"that Eafe, and Perfpicuity in which they are de❝livered. As for those which are the most known " and the moft receiv'd, they are placed in fo beau"tiful a Light, and illuftrated with fuch apt Allufions, that they have in them all the Graces of No velty; and make the Reader, who was before "acquainted with them, ftill more convinc'd of "their Truth, and Solidity. And here give me "leave to mention what Monfieur Boileau has fo "well enlarged upon, in the Preface to his Works: "That Wit and fine Writing doth not confift fo "much in advancing things that are new, as in "giving Things that are new an agreeable Turn. "It is impoffible for us who live in the latter Ages of the World, to make Obfervations in Criticism, "Morality, or any Art or Science, which have "not been touch'd upon by others: We have little "else left us, but to represent the common Senfe of "Mankind in more strong, more beautiful, or more "uncommon Lights. If a Reader examines Ho"race's Art of Poetry, he will find but few Precepts "in it, which he may not meet with in Ariftotle; "and which were not commonly known by all the "Poets of the Auguftan Age. His Way of expref❝fing, and applying them, not his Invention of "them, is what we are chiefly to admire. "Longinus in his Reflections has given us the fame "kind of Sublime, which he observes in the several "Paffages that occafioned them. I cannot but "take Notice that our English Author, has, after "the fame manner, exemplify'd several of his Pre"cepts, in the very Precepts themfelves. He then produces fome Instances of a particular kind of Beauty in the Numbers, and concludes with faying, that "there were three Poems in our Tongue of the "fame Nature, and each a Mafter-piece in its "Kind; The Effay on tranflated Verfe, The "Effay on the Art of Poetry; and the Effay on "Criticism. Mr. Tickell was the Man chofe to make a Figure against Mr. Pope by Mr. Addifon, as Mr. Pope had been before chose to tranflate Homer by Sir Richard Steele, who was in Danger of being undermin'd in his Reputation, and Sir Samuel Garth told Mr. Gay, 8 July 1715, and defir'd him to tell Mr. Pope that every Body was pleas'd with his Tranflation, but a few at Button's, where Sir Richard Steele told him Mr. Addifon faid that Tickell's Tranflation was the beft that ever was in any Language. Sir Richard Steele afterwards in his Preface to an Edition of The Drummer, a Comedy wrote by Mr. Addifon fhews it to be his Opinion, that not Mr. Tickell but Mr. Addifon himself was the Perfon who tranflated this Book. Of this Controversy hear Mr. Pope fpeak himself in a Letter to the Honourable James Craggs, Efq; dated July 15, 1715. I Lay hold of the Opportunity given me by my Lord Duke of Shrewsbury, to affure you of the Continuance of that Efteem and Affection I have long born you, and the Memory of so many agreeble Converfations as we have pafs'd 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 is gone forth among us; nor is it a Wonder that Button's is no longer Button's, when Old England is no more Old England, that Region of Hofpitality, Society, and good Humour. Party affects us all, even the Wits, tho' they gain as little by Politics as they do by their Wit. We talk much of fine Senfe, refin'd Senfe, and exalted Senfe; but for Ufe and Happiness give me a little common common Senfe. Ifay this in regard to fome Gentlemen profefs'd Wits of our Acquaintance, who fancy they can make Poetry of confequence at this time of day, in the midft of this raging Fit of Politicks. For they tell me, the bufy part of the Nation are not more divided about Whig and Tory, than thefe idle Fellows of the Feather about Mr. Tickell's and my Tranflation. I (like the Tories) have the Town in general, that is the Mob, on my fide; but 'tis ufual with the smaller Party to make up in Induftry what they want in Number, and that's the Cafe with the little Senate of Cato. However, if our Principles be well confider'd, I muft appear a brave Whig, and Mr. Tickell a rank Tory; I tranflated Homer for the Publick in general, he to gratify the inordinate Defires of One Man only. We have, it feems, a great Turk in Poety, who can never bear a Brother on the Throne; and has his Mutes too, a Set of Nodders, Winkers, and Whisperers, whose Business is to ftrangle all other Offsprings of Wit in their Birth. The new Tranflator of Homer is the humbleft Slave he has, that is to fay, his first Minifter; let him receive the Honours he gives him, but receive them with Fear and Trembling; let him be proud of the Approbation of his abfolute Lord; I appeal to the People, as my rightful Judges and Mafters; and if they are not inclin'd to condemn me, I fear no arbitrary high flying Proceedings from the small Court-faction at Button's. But after all I have faid of this great Man, there is no Rupture between us : We are each of us fo civil and obliging, that neither thinks he is oblig'd. And I for my part treat with him, as we do with the Grand Monarch; who has too many great Qualities not to be respected, tho' we know he watches any Occafion to opprefs us. When I talk of Homer, I muft not forget the early early Present you made me of Monfieur de la Motte's Book. And I can't conclude this Letter without telling you a melancholy Piece of News which effects. our very Entrails.- -is dead, and Soupes are no more! You fee I write in the old familar Way. "This is not to the Minifter but to the Friend.". However, it is fome Mark of uncommon Regard to the Minifter, that I fteal an Expreffion from a Secretary of State. 1 am, &c. This rais'd the Spirit of Mr. Pope against whom were almost daily Accufations. Mift's Journal afferts, that Mr. Addison rais'd this Author from "Obscurity, obtain'd him the Acquaintance and "Friendship of the whole Body of our Nobility, and "transferr'd his powerful Interefts with those great "Men to this rifing Bard, who frequently levied "by that Means unusual Contributions on the Pub"lick-No fooner was his Body lifeless, but this "Author, reviving his Refentment, libell'd the "Memory of his departed Friend, and what was "ftill more heinous, made the Scandal publick." Grievous the Accufation! unknown the Accufer! the Perfon accufed no Witness in his own Cause, the Perfon in whofe Regard accus'd dead! But if there be living any one Nobleman whofe Friendship, yea, any one Gentleman whofe Subfcription Mr. Addifon procur'd to our Author; let him stand forth, that Truth may appear! Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, fed magis amica veritas. But in Verity the whole Story of the Libel is a Lye: Witnefs those Perfons of Integrity, who feveral Years before Mr. Addifon's Decease, did fee and approve of the fad Verses, in no wife a Libel, but a friendly Rebuke, fent privately in our Author's own Hand to Mr. Addifon himself; and never made publick till by Curl, VOL. I. H their their own Bookfeller, in his Mifcellanies, 12mo. 1727. One Name alone which I am authorized here to declare, will fufficiently evince this Truth, that of the Right Honourable the Earl of Burling ton. Mr. Addifon behaved in fo tyrannical and affuming a Manner that he at laft extorted from Mr. Pope the following Lines, fpeaking of the Moores, Smiths, Welfteds and other Poetical Triflers of the Times, he turns directly on him, which, confidering it was publifh'd after his Death is certainly very fevere. Peace to all fuch! but were there one whofe Fires Bear, like a Turk, no Brother near the Throne, Yet |