at their proper coft, by writing grave differtations against it: to encourage them in which laudable defign, it is refolved a Preface shall be prefix'd to the Farce, in vindication of the nature and dignity of this new way of writing.

Yefterday Mr. Steele's affair was decided: I am forry I can be of no other opinion than yours, as to his whole carriage and writings of late. But certainly he has not only been punifhed by others, but fuffered much even from his own party in the point of character, nor (I believe) received any amends in that of intereft, as yet, whatever may be his profpects for the future.

This Gentleman, among a thousand others, is a great inftance of the fate of all who are carried away by party fpirit, of any fide. I wish all violence may fucceed as ill but am really amazed that so much of that four and pernicious quality fhould be joined with fo much natural good humour, as, I think, Mr. Steele is poffeffed of.

MR.

I am, , &c.

LETTER XXIX.als

To Mr. CONGREVE.

April 7, 1715

R. Pope is going to Mr. Jervas's, where Mr: Addison is fitting for his picture; in the mean time amidst clouds of Tobacco at a coffee-houfe I write this letter. There is a grand revolution at

Will's;

Will's; Morice has quitted for a coffee-houfe in the city, and Titcomb is reftored, to the great joy of Cromwell, who was at a great lofs for a person to converfe with upon the fathers and church-history; the knowledge I gain from him, is entirely in painting and poetry; and Mr. Pope owes all his kill in astronomy to him and Mr. Whiston, fo celebrated of late for his difcovery of the longitude in an extraordinary copy of verfes *. Mr. Rowe's Jane Gray is to be play'd in Eafter week, when Mrs. Oldfield is to perfonate a character directly oppofite to female nature; for what woman ever defpifed Sovereignty? You know Chaucer has a tale where a knight faves his head by discovering it was the thing which all women moft coveted Mr. Pope's Homer is retarded by the great rains that have fallen of late, which causes the fheets to be long a drying: this gives Mr. Lintot great uneafinefs, who is now endeavouring to corrupt the Curate of his parifh to pray for fair weather, that his work may go on. There is a fixpenny Criticism lately published upon the tragedy of the What-d'ye-call it, wherein he with much judgment and learning calls me a blockhead, and Mr. Pope a knave. His grand charge is against the Pilgrim's Progrefs being read, which, he fays, is directly levell'd at Cato's reading Plato; to back this cenfure, he goes on to tell you, that the Pilgrim's Progress

**Call'd, An Ode on the Longitude, in Swift and Pope's Mifcellanies.

VOL. VIII.

T

being

being mentioned to be the eighth edition, makes the reflection evident, the Tragedy of Cato having juft eight times (as he quaintly expreffes it) visited the prefs. He has also endeavoured to show, that every particular paffage of the play alludes to fome fine part of tragedy, which he fays, I have injudiciously and profanely abufed Sir Samuel Garth's poem upon my Lord Clare's houfe, I believe, will be publifh'd in the Eafter-week..

*

Thus far Mr. Gay, who has in his letter foreftall'd all the fubjects of diverfion; unless it fhould be one to you to fay, that I fit up till two a clock over Burgundy and Champagne; and am become so much a rake, that I fhall be afhamed in a fhort time to be thought to do any fort of bufinefs. I fear I muft get the gout by drinking; purely for a fashionable pretence to fit still long enough to tranflate four books of Homer. I hope you'll by that time be up again, and I may fucceed to the bed and couch of my predeceffor pray caufe the ftuffing to be repaired, and the crutches fhorten'd for me. The calamity of your gout is what all your friends, that is to fay, all that know you, muft share in; we defire you in your turn to condole with us, are under a perfecution, and much afflicted with a distemper which proves mortal to many poets, a Criticifm. We have indeed fome relieving intervals of laughter (as you

A

Who

This curious piece was entituled, Atompleat Key to the What-d'ye-call it, written by one Griffin a Player, affifted by Lewis Theobald.

know

know there are in fome difeafes) and it is the opinion of divers good gueffers, that the laft fit will not be more violent than advantageous; for poets affail'd by critics, are like men bitten by Tarantula's, they dance on fo much the fafter.

Mr. Thomas Burnet hath play'd the precurfor to the coming of Homer, in a treatife called Homerides. He has fince rifen very much in his criticisms, and, after affaulting Homer, made a daring attack upon the* What d'ye call it. Yet is there not a Proclamation iffued for the burning of Homer and the Pope by the common hangman; nor is the Whatd'ye-call it yet filenced by the Lord chamberlain.

Have the pleasure of your very kind letter. I have

I always been obliged to you for your friendship

and concern for me, and am more affected with it, than I will take upon me to express in this letter. I do affure you there is no return wanting on my part, and am very sorry I had not the good luck to fee the Dean before I left the town: it is a great pleasure to me, and not a little vanity to think that he miffes me. As to my health, which you are fo kind to * In one of his papers called The Grumbler.

enquire after, it is not worse than in London: I am almost afraid yet to say that it is better, for I cannot reasonably expect much effect from these waters in fo fhort a time; but in the main they feem to agree with me. Here is not one creature that I know, which, next to the few I would chufe, contributes very much to my fatisfaction. At the fame time that I regret the want of your converfation, I please myfelf with thinking that you are where you first ought to be, and engaged where you cannot do too much Pray, give my humble fervice, and beft wishes to your good mother. I am forry you don't tell me how Mr. Gay does in his health; I should have been glad to have heard he was better. My young nuenfis, as you call him, I am afraid, will prove but a wooden one: and you know ex quovis ligno, &c. You will pardon Mrs. R's pedantry, and believe me to be

Ama

Your, &c.

P. S. By the inclofed you will fee I am like to be imprefs'd, and enroll'd in the lift of Mr. Curll's Authors; but, I thank God! I fhall have your company. I believe it high time you fhould think of adminiftering another Emetic.

LET