the publishing of that Book of D- -s's, which otherwise I should never have known: It has been the Occafion of making me Friends and open Abettors of feveral Gentlemen of known Senfe and Wit; and of proving to me whatI have 'till now doubted, that my Writings are taken fome Notice of by the World in general, or I fhould never be attack'd thus in particular. I have read that 'twas a Custom among the Romans, while a General rode in Triumph, to have common Soldiers in the Streets that rail'd at him and reproach'd him; to put him in Mind, that tho' his Services were in the Main approved and rewarded, yet he had Faults enough to keep him humble.

You will fee by this, that whoever fets up for Wit in these Days ought to have the Conftancy of a Primitive Chriftian, and be prepared to fuffer Martyrdom in the Cause of it. But fure this is the first Time that a Wit was attack'd for his Religion, as you'll find I am most zealously in this Treatife: And you know, Sir, what Alarms I have had from the oppofite Side on this Account. Have I not Reason to cry out with the poor Fellow in Virgil,

Quid jam mifero mihi denique reftat?

Cui neque apud Danaos ufquam locus, & fuper ipfi Dardanidæ infenfi pœnas cum Sanguine pofcunt! 'Tis however my Happiness that you, Sir, are impartial:

Jove was alike to Latian, and to Phrygian,
For you will know that Wit's of no Religion.

The Manner in which Mr. D. takes to Pieces feveral particular Lines detach'd from their natural Places, may fhew how eafy it is for a Caviller to give a new Senfe, or a new Nonsense, to any Thing. And

indeed his Conftructions are not more wrefted from the genuine Meaning, than theirs who objected to the heterodox Parts, as they call'd 'em.

Our Friend the Abbé is not of that Sort, who, with the utmost Candour and Freedom, has modeftly told me what others thought, and fhew'd himself one (as he very well expreffes it) rather of a Number than a Party. The only Difference between us in Relation to the Monks, is, that he thinks moft Sorts of Learning flourish'd among them, and I am of Opinion that only fome Sort of Learning was barely kept alive by them: He believes, that in the moft natural and obvious Senfe, that Line (A fecond Deluge Learning over-run) will be understood of Learning in general; and I fancy 'twill be understood only (as 'tis meant) of polite Learning, Criticism, Poetry, &c. which is the only Learning concern'd in the Subject of the Effay. It is true, that the Monks did preferve what Learning there was, about Nicholas the Vth's Time; but those who fucceeded fell into the Depth of Barbarism, or, at least, stood at a Stay while others rofe from thence, infomuch that even Erafmus and Reuchlin could hardly laugh them out of it. I am highly obliged to the Abbe's Zeal in my Commendation, and Goodness in not concealing what he thinks my Erior. And his teftifying fome Efteem for the Book, just at a Time when his Brethren rais'd a Clamour against it, is an Inftance of great. Generofity and Candour, which I fhall ever acknowledge.

Your, &c.

This Letter fhews that our Author knew how to conceal and defer his Refentment, 'till he had got a little more Power and Advantage over his Antagonift:

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Even

Even Jove must flatter with an empty Hand;
'Tis Time to thunder when we grafp the Brand.

Nay more, when Mr. Dennis publifh'd his Letters familiar, moral, and critical, by Subscription, at one Guinea a Sett, Mr, Pope became a Subfcriber for two Copies, and ordering them to be left at Mr. Congreve's, called for them, leaving the Money with him. He wrote to Mr. Dennis,

I

SIR,

May 3, 1721.

Called to receive the two Books of your Letters from Mr. Congreve's, and have left with him the little Money I am in your Debt. I look upon myself to be much more fo, for the Omiffions you have been pleafed to make in thofe Letters in my Favour; and fincerely join with you in the Defire, that not the leaft Traces may remain of that Difference between us, which indeed I am forry for. You may therefore believe me, without either Ceremony or Falseness,

SIR,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

A. POPE,

This Letter had it been fincere, as Dennis feems to have been then, (for it was rather of Dif-fervice to him than otherwife, to omit any of the Correfpondence between them, both as it leffen'd the Bulk of his Book, and that every Body was curious to read any Thing about Mr. Pope.) It will appear that Traces did always remain of this Difference 'till and after the Death of poor Dennis, who died in the Year 1733, and was buried at St. Martin's in the Fields.

Mr.

Mr. Curl, the Bookfeller, calls this laft Letter Mr. Pope's Recantation and Submiffion; but if it was a Submiffion, it was not hearty, for there will in the Course of Mr. Pope's Life (which confifted chiefly in Study, Writing, and the Converfation of fome felect Friends) be Occafion to mention Mr. Dennis under his Correction; for Mr. Dennis attack'd him (repenting his former Defires of Amity and Oblivion of Injuries) on his tranflating Homer.

The Efay being (which fet a new Value on it) tranflated into French Verfe, occafioned a Letter from the Poet to the Translator:

F I could as well exprefs, or (if you will al

I low me to lay it) tramplate: the Sentiments of my

Heart, as you have done thofe of my Head, in your excellent Verfion of my Effay; I fhould not only appear the best Writer in the World, but what I much more defire to be thought, the most your Servant of any Man living. 'Tis an Advantage very rarely known, to receive at once a great Honour and ar great Improvement: This, Sir, you have afforded me, having at the fame Time made others take my Senfe, and taught me to understand my own; if I may call that my own which is indeed more properly your's. Your Verfes are no more a Tranflation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer, but are like his, the jufteft Imitation and the nobleft Commentary.

In putting me into a French Dress, you have not only adorned my Outfide, but mended my Shape; and if I am now a good Figure, I must confider you have naturaliz❜d me into a Country, which is famous for making every Man a fine Gentleman. It is by your Means, that (contrary to moft young Travel

G 4

lers)

lers). I am come back much better than I went

out,

I cannot but wifh we had a Bill of Commerce for Tranflation established the next Parliament, we could not fail of being Gainers by that, nor of making ourfelves Amends for all we have loft by the War. Nay, tho' we should infift upon the demolishing of Boileau's Works; the French, as long as they have Writers of your Form, might have as good an Equivalent.

Upon the whole, I am really as proud, as our Minifters can be, of the Terms I have gained from Abroad; and I defign, like them, to publish speedily to the World the Benefits accruing from them; for I cannot refift the Temptation of printing your admirable Translation here; to which if you will be fo obliging to give me Leave to prefix your Name, it will be the only Addition you can make to the Honour already done me.

I am, Your, &c.

From this Time, after very fhort Appearances, the Phantom Criticks all vanished; Mr. Pope's Poetry, his Paftorals, his Rape of the Lock, his Effay on Criticism, his Temple of Fame, Eloifa, all his Compofitions were in the Hands of every Body; both Sexes, all Ages, almost all Europe; any one would think her: ought to have been contented with his Share of. Fame; the weak Attacks of his Enemies augmented it, but the Profits arifing from those Writings were inconfiderable, fo he thought fit to check his Fancy, and undertake a Work of Labour, from whence he might fecure his future Fortune, fhew his Learning, : eftablifh his Reputation, and comply with the preffing Defires of many of the Nobility.

This was the Tranflation of the Iliad of Homer;

by