forbids me; fince I may return you a Let ter, but never an Anfwer.

Now, as for my owning your affiftance to me, in over-looking my unmufical Numbers, and harsher Senfe, and correcting them, both, with your Genius, or Judgment; I must tell you I always own it, (in fpite of your unpoetick Modefty) who would do with your Friendship as your Charity; conceal your Bounty to magnify the Obligation; and even whilft you lay on your Friend the Favour, acquit him of the Debt: But that fhall not ferve your turn; I will always own, 'tis my infallible Pope has, or would redeem me from a poetical Damning, the fecond time; and fave my Rhimes from being condemn'd to the Criticks Flames to all Eternity: But (by the Faith you profefs) you know your Works of Supererrogation, transfer'd upon an humble, acknowledging Sinner, may fave even Him; having good Works enough of your own befides, to enfure yours, and their Immortality..

And now for the pains you have taken to recommend my Dulness, by making it more methodical, I give you a thousand thanks; fince true and natural Dulness is fhown more by its pretence to form and method, as the Sprightlinefs of Wit by its defpifing both. I thank you a thousand

times for your repeated Invitations to come to Binfield: You will find, it will be as hard for you to get quit of my mercenary kindnefs to you, as it would for me to deferve, or return yours; however, it fhall be the Endeavour of my future Life, as it will be to demonftrate my felf,

Tregard

i

in

HE Compliments you make me, of any inconfiderable Service I could do you, are very unkind, and do but tell me in other words, that my Friend has fo meán an opinion of me, as to think I expect acknowledgments for trifles 3 which upon my faith I fhall equally take amifs, whether made to my felf, or to any others. For God's fake, (my dear Friend Wycherley) think better of me, and believe I defire no fort of Favour fo much, as that of ferving you, more confiderably than I have y been able to do.

yet

I fhall proceed in this manner with fome others of your Pieces; but fince you defire

D 2

14

defire I would not deface your Copy for the future, and only mark the Repetitions; I muft, as foon as I've mark'd thefe, tranfcribe what is left on another Paper; and in blot, alter, and add all I can dethat, vife, for their Improvement. For you are fenfible, the Omiffion of Repetitions is but one, and the cafieft Part, of yours and my Defign, there remaining befides to rectify the Method, to connect the Matter, and to mend the Expreffion and Verfification. I will go next upon the * Poems of Solitude, on the Publick, and on the mixt Life: the Bill of Fare; the Praifes of Avarice, and fome others.

"I must take fome Notice of what you day, of My pains to make your Dulnefs "methodical ;" and of your hint, that "The fprightliness of Wit defpifes method." This is true enough, if by Wit you mean no more than Fancy or Conceit but in the better notion of Wit, confider'd as propriety, furely Method is not only neceffary for Perfpicuity and Harmony of parts, but gives beauty even to the minute and particular thoughts, which receive an additional advantage from thofe which pre cede or follow in their due place: Ac

Some Brouillons of thefe, tranfcrib'd and very much blotted by Mr. Pope, are extant in the Harley Library.

cording

cording to a Simile Mr. Dryden usd in converfation, of Feathers in the Crowns of the wild Indians, which they not only chufe for the beauty of their Colours, but place! them in fuch a manner as to reflect a Luftre on each other. I will not disguise any of my Sentiments from you: To methodize in your Cafe, is full as neceffary as to strike out otherwife you had better deftroy the whole Frame, and reduce them into (ingle Thoughts in Profe, like Rochfoucault, as I have more than once hinted to you.

१.

Mr. WYCHERLEY to Mr. POPE.

Feb. 28, 1707-8.

HAVE had yours of the 23d of this Inftant, for which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even Absence (the ufual bane of Love, or Friendship) cannot leffen yours to more than mine. *As

to your hearing of my being ill; I am glad

Mr. Pope had this from Mr. Cromwell, after his Enquiry in thefe Words: "I returned to Town laft Saturday, and f inquiring (as you defir'd) about Mr. Wycherley, was told, "in two feveral Places, that he had been very ill, and that he was even gone off our Stage: But I could not ima"gine this report to be true, or that fo great a Man could "leave the World without its being inftructed to lament fo confiderable a Lofs."

and forry for the report: In the first place, glad that it was not true; and in the next forry that it fhou'd give you any difturbance, or concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well as your concern for my future well-being or life, I think my felf moft eternally oblig'd to you af furing, your concern for either will make me more careful of both. Yet for your fake I love this Life. fo well, that I fhall the less think of the other; but 'tis in your power to enfure my Happiness in one and the other, both by your Society and good Example, fo not only contribute to my fe licity here, but hereafter.

Now as to your Excufe for the plainnefs of your Style, or Letter, I muft needs tell you, that Friendship is much more acceptable to a true Friend than Wit, which is generally false Reasoning; and a Friend's reprimand often fhews more Friendship than his compliment: Nay Love, which is more than Friendship, is often feen, by our Friend's correction of our Follies or Crimes. Upon this Teft of your Friendship I intend to put you when I return to London, and thence to you at Binfield, which I hope will be within a Month.

Next to the News of your good Health, I am pleas'd with the good News of your going to print fome of your Poems, and?

proud