about Bath and Bristol, endeavouring to amend a complaint which more or less has troubled me all my life: I hope the regimen this has obliged me to, will make the remainder of it more philofophical, and improve my resignation to part with it at last. I am preparing to return home, and shall then revise what my French gentleman has done, and add this to it. He is the same person who tranflated the Effay into prose, which Mr. Crouzaz should have profited by, who, I am really afraid, when I lay the circumstances all together, was moved to his proceeding in so very unreasonable a way, by some malice either of his own, or fome other's: tho' I was very willing, at first, to impute it to ignorance or prejudice. I fee nothing to be added to your work; only some commendatory Deviations from the Argument itself, in my favour, I ought to think might be omitted.

I must repeat my urgent defire to be previously acquainted with the precise time of your vifit to London; that I may have the pleasure to meet a man in the manner I would, whom I must esteem one of the greatest of my Benefactors. I am, with the most grateful and affectionate regard, &c.

LETTER LETTER CII.

April 16, 1740.

Y OU could not give me more pleasure than by your short letter, which acquaints me that I may hope to fee you so soon. Let us meet like men who have been many years acquainted with each other, and whose friendship is not to begin, but continue. All forms should be past, when people know each other's mind fo well: I flatter myself you are a man after my own heart, who seeks content only from within, and says to greatness, Tuas habeto tibi res, egomet babeba meas. But as it is but just your other friends should have fome part of you, I insist on my making you the first vifit in London; and thence, after a few days, to carry you to Twitenham, for as many as you can afford me. If the press be to take up any part of your time, the sheets may be brought you hourly thither by my waterman: and you will have more leifure to attend to any thing of that fort than in town. I believe also I have most of the Books you can want, or can easily borrow them. I earnestly defire a line may be left at Mr. R.'s, where and when I shall call upon you, which I will daily enquire for, whether I chance to be here, or in the country.

Believe

Believe me, Sir, with the trueft regard, and the fincerest wish to deserve

Yours, &c.

LETTER CIII.

Twitenham, June 24, 1740.

T is true that I am a very unpunctual correfpondent, tho no unpunctual agent or friend; and that, in the commerce of words, I am both poor and lazy. Civility and Compliment generally are the goods that letterwriters exchange, which, with honest men, seems a kind of illicite trade, by having been, for the most part carried on, and carried furtheft by designing men. I am therefore reduced to plain enquiries, how my friend does, and what he does? and to repetitions, which I am afraid to tire him with, how much I love him. Your two kind letters gave me real fatisfaction, in hearing you were safe and well; and in shewing me you took kindly my unaffected endeavours to prove my esteem for you, and delight in your conversation. Indeed my languid state of health, and frequent deficiency of spirits, together with a number of diffipations, et aliena negotia centum, all conspire to throw a faintness and cool appearance over my conduct

4

conduct to those I best love; which I perpetually feel, and grieve at: But in earnest, no man is more deeply touched with merit in general, or with particular merit towards me, in any one. You ought therefore in both views to hold yourself what you are to me in my opinion and affection; so high in each, that I may perhaps seldom attempt to tell it you. The greatest justice, and favour too that you can do me, is to take it for granted.

Do not therefore commend my talents, but instruct me by your own. I am not really learned enough to be a judge in works of the nature and depth of yours. But I travel thro' your book as thro' an amazing scene of ancient Egypt or Greece; struck with veneration and wonder; but at every step wanting an inftructor to tell me all I wish to know. Such you prove to me in the walks of antiquity; and such you will prove to all mankind: but with this additional character, more than any other searcher into antiquities, that of a genius equal to your pains, and of a taste equal to your learning.

I am obliged greatly to you, for what you have projected at Cambridge, in relation to my Essay; but more for the motive which did

* Mr. Pope defired the | tranflation of the Effay on editor to procure a good Man, into latin profe.

originally,

:

originally, and does consequentially in a manner, animate all your goodness to me, the opinion you entertain of my honest intention in that piece, and your zeal to demonstrate me no irreligious man. I was very fincere with you in what I told you of my own opinion of my own character as a poet, and, I think I may confcientioufly say, I shall die in it. I have nothing to add, but that I hope sometimes to hear you are well, as you certainly shall now and then hear the best I can tell you of myself.

I

LETTER CIV.

Oct. 27, 1740.

Am grown so bad a correspondent, partly thro' the weakness of my eyes, which has much increased of late, and partly thro' other disagreeable accidents (almost peculiar to me) that my oldest as well as best friends are reafonable enough to excuse me. I know you are of the number who deserve all the teftimonies of any fort, which I can give you of esteem and friendship; and I confide in you, as a man of candour enough, to know it cannot be otherwise, if I am an honest one. So I will

say no more on this head, but proceed to thank

• See his Life.

you