but a poor Performance; Mr. Pope never own'd to have had any Share in the Compofition of it; But a Letter from Mr. Gayto him, while it was yet under Condemnation, will give a little Light into this Affair. Dear Pope, To COO late I fee, and confefs myself mistaken, in Relation to the Comedy, yet I do not think had I follow'd your Advice, and only introduc'd the Mummy, that the Abfence of the Crocodile had fav'd it. I can't help laughing myfelf, (though the Vulgar do not confider that it was defign'd tolook very ridiculous) to think how the poor Monster and Mummy were dash'd at their Reception, and when the Cry was loudeft, thought that if the Thing had been wrote by another, I fhould have deem'd the Town in fome Measure mistaken, and as to your Apprehenfion that this may do us future Injury, do not think it; the Doctor has a more valuable Name than can be hurt by any Thing of this Nature, and yours is doubly fafe; I will (if any Shame there be) take it all to myself, as indeed I ought, the Motion being first mine, and never heartily approv'd of by you: As to what your early Enemy faid at the Duke of Dorfet's and Mr. Pulteney's, you will live to prove him a falfe Prophet, as you have already a Liar, and a Flatterer, and Poet in Spight of Nature; whether I fhall do fo or no, you can beft tell, for with the Continuance of your dear Friendfhip and Affiftance, never yet withheld from me, I dare promise as much. I beg of you not to fuffer this, or any Thing else, to hurt your Health. As I have publickly faid, that I was affifted by two Friends, I fhall ftill continue in the fame Story, profeffing obftinate Silence about Dr. Dr. Arbuthnot and yourself,. I am going Tomorrow to Hampton Court for a Week, notwithstanding the Badness of the Weather, where, tho' I am to mix with Quality, I fhall fee nothing half fo engaging as you my dear Friend. 1 am (not at all caft down) JOHN GAY. This Comedy, Mr. Gay has not inserted in the Collection of his poetical Writings, which, though it met with the Disapprobation of the Town was foon forgot, he ftill following the Court, writing Verses upon her Royal Highness the Princefs of Wales, afterwards Queen, and waiting in Expectation of fome Employment, as he was frequently promis'd by my Lord Oxford and others, before the Death of Queen Anne, and through his Means was nominated and appointed Secretary to the Embaffy to Hanover, in the Year 1714, the laft Year of the Reign of Queen Anne, when the Lord Paget, the Earl of Clarendon, and Mr. Harley, were all fent to Hanover, to affure that illuftrious House, of her Majefty's Affection towards them, but at the fame Time to exprefs her high Refentment at the Demand of a Writ for fummoning his Electoral Highness as Duke of Cambridge to the House of Lords; by this Means (though the Profits arifing from the Employment were very fmall) he had the Honour of being perfonally known to the prefent Royal Family, to whom he had fhown in many of his Writings, Loyalty and Affection enough to have ferv'd them in any Capacity, and it remains a great Question, if ever an honefter Man offered himself to the Service of a Court. As foon as he arriv'd, Mr. Pope met him with a Letter, dated Sept. 23, 1714, than which nothing H 4 can can better exprefs the Love that was between these two: Dear Mr. Gay, Welcome to your native Soil! welcome to your Friends! thrice welcome to me! whether return'd in Glory, bleft with Court-intereft, the Love and Familiarity of the Great, and fill'd with agreeable Hopes; or melancholy with Dejection, contemplative of the Changes of Fortune, and doubtful for the future: Whether return'd a triumphant Whig or a defponding Tory, equally all hail! equally belov'd and welcome to me! If happy, I am to partake in your Elevation; if unhappy, you have still a warm Corner in my Heart, and a Retreat at Binfield in the worst of Times at your Service. If you are a Tory, or thought fo by any Man, I know it can proceed from nothing but your Gratitude to a few People who endeavour'd to ferve you, and whose Politicks were never your Concern. If you are a Whig, as I rather hope, and as I think your Principles and mine, (as Brother Poets) had ever a Biafs to the Side of Liberty, I know you will be an honeft Man and an inoffenfive one. Upon the Whole, I know you are incapable of being fo much of either Party as to be good for nothing. Therefore once more, whatever you are, or in whatever State you are, all hail! One or two of your old Friends complain'd they hear nothing from you fince the Queen's Death; I told 'em no Man living lov'd Mr. Gay better than I, yet I had not once written to him in all his Voyage. This I thought a convincing Proof, how truly one may be a Friend to another without telling him fo every Month. But they had Reafons to themfelves to alledge ledge in your Excufe; as Men who really value one another will never want fuch as make their Friends and themselves eafy. The late univerfal Concern in publick Affairs, threw us all into a Hurry of Spirits: Even I who am more a Philosopher than to expect any Thing from any Reign, was born away with the Current, and full of the Expectation of the Succeffor. During your Journeys I knew not whither to aim a Letter after you; that was a Sort of fhooting flying: Add to this the Demand Homer had upon me, to write fifty Verfes a Day, befides learned Notes, all which are at a Conclufion for this Year. Rejoice with me, O my Friend, that my Labour is over; come and make merry with me in much Feasting We will feed among the Lillies, (by the Lillies I mean the Ladies.) Are not the Rofalinda's of Britain as charming as the Bloufalinda's of the Hague ? Or have the two great paftoral Poets of our Nation renounced Love at the fame Time? For Philips, immortal Philips, hath deferted, yea, and in a ruftick Manner kick'd, his Rofalind. Dr. Parnelle and I have been infeparable ever fince you went. We are now at the Bath, where (if you are not, as I heartily hope, better engag'd) your coming would be the greatest Pleasure to us in the World. Talk not of Expences: Homer fhall fupport his Children. I beg a Line from you directed to the Pofthoufe in Bath. Poor Parnelle is in an ill State of Health. Pardon me if I add a Word of Advice in the poetical Way. Write fomething on the King, or Prince, or Princefs. On whatfoever Foot you may be with the Court, this can do no Harm-I fhall never know where to end, and am confounded in the many Things I have to fay to you, tho' they all amount but to this that I am entirely, as ever, Your fincere Friend, A. POPE. Mr. Mr. Gay's next Trip was to France with Mr. Pulteney, which Place was Matter of much Ridicule to him, who was fo very fond of natural Simplicity; but there he saw, he heard nothing, but what was Art and Artifice: It drew from him fome very witty Lines, on the egregious Fopperies and extravagant Deportment of that Nation: IN Paris there's a Race of Animals, IN (I've feen 'em at their Operas and Balls) They stand erect, they dance whene'er they walk, Monkeys in Action, Paroquetes in Talk; They're crown'd with Feathers like the Cockatoo, They by frequenting Ladies Toilets learn. How happy lives the Man, who fure to charm, Who wants th' Affurance of Brocade and Lace: You |