He made his Diftrefs known to Mr. Pope, who being acquainted with the Profuseness and Irregularity of his Temper, advis'd him to confent, on a Subscription from a certain Number of Gentlemen, for Fifty Pounds per Ann. to retire into Wales, there to live privately in a cheap Place, without afpiring any more or tampering with Courts, and Mr. Pope himfelf fubfcrib'd Twenty Pounds per Ann. towards it. He left London in July 1739, being furnish'd by his Friends with Fifteen Guineas, and by them inform'd that fuch a Sum would be fufficient, not only for the Expence of his Journey, but for his small Expences in Wales for fome Time. He went away in the Stage-Coach, his Friends defiring to hear from him when he arriv'd at Swansea, (the Place nam'd for him) and not before. But when they least expected, arriv'd a Letter dated the fourteenth Day after his Departure, in which he fent them Word, that he was yet upon the Road and without Money; and that he therefore could not proceed without a Remittance. They then fent him the Money that was in their Hands, with which he was enabled to reach Bristol, from whence he was to o to Swanfea by Water. At Bristol he found an Embargo laid upon the Shipping, fo that he could not immediately obtain a Paffage; and being therefore obliged to ftay there fome Time, he, with his ufual Felicity, ingratiated himself with many of the principal Inhabitants, was invited to their Houses, diftinguifh'd at their publick Feafts, and treated with a Regard that gratify'd his Vanity, and therefore eafily engag'd his Affection. He began very early after his Retirement to complain of the Conduct of his Friends in London, and irritated many of them fo much by his Letters, that they withdrew their Contributions; and it is believ'd, that, that little more was paid him than the Twenty Pounds a-Year, which were allow'd him by Mr. Pope, who propos'd the Subscription. After fome Stay at Bristol he retir'd to Swansea, the Place originally defign'd for his Refidence, where he liv'd about a Year, very much diffatisfied with the Diminution of his Salary. Here he compleated his Tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury, of which two Acts were wanting when he left London, and was defirous of coming to Town to bring it upon the Stage. This Defign was very warmly oppofed, and he was advis'd by his chief Benefactor to put it into the Hands of Mr. Thomfon and Mr. Mallet, that it might be fitted for the Stage, and to allow his Friends to receive the Profits, out of which an annual Penfion should be paid him. This Propofal he rejected with the utmoft Contempt. He was by no Means convinc'd that the Judgment of those to whom he was required to fubmit, was fuperior to his own, and in a fhort Time afterwards he form'd a Refolution of leaving that Part of the Country. He broke off all Correspondence with most of his Contributors, and more frequently reproach'd his Subscribers for not giving him more, than thank'd them for what he receiv'd; and grew petulant and contemptuous. Certainly he was reduc'd to live on a very little, and reflected with great Discontent on the sumptuous Fare and fine Company, he at Times us'd in London to partake of and with; not confidering, that the Fate of much greater Poets than he could ever pretend to have been, was oftentimes to have been neglected in their Wants and Diftreffes, and feldom or ever to meet with fuch frequent Reliefs as he himself had met with: Nor is any Thing fo precarious as the Favours of the Great; when VOL. II. they U they advance they advance flowly, and when they retire they retire faft. To this Purpose Mr. Pope had oftentimes reafon'd with him, and gave him into his Hand, under Pretence of defiring him to copy them, fome Verfes he had in the Year 1729 receiv'd from Dean Swift, which were call'd, Verfes to Dr. Delany, occafioned by his Epiftle to his Excellency, John Lord Carteret, ELUDED Mortals, whom the Great Who at their Dinners, en famille, When |