his purchase; and as the little exception you have taken, has ferv'd him to play his game upon us, for these two years; a new incident from me might enable him to play it on for two more: The great value The expreffes for all you write, and her paffion for having 'em, I believe, was what prevail'd upon me to let her keep 'em, By the interval of twelve years at least, from her poffeffion to the time of printing 'em, 'tis manifeft, that I had not the leaft ground to apprehend fuch a defign: But as people in great ftraits, bring forth their hoards of old Gold, and moft valued Jewels, fo Sapho had recourfe to her hid treafure of Letters, and play'd off, not only yours to me, but all thofe to herself (as the Lady's laft-ftake) into the Prefs. As for me, I hope, when you fhall cooly confider the many thousand inftances of our being deluded by the Females, fince that great Original of Adam by Eve, you will have a more favourable thought of the undesigning error of Your faithful Friend, and bumble Servant, HENRY CROMWELL. Now, fhould our Apology for this Publication be as ill receiv'd, as the Lady's feems to have been by the Gentlemen concerned; we Shall at least have Her Comfort of being Thank'd by the reft of the world. Nor has Mr. P. himself any great caufe to think it much Offence to bis Modefty, or Reflexion on bis Judgment; when we take care to inform the publick, that there are few Letters of his in this Collection which were not written under Twenty years of age: On the other hand, we doubt not the Reader will be much more Surpriz'd to find, at that early period, fo much Variety of Style, Affecting Sentiment, and Juftness of Criticism, in pieces which muft bave been writ in bafte, very few perhaps ever re-view'd, and none intended for the Eye of the Publick. (1) LETTERS O F Mr. Wycherley and Mr. Pope, From the Year 1704 to 1710. I Mr. POPE to Mr. WYCHERley. Decemb. 26, 1704. T was certainly a great Satisfaction to me to fee and converfe with a Man, whom in his Writings I had fo long known with Pleafure: But it was a high addition to it, to hear you, at our very first meeting, doing juftice to your dead friend Mr. Dryden. I was not fo happy as to know him; Virgilium tantum vidi - - · Had I been born early enough, I must have known and lov'd him: For I have been affur'd, not only by your felf, but by Mr. Vol. I. *The Author's Age then Sixteen. Congreve 2 Congreve and Sir William Trumbul, that his perfonal Qualities were as amiable as his Poetical, notwithstanding the many libelous Mifreprefentations of them (against which the former of thefe Gentlemen has told me he will one day vindicate him (a.) I suppose those Injuries were begun by the Violence of Party, but 'tis no doubt they were continu'd by Envy at his fuccefs and fame: And thofe Scribblers who attack'd him in his latter times, were only like Gnats in a Summer's evening, which are never very troublesome but in the finest and moft glorious Seafon; (for his fire, like the Sun's, fhin'd cleareft towards its fetting.) You must not therefore imagine, that when you told me of my own performances that they were above thofe Critics, I was fo vain as to believe it; and yet I may not be fo humble as to think my felf quite below their notice. For Critics, as they are Birds of Prey, have ever a natural inclination to Carrion: And though fuch poor Writers as I, are but Beggars, however no Beggar is fo poor but he can keep a Cur, and no Author is fo beggarly but he can keep a Critic. So I'm far from (a) He fince did fo, in his Dedication to the Duke of Newcattle, prefix'd to Tonion's Duodecimo Edition of Dryden's Plays. 1717. think thinking the Attack of fuch people either an honour or difhonour, even to me, much less to Mr. Dryden. I think with you, that whatever leffer Wits have rifen fince his Death, are but like Stars appearing when the Sun is fet, that twinkle only in his abfence, and with the Rays they have borrowed from him. Our Wit (as you call it) is but Reflexion or Imitation, therefore fcarce to be call'd ours. True Wit I believe, may be defin'd a Juftnefs of Thought, and a Facility of Expreffion; or (in the Midwives phrafe) a perfect Conception, with an eafy Delivery. However this is far from a compleat definition; pray help me to a better, as I doubt not you can. I I am, &c. Mr. WYCHERLEY to Mr. POPE.. Jan. 25, 1704-5• HAVE been fo bufy of late in correcting and tranfcribing fome of my Madrigals, for a great Man or two, who defir'd to fee them, that I have (with your Pardon) omitted to return you an Answer to your most ingenious Letter: So Scribblers to the Publick, like Bankers to the Publick, are profufe in their voluntary Loans |