an author anew: nay a new author, and a better than I yet have been; or God forbid I should go on jingling only the fame bells!

I have received some chagrin at the delay of your Degree at Oxon 8). As for mine, I will die before I receive one, in an art I am ignorant of, at a place where there remains any scruple of bestowing one on you, in a science of which you are so graat a master. In fhort, I will be doctor'd with you, or not at all. I am fure, wherever honour is not conferred on the deferving, there can be none given to the undeferving; no more from the hands of Priests, than of Princes. Adieu. God give you all true bleffings.

I

LETTER LX.

September 20, 1741.

T is not my friendship, but the discernment of that nobleman 9) I mentioned, which you are to thank for his intention to serve you. And his judgment is fo uncontroverted, that it would really be a pleasure to you to owe him any thing; inftead of a

8) This relates to an accidental affair which happened this fummer, in a ramble that Mr. P. and Mr. W. took together, in which Oxford fell in their way, where they parted; Mr. P. after one's day's ftay going weftward, and Mr. W. who ftaid a day after him, to vifit the dean of C. C. returning to London. On this day the Vice-chancellor, the Rev. Dr. L. fent him a meffage to his lodgings, by a perfon of eminence in that place, with an ufual compli ment, to know if a Doctor's degree in Divinity would be acceptable to him; to which fuch an answer was returned as fo civil a message deferved. About this time, Mr. Pope had the fame offer made him of a Doctor's degree in Law. And to the iffue of that unasked and unfought compliment these words allude.

9) Lord. Chesterfield...

fhame, which often is the cafe in the favours of men of that rank. I am forry I can only wish you well, and not do myself honour in doing you any good. But I comfort myself when I reflect, few men could make you happier, none more deserving than you have made yourself.

I don't know how I have been betray'd into a paragraph of this kind. I ask your pardon, tho' it be truth, for faying fo much.

If I can prevail on myself to complete 1) the Dunciad, it will be published at the same time with a general edition of all my Verses (for Poems I will not call them) and, I hope, your Friendship to me will be then as well known, as my being an Author; and go down together to Pofterity. I mean to as much of Pofterity as poor moderns can reach to; where the Commentator (as ufual) will lend a crutch to the weak Poet to help him to limp a little further, than he could on his own feet. We fhall take our degree together in Fame, whatever we do at the University: And I tell you once more 2), I will not have it there without you.

1) He had then communicated his intention to the Editor, of adding a fourth book to it, in pursuance of the Editor's advice.

2) This was occafioned by the editor's requesting him not to flight the honour ready to be done him by the Univerfity: and especially, not to decline it on the Editor's account, who had no reason to think the affront done him the act of that illuftrious body, but the contrivance of two or three particulars, the creatures of a man in power, and the flaves of their own paffions and prejudices.

I

LETTER

LXI.

Bath, Nov. 12, 1741.

Am always naturally sparing of my letters to my Friends; for a reason I think a great one; that it is needlefs after experience, to repeat affurances of Friendship; and no lefs irkfome to be fearching for words, to express it over and over. But I have more calls than one for this letter. First, to express a fatisfaction at your resolution not to keep up the ball of dispute with Dr. M. tho' I am fatisfied, you could have done it; and to tell you that Mr. L. is pleafed at it too, who writes me word upon this occafion, that he must infinitely esteem a Dinive, and an Author who loves Peace better than Victory. Secondly I am to recommend to you as an author, a bookfeller in the room of the honeft one you have loft, Mr. G. and I know none who is fo worthy, and has fo good a title in that character to fucceed him as Mr. Knapton. But my third motive of now troubling you is my own proper interest and pleasure. I am here in more leifure than I can poffibly enjoy even in my own house, vacare literis. It is at this place, that your exhortations may be most effectual, to make me refume the ftudies I have almost laid aside, by perpe tual avocations and diffipations. If it were practicable for you to pass a month or fix weeks from home, it is here I could wish to be with you: And if you` would attend to the continuation of your own noble work, or unbend to the idle amusement of commenting upon a poet, who has no other merit, than that of aiming by his moral strokes to merit fome regard from fuch as advance Truth and Virtue in a more effectual way; in either cafe, this place and this house would be an inviolable afylum to you, from all you VOL. X. K

would defire to avoid, in fo public a fcene as Bath. The worthy man, who is the master of it, invites you in the strongest terms; and is one who would treat you with love and veneration, rather than what the world calls civility and regard. He is fincerer and plainer than almost any man now in this world, antiquis moribus. If the waters of the Bath may be ferviceable to your complaints (as I believe from what you have told me of them) no opportunity can ever be better. It is just the best seafon. We are told the Bishop of Salisbury is expected here daily, who, I know is your friend: at least, though a Bishop, is too much a man of learning to be your enemy. You fee I omit nothing to add to the weight in the balance, in which however, I will not think myself light, fince I have known your partiality. You will want no fervant here. Your room will be next to mine, and one man will ferve us Here is a Library and a Gallery ninety feet long to walk in, and a coach whenever you would take the air with me. Mr. ALLEN tells me, you might on horseback be here in three days; it is lefs than 100 miles from Newarke, the road through Leicester, Stow in the Wolde in Gloucestershire, and Cirencester by Lord Bathurst's. I could engage to carry you to London from hence, and I would accommodate my time and journey to your conveniency.

Is all this a dream? or can you make it a reality? can you give ear to me?

Audiftin'? an me ludit amabilis
Infania.

Dear Sir, adieu; and give me a line to Mr. Allen's at Bath. God preserve you ever.

Yo

LETTER LXII.

Nov. 22, 1741.

Ours is very full and very kind, it is a friendly and fatisfactory answer, and all I can defire. Do but inftantly fulfil it. - Only I hope this will find you before you set out. For I think (on all confiderations) your best way will be to take London in your way. It will fecure you from accidents of weather to travel in the coach, both thither, and from thence hither. But in particular, I think you should take fome care as to Mr. G's executors. And I am of opinion, no man will be more serviceable, in fettling any fuch accounts than Mr. Knapton, who fo well knows the trade, and is of so acknowledged a credit in it. If you can stay but a few days there, I should be glad; tho' I would not have you omit any neceffary thing to yourself. I wish too you would just fee***, tho' when you have pass'd a month here, it will be time enough, for all we have to do in town, and they will be less busy, probably, than just before the Seffion opens, to think of men of letters.

When you are in London I beg a line from you, in which pray tell us what day you shall arrive at Bath by the coach, that we may fend to meet you, and bring you hither.

You will owe me a real obligation by being made acquainted with the mafter of this houfe; and by fharing with me, what I think one of the chief fatisfactions of my life, his Friendship. But whether I fhall owe you any in contributing to make me a fcribler again 1), I know not.

1) He had concerted the plan of the fourth book of the Dunciad with the Editor the fummer before; and had now written a great part of it; which he was willing the Editor fhould fee.

Ka