my Lord Carleton at Middleton.

pre

The converfations I enjoy here are not to be judiced by my pen, and the Pleafures from them only to be equal'd when I meet your Lordship. I hope in a few days to caft myfelf from your horfe at your feet.

LETTER IX.

To the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

(In answer to a Letter in which he inclosed the Defcription of Buckingham-house, written by him to the D. of Sh.)

LINY was one of those few authors who had a

PLINY

warm house over his head, nay two houfes as appears by two of his epiftles. I believe, if any of his contemporary authors durft have inform'd the public where they lodged, we should have found the garrets of Rome as well inhabited, as thofe of Fleetftreet; but 'tis dangerous to let creditors into fuch a fecret, therefore we may prefume that then, as well as now-a-days, nobody knew where they lived but their bookfellers.

. It feems, that when Virgil came to Rome, he had no lodging at all: he firft introduc'd himself to Auguftus by an epigram, beginning Nocte pluit totaan obfervation which probably he had not made, unless he had lain all night in the freet.

Where Juvenal lived we cannot affirm; but in one of his fatyrs he complains of the exceffive price of lodgings; neither do I believe he would have talk'd fo feelingly of Codrus's bed, if there had been room for a bedfellow in it.

I believe, with all the oftentation of Pliny, he would have been glad to have changed both his houses for your Grace's one; which is a countryhouse in the fummer, and a town-house in the win