this has given me fuch a proof of the extreme in dulgence you afford to my flighteft thoughts. The revifal of thefe letters has been a kind of examination of confcience to me; fo fairly and faithfully have I fet down in them from time to time the true and undisguised state of my mind. But I find, that thefe, which were intended as sketches of my friendfhip, give as imperfect images of it, as the little landfcapes we commonly fee in black and white do of a beautiful country; they can represent but a very small part of it, and that deprived of the life and luftre of nature. I perceive that the more I endeavour'd to render manifeft the real affection and value I ever had for you, I did but injure it by reprefenting lefs and lefs of it: as glaffes which are defign'd to make an object very clear, generally contract it. Yet as when people have a full idea of a thing firft upon their own knowledge, the leaft traces of it ferve to refresh the remembrance, and are not difpleafing on that fcore; fo, I hope, the foreknowledge you had of my esteem for you, is the reason that you do not dislike my letters. They will not be of any great service (I find) in the defign I mentioned to you: I believe I had better fteal from a richer man, and plunder your letters (which I have kept as carefully as I would Letters Patents, fince they intitle me to what I more value than titles of honour.) You have fome caufe to apprehend this ufage from me, if what some say be true, that I am a great borrower; however I have hitherto had the luck that none of my creditors have challenged me for it: and those who say it are fuch, whose writings no man ever borrow'd from, fo have the least reason to complain; and whose works are granted on all hands to be but too much their own. Another has been pleas'd to declare, that my verses are corrected by other men: I verily believe theirs were never corrected by any man: but indeed if mine mine have not, 'twas not my fault; I have endeavour'd my utmost that they should. But these things are only whisper'd, and I will not encroach upon Bays's province and pen-whispers, fo haften to conclude, Your, &c. I LETTER VIII. From my Lord LANDSDOWN. Oct. 21, 1713. AM pleas'd beyond measure with your defign of tranflating Homer. The trials which you have already made and published on some parts of that author, have fhewn that you are equal to so great a task and you may therefore depend upon the utmoft fervices I can do you in promoting this work, or any thing that may be for your fervice. I hope Mr. Stafford, for whom you was pleas'd to concern yourself, has had the good effects of the Queen's Grace to him. I had notice the night before I began my journey, that her Majesty had not only directed his pardon, but order'd a Writ for reverfing his Outlawry, Your, &c. VOL. VII. N LET LETTER IX. To General ANTHONY HAMILTON * Upon his having translated into French Verse the Essay on Criticism. I Oct. 10, 1713. FI could as well exprefs, or (if you will allow me to say it) tranflate the sentiments of my heart as you have done those 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 fervant of any man living. 'Tis an advantage very rarely known, to receive at once a great honour and a great improvement. This, Sir, you have afforded me, having at the fame time made others take my sense, and taught me to understand my own; if I may call that my own which is indeed more properly yours. Your verfes are no more a tranflation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer's; but are, like his, the jufteft imitation and the noblest 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 travellers) 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 any thing we have loft by the *Author of the Memoirs of the Count de Grammont, Contas, and other pieces of note in French. P. war, war. Nay, tho' we should infist upon the demolishing of Boileau's works, the French, as long they have writers of your form, might have as good an equivalent. Upon the whole, I am really as proud, as our minifters ought to be, of the terms I have gain'd 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 tranflation 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. * This was never done, for the two printed French verfions are neither of this hand. The one was done by Monfieur Roboton, private fecretary to king George the firft, printed in quarto at Amfterdam, and at London 1717. The other by the Abbe Refnel, in octavo, with a large preface and notes, at Paris, 1730. P. LETTERS TO AND FROM Mr. STEELE, Mr. ADDISON, Mr. CONGREVE, etc. From 1712 to 1715. I LETTER I. Mr. STEELE to Mr. POPE. June 1, 1712. AM at a folitude, an house between Hampstead and London, wherein Sir Charles Sedley died. This circumstance fet me a thinking and ruminating upon the employments in which men of wit exercise themselves. It was faid of Sir Charles, who breath'd his last in this room, Sedley has that prevailing gentle art, } This was a happy talent to a man of the town, but, I dare fay, without presuming to make uncharitable con |