"Mr. Tonfon went, he was pre-engaged to attend him, "being to have the printing of the faid copy.

"So in fhort, I borrow'd this ftone-horse of my Pub«lisher, which he had of Mr. Oldmixon for a debt; he "lent me too the pretty boy you see after me: he was " a smutty dog yesterday, and coft me near two hours ❝ to wash the ink off his face; but the Devil is a fair"condition'd Devil, and very forward in his Catechise: "if you have any more bags, he shall carry them."

I thought Mr. Lintot's civility not to be neglected, fo gave the boy a fmall bag, containing three fhirts, and an Elzevir Virgil; and mounting in an inftant, proceeded on the road, with my man before, my courteous ftationer befide, and the aforefaid devil behind.

Mr. Lintot began in this manner: "Now, damn them! "what if they should put it into the news-paper, how

you and I went together to Oxford? what would I "care? If I fhould go down into Suffex, they would fay "I was gone to the Speaker. But what of that! If my "fon were but big enough to go on with the business, "by G-d I would keep as good company as old Jacob." Hereupon I enquir'd of his fon. "The lad (fays he) "has fine parts, but is fomewhat fickly, much as you "are-I spare for nothing in his education at Westmin❝fter. Pray don't you think Westminster to be the best "school in England? moft of the late Miniftry came "out of it, so did many of this Miniftry; I hope the "boy will make his fortune."

Don't you defign to let him pafs a year at Oxford ? "To what purpofe? (faid he) the Univerfities do but "make Pedants, and I intend to breed him a man of *bufinefs."

As Mr. Lintot was talking, I obferv'd he fat uneafy on his faddle, for which I expreffed fome folicitude: Nothing, fays he, I can bear it well enough: but fince we have the day before us, methinks it would be very pleafant for you to reft a-while under the woods. When we were alighted, " See here, what a mighty pretty Horace

"I have in my pocket! what if you amus'd yourself in "turning an ode, till we mount again? Lord! if you "pleas'd, what a clever Mifcellany might you make at "leisure hours." Perhaps I may, faid I, if we ride on; the motion is an aid to my fancy, a round trot very much awakens my spirits: then jog on a pace, and I'll think as hard as I can.

Silence enfued for a full hour; after which Mr. Lintot lugg'd the reins, ftop'd fhort, and broke out, "Well, "Sir, how far have you gone?" I answer'd, Seven miles. "Z-ds, Sir, faid Lintot, I thought you had "done feven ftanza's. Oldfworth, in a ramble round "Wimbledon hill, would tranflate a whole ode in half "this time. I'll fay that for Oldsworth (tho' I loft by "his Timothy's) he tranflates an ode of Horace the "quickeft of any man in England. I remember Dr.

King would write verfes in a tavern three hours after *he 'could not speak and there's Sir Richard, in that "rumbling old chariot of his, between Fleet-ditch and "St. Giles's-pound, fhall make you half a Jobb."

Pray, Mr. Lintot (faid I) now you talk of Tranflators, what is your method of managing them? "Sir (reply'd he) those are the faddeft pack of rogues in the "world: in a hungry fit, they'll fwear they understand

all the languages in the universe: I have known one "of them take down a Greek book upon my counter, and ery, Ah, this is Hebrew, I muft read it from the latter end. By G-d, I can never be fure in thefe fellows; for I neither underftand Greek, Latin, French, nor Italian, myself. But this is my way; I

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agree with them for ten fhillings per fheet, with a "provifo, that I will have their doings corrected by "whom I please; fo by one or other they are led at last "to the true fenfe of an author; my judgment giving "the negative to all my tranflators." But how are you secure those correctors may not impose upon you? “Why "I get any civil gentleman (especially any Scotchman) "that comes into my fhop, to read the original to me

" in English; by this I know whether my firft tranflator "be deficient, and whether my corrector merits his mo 66 ney or not?

"I'll tell you what happen'd to me last month: I bar"gain'd with S** for a new version of Lucretius to pub"lish against Tonfon's; agreeing to pay the author fo "many fhillings at his producing fo many lines. He "made a great progrefs in a very fhort time, and I gave "it to the corrector to compare with the Latin; but he "went directly to Creech's tranflation, and found it the "fame word for word, all but the first page. Now, "what d'ye think I did? I arrested the tranflator for a "cheat; nay, and I ftopt the corrector's pay too, upon "this proof that he had made use of Creech inftead of "the original."

Pray tell me next how you deal with the Critics? "Sir (faid he) nothing more eafy. I can filence the "moft formidable of them: the rich ones, for a sheet a"piece of the blotted manuscript, which cofts me no"thing; they'll go about with it to their acquaintance, ❝and pretend they had it from the author, who submit❝ted to their correction: this has given fome of them "fuch an air, that in time they come to be confulted "with, and dedicated to as the top Critics of the town.

As for the poor critics, I'll give you one inftance of my management, by which you may guess at the reft. "A lean man, that look'd like a very good scholar, came "to me t'other day; he turn'd over your Homer, fhook "his head, fhrugg'd up his fhoulders, and pish'd at eve"ry line of it: One would wonder (fays he) at the "ftrange prefumption of fome men; Homer is no such " easy task, that every ftripling, every verfifier-He was going on, when my wife call'd to dinner: Sir, faid I, will you please to eat a piece of beef with me? "Mr. Lintot, faid he, I am forry you should be at the expence of this great book; I am really concern'd on your account-Sir, I am much oblig'd to you: if you can dine upon a piece of beef, together with a flice of

pudding

"pudding-Mr. Lintot, I do not fay but Mr. Pope, if "he would condefcend to advise with men of learning"Sir, the pudding is upon the table, if you please to go "in-My critic complies, he comes to a tafte of your "poetry, and tells me in the fame breath, that the book ❝is commendable, and the pudding excellent.

"Now, Sir (concluded Mr. Lintot) in return to the "frankness I have fhewn, pray tell me, Is it the opinion "of your friends at court, that my Lord Lanfdown will "be brought to the bar, or not?" I told him, I heard he would not, and I hop'd it, my Lord being one I had particular obligations to. "That may be (reply'd Mr. "Lintot) but by G-d, if he is not, I fhall lofe the "printing of a very good Trial."

Thefe, my Lord, are a few traits by which you may difcern the genius of Mr. Lintot, which I have chosen for the fubject of a letter. I dropt him as soon as I got to Oxford, and paid a vifit to my Lord Carleton at Middleton.

The converfations I enjoy here, are not to be prejudiced by my pen, and the pleafures from them only to be equall'd when I meet your Lordship. I hope in a few days to caft myfelf from your horse at your feet.

LETTER XI.

I am, &c.

To the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

[In answer to a Letter in which he inclosed the Description of Buckinghamhoufe, written by him to the D. of Sh.]

PLINY was one of thofe few authors who had a warm

house over his head; nay, two houses, as appears by two of his epiftles. I believe, if any of his contemporary authors durft have inform'd the public where they lodged, we should have found the garrets of Rome as well inhabited as those of Fleet-ftreet; but 'tis dangerous to let creditors into fuch a fecret, therefore we may prefume

that then, as well as now-a-days, no-body knew where they lived but their bookfellers.

It seems, that when Virgil came to Rome, he had no lodging at all: he first introduc'd himself to Augustus by an epigram, beginning Note pluit tota-an obfervation which probably he had not made, unless he had lain all night in the street.

Where Juvenal lived we cannot affirm; but in one of his fatires he complains of the exceffive price of lodgings; neither do I believe he would have talk'd so feelingly of Codrus's bed, ifpere had been room for a bedfellow in it.

I believe, with all the oftentation of Pliny, he would have been glad to have changed both his houses for your Grace's one; which is a country-house in the fummer, and a town-house in the winter, and must be owned to be the propereft habitation for a wife man, who fees all the world change every feafon without ever changing himself.

I have been reading the description of Pliny's house, with an eye to yours; but finding they will bear no comparison, will try if it can be match'd by the large country-feat I inhabit at present, and see what figure it may make by the help of a florid description,

You must expect nothing regular in my description, any more than in the house; the whole vaft edifice is fo disjointed, and the several parts of it so detach'd one from the other, and yet so joining again, one cannot tell how, that, in one of my poetical fits, I imagined it had been a village in Amphion's time, where the cottages having taken a country-dance together, had been all out, and ftood ftone-ftill with amazement ever fince.

You must excuse me, if I fay nothing of the Front; indeed I don't know which it is. A ftranger would be grievously disappointed, who endeavour'd to get into the houfe the right way. One would reasonably expect, after the entry through the porch, to be let into the hall: alas, nothing lefs! you find yourself in the house of