1

latter end. By G-d I can never be fure in these fellows, for I neither understand Greek, Latin, French nor Italian myself. But this is my way: I agree with them for ten fhillings per fheet, with a provifo, "that I will have their doings corrected by whom I pleafe; fo by one or other they are led at laft to the true sense of an author; my judgment giving the negative to all my Tranflators." But how are you fecure that thofe correctors may not impofe upon you? Why I get any civil gentleman, (efpecially 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 money or no

I'll tell you what happened to me last ἐσ month I bargain'd with S-— for a new verfion of Lucretius to publifh 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 cor"rector 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 arrefted the Tranflator for a cheat; nay, and I ftopt the Corrector's pay

N

του,

too, upon this proof that he had made ufe 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 most formidable of them; the rich ones for a fheet a piece of the "blotted manufcript, which cofts me no"thing. They'll go about with it to their acquaintance, and pretend they had it "from the author, who fubmitted to their correction: this has gis en fome of the m fuch an air, that in time they come to be "confulted with, and dedicated too, 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 good scholar, came to me t'other day; be turn'd over Homer, fhook his "head, fhrugg'd up his fhoulders, and pifh'd at every line of it; One would wonder (fays he) at the ftrange prefumption of men; Homer is no fuch easy task, that every Stripling, every Verfifier he was going on when my Wife called to dinner: Sir, faid I, will you pleafe to eat a piece of beef with me? Mr. Lintott, 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-Mr. Lintott,

66

"I do

I do not fay but M. Pope, if he would con"defcend to advife with men of learning-Sir.

the pudding is upon the table, if you please "to go in My critic complies, he comes to a taste of your poetry, and tells me in the fame breath, that the Book is com"mendable, and the Pudding excellent.

$

Now Sir, (concluded Mr. Lintott) in return to the franknels I have fhown, pray tell me, "Is it the opinion of your friends at Court, that my Lord L-will be brought to the Bat or not?" I told him I heard not, and I hoped it, my Lord being one I had particular obligations to. "That may be (reply'd Mr. Lintott, but by G-d if "he is not, 1 fhall lofe the printing of a very good Trial,"

Thefe my Lord are a few traits by which you may difcern the genius of my friend Mr. Lintott, which I have chofen for the fubject of a letter. I dropt him as foon as I got to Oxford, and paid a vifit to my Lord Carlton at Middleton.

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

Dr. PARNELLE to Mr. POPE.

I

Jun. 27, 1715. Am writing you a long letter, but all the tedioufnefs I feel in it is, that it makes me during the time think more intently of my being far from you. I fancy if I were with you, I cou'd remove fome of the uneafinefs which you may have felt from the oppofition of the world, and which you fhould be afhamed to feel, fince it is but the teftimony which one part of it gives you. that your merit is unquestionable: What wou'd you have otherwife from ignorance, envy, or those tempers which vie with you in your own way? I know this in mankind, that when our ambition is unable to attain, its end, it is not only wearied, but exafperated too at the vanity of its labours; then we speak ill of happier ftudies, and fighing condemn the excellence which we find above our reach.

My Zoilus which you us'd to write about, I finished laft fpring, and left in town; I waited till I came up to fend it you, but not arriving here before book was out,

your

* Irintel for B. Lintett 1715, 8° under this Title,

imagin'd

imagin'd it a loft piece of labour. If you will ftill have it, you need only write me word.

4

I have here feen the First Book of Ho mer, which came out at a time when it cou'd not but appear as a kind of setting up against you. My opinion is, that you may, if you pleafe, give them thanks who writ it. Neither the numbers nor the spirit have an equal mastery with yours; but what furprizes me more is, that, a fcholar being concern'd, there fhould happen to be some miftakes in the author's fenfe; fuch as putting the light of Pallas's eyes into the eyes of Achilles; making the taunt of Achilles toAgamemnon, (that he fhould have fpoils when Troy fhould be taken) to be a cool and ferious propofal: the tranflating what you call ablution by the word Offals, and fo leav ing Water out of the rite of Luftration, &c. but you mult must have taken notice of all this before. I write not to inform you, but to fhew I always have you at heart.

1 am, &c.

From a Letter of the Reverend Doctor BERKLEY, Dean of London-derry.

July 7, 1715.

Some days ago, three or four Gentle

men and myfelf exerting that right which

all