WORKS OF Alexander Pope Efq. VOLUME VIL BEING THE FIRST of his LETTERS LON DON, Printed for A. MILLAR; J. and R. TONSON; MDCCLVIIL PREFACE Of the Publisher of the Surreptitious Edition, 1735. WE prefume we want no apology to the reader for this publication, but fome may be thought needful to Mr. Pope: however he cannot think our offence fo great as theirs, who first feparately published what we have here but collected in a better form and order. As for the letters we have procured to be added, they ferve but to complete, explain, and fometimes fet in a true light, thofe others, which it was not in the writer's or our power to recall. This collection hath been cwing to feveral cabinets: fome drawn from thence by accidents, and others (even of thofe to ladies) voluntarily given. It is to one of that Sex we are beholden for the while correspondence with H. C. efq. which letters being lent her by that gentleman, he took the liberty to print; as appears by the following, which we shall give at length, both as it is fomething curious, and as it may ferve for an apology for ourselves. To HENRY CROMWELL, Efq. June 27, 1727. FTER fo long a filence as the many and A great cafioned, one is at a lofs how to begin a letter to fo kind a friend as yourself. But as it was always my refolution, if I muft fink, to do it as decently (that is, as filently) as I could; fo when I found myself plunged into unforfeen, and unavoidable rain, I retreated from the world, and in a manner buried myself in a difmal place, where I knew none, and none knew me. In this dull unthinking way, I have protracted a lingring death (for life it cannot be called) ever fince you faw me, fequeftred from company, deprived of my books, and nothing left to converfe with, but the letters of my dead or abfent friends; among which latter I always placed yours, and Mr. Pope's in the first rank. I lent fome of them indeed to an ingenious perfon, who was fo delighted with the fpecimen, that he importuned me for a fight of the reft, which having obtained, he conveyed them to the prefs, I must not fay altogether with my confent, nor wholly without it. I thought them too good to be loft in oblivion, and had no caufe to apprehend the difobliging of any. The public, viz. all perfons of taste and judgment, would be pleafed with fo agreeable an amufement; Mr. Cromwell could not be angry, fince it was but juftice to his merit, to publish the folemn and private profeffions of love, gratitude, and veneration, made him by fo celebrated an author; and fincerely Mr. Pope ought not to refent the publication, fince the early pregnancy of his genius was no difhonour to his character. And yet had either of you been asked, common modefty would would have obliged you to refufe, what you would not be difpleafed with, if done without your knowledge. And befides, to end all difpute, you had been pleased to make me a free gift of them, to do what I pleased with them; and every one knows, that the person to whom a letter is addreffed, has the fame right to dispose of it, as he has of goods purchafed with his money. I doubt not but your generofity and honour will do me the right, of owning by a line that I came honeftly by them. I flatter myself, in a few months I fhall again be vifible to the world; and whenever thro' good providence that turn fhall happen, I fhall joyfully acquaint you with it, there being none more truly your obliged fervant, than, Sir, Your faithful, and most humble Servant, E. THOMAS. P. S. A Letter, Sir, directed to Mrs. Thomas, to be left at my house, will be fafely transmitted to her, by W To Mr. POPE. Epfom, July 6, 1727. HEN these letters were firft printed, I wondered how Curll could come by them, and could not but laugh at the pompous title; fince whatever you wrote to me was humour, and familiar raillery. As foon as I came from Epfom, I heard you had been to fee me, and I writ you a fhort letter from Will's, that I longed to fee you. A 3 Mr. Ds, |