your end in profit and reputation: Yet I am angry at fome bad Rhymes and Triplets, and pray in your next do not let me have fo many unjustifiable Rhymes to war and gods. I tell you all the faults I know, only in one or two places you are a little obfcure; but I expected you to be fo in one or two and twenty. I have heard no foul talk of it here, for indeed it is not come over; nor do we very much abound in Judges, at leaft I have not the honour to be acquainted with them. Your Notes are perfectly good, and fo are your Preface and Effay. You were pretty bold in mentioning Lord Bolingbroke in that Preface. I faw the Key to the Lock but yesterday I think you have changed it a good deal, to adapt it to the prefent times *.

1. God be thanked I have yet no Parliamentary bufinefs, and if they have none with me, I fhall never feek their acquaintance. I have not been very fond of them for fome years paft, not when I thought them tolerably good, and therefore if I can get leave to be abfent, I fhall be much inclined to be on that fide, when there is a Parliament on this but truly I must be a little eafy in my mind before I can think of Scriblerus.

7. You are to understand that I live in the corner of a vaft unfurnished houfe; my family confifts of a steward, a groom, a helper in the ftable, a footman, and an old maid, who are all at board-wages, and when I do not dine abroad, or make an entertainment (which laft is very rare) I eat a mutton-pye, and drink half a pint of wine: My amufements are defending my fmall dominions against the Archbifhop, and endeavouring to reduce my rebellious

* Put these two last observations together, and it will appear, that Mr. Pope was neither wanting to his friends for fear of party, nor would infult a miniftry to humour his friends.

Choir. Perditur hæc inter mifero lux. I defire you will prefent my humble fervice to Mr. Addifon, Mr. Congreve, and Mr. Rowe, and Gay. I am, and will be always, extremely yours, &c.

I

LETTER III.

Mr. POPE to Dr. SWIFT,

June 20, 1716.

Cannot fuffer a friend to cross the Irish feas with

out bearing a teftimony from me of the conftant efteem and affection I am both obliged and inclined to have for you. It is better he should tell you than I, how often you are in our thoughts and in our cups, and how I learn to fleep lefs* and drink more, whenever you are named among us. I look upon a friend in Ireland as upon a friend in the other world, whom (popifhly speaking) I believe constantly well difpofed towards me, and ready to do me all the good he can, in that state of feparation, though I hear nothing from him, and make addresses to him but very rarely. A protestant divine cannot take it amifs that I treat him in the fame manner with my patron Saint.

I can tell you no news, but what you will not fufficiently wonder at, that I fuffer many things as an author militant; whereof in your days of probation, you have been a fharer, or you had not arrived to that triumphant ftate you now deservedly enjoy in the Church. As for me, I have not the leaft hopes of the Cardinalat, tho' I fuffer for my Religion in almoft every weekly paper. I have begun to take a

*

Alluding to his conftant cuftom of fleeping after

dinner.

pique at the Pfalms of David (if the wicked may be credited, who have printed a scandalous one* in my name.) This report I dare not difcourage too much, in a profpect 1 have at present of a post under the Marquis de Langalleriet, wherein if I can but do fome fignal fervice againft the Pope, I may be confiderably advanced by the Turks, the only religious people I dare confide in. If it should happen hereafter that I fhould write for the holy law of Mahomet, I hope it may make no breach between you and me; every one must live, and I beg you will not be the man to manage the controverfy against me. The Church of Rome I judge (from many modern symptoms, as well as ancient prophecies) to be in a declining condition; that of England will in a fhort time be scarce able to maintain her own family: fo Churches fink as generally as Banks in Europe, and for the fame reason; that Religion and Trade, which at firft were open and free, have been reduced into the Management of Companies, and the Roguery of Directors.

I don't know why I tell you all this, but that I always loved to talk to you; but this is not a time for any man to talk to the purpose. Truth is a kind of contraband commodity, which I would not venture to export, and therefore the only thing tending that dangerous way which I fhall fay, is, that I am, and always will be, with the utmoft fincerity,

In Curl's Collection.

Your's, &c.

+ One who made a noise then, as Count Bonnival has done fince.

I

LETTER IV,

From Dr. SwIFT to Mr. POPE.

Aug. 30, 1716,

Had the favour of yours by Mr. F. of whom, Ibefore any other queftion relating to your health or fortune, or fuccefs as a Poet, I enquired your principles in the common form, Is he Whig or

1

a Tory I am forry to find they are not fo well tallied to the prefent juncture as I could wifh. I always thought the terms of Fatto and Jure had been introduced by the Poets, and that Poffeffion of any fort in Kings was held an unexceptionable title in the courts of Parnaffus. If you do not grow a perfect good fubject in all its prefent latitudes, I fhall conclude you are become rich, and able to live without dedications to men in power, whereby one great inconvenience will follow, that you and the world and pofterity will be utterly ignorant of their Virtues. For, either your brethren have miferably deceived us these hundred years paft, or Power confers Virtue, as naturally as five of your Popifh facraments do Grace.You fleep lefs and drink more. -But your mafter Horace was Vini fomnique benig nus: and, as I take it, both are proper for your trade. As to mine, there are a thoufand poetical texts to confirm the one; and as to the other, I know it was anciently the custom to fleep in Temples for those who would confult the Oracles, Who dictates to me flumbering *," &c.

1. You are an ill Catholick, or a worfe Geographer, for I can affure you, Ireland is not Paradife, and I appeal even to any Spanish divine whether Addreffes were ever made to a friend in Hell, or Purgatory?

( * Milton.

And

And who are all these enemies you hint at? I can only think of Curl, Gildon, Squire Burnet, Blackmore, and a few others whofe fame I have forgot; Tools, in my opinion as neceffary for a good writer, as pen, ink, and paper. And befides, I would fain know whether every Draper doth not fhew you three or four damn'd pieces of stuff to fet off his good one? However, I will grant, that one thorough Bookfelling-Rogue is better qualified to vex an author, than all his cotemporary fcriblers in Critic or Satire, not only by ftolen Copies of what was incorrect or unfit for the public, but by downright laying other mens dulnefs at your door. I had a long defign upon the Ears of that Curl, when I was in credit, but the Rogue would never allow me a fair ftroke at them, although my penknife was ready drawn and fharp. I can hardly believe the relation of his being poisoned, although the Hiftorian pretends to have been an eye-witnefs: But I beg pardon, Sack might do it, although Rats-bane would not. I never faw the thing you mention as falfely imputed to you; but I think the frolicks of merry hours, even when we are guilty, fhould not be left to the mercy of our best friends, until Curl and his resemblers are hang'd.

With fubmiffion to the better judgment of you and your friends, I take your project of an employment under the Turks to be idle and unneceffary. Have a little patience, and you will find more merit and encouragement at home by the fame methods You are ungrateful to your country; quit but your own Religion, and ridicule ours, and that will allow you a free choice for any other, or for none at all, and pay you well into the bargain. Therefore pray do not run and difgrace us among the Turks, by telling them you were forced to leave your native home, because we would oblige you to be a Christian; whereas we will make it appear to

all