LETTERS OF Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL, Mr STEELE, Mr ADDISON, and Mr POPE. From 1711, to 1715. Sir WILLIAM TRUMBULL to HAVE this moment receiv'd the Favour of your's of the 8th Inftant; and will make you a true Excufe, (tho' perhaps no very good one) that I deferr'd the troubling you with a Letter, when I fent back your Papers, in hopes of seeing you at Binfield before this time. If I had met with any Fault in your performance, I fhould freely now (as I have done too prefumptuoufly in converfation with you) tell you my Opinion; which I have frequently ventur'd to give you, rather in compliance with your Defires, than that I could think *Secretary of State to King Willum the Third, it it reasonable. For I am not yet fatisfy'd upon what Grounds I can pretend to judge of Poetry, who never have been practis'd in the Art. There may poffibly be fome happy Genius's, who may judge of fome of the natural Beauties of a Poem, as a Man may of the Proportions of a Building, without having read Vitruvius, or knowing any thing of the Rules of Architecture: But this, tho' it may fometimes be in the right, must be fubject to many Mistakes, and is certainly but a fuperficial Knowledge; without entring into the Art, the Methods, and the particular Excellencies of the whole Compofure, in all the parts of it. Befides my want of Skill, I have another Reason why I ought to fufpect myfelf, by reafon of the great Affection I have for you, which might give too much biafs, to be kind to every thing that comes from you; but after all, I must say (and I do it with an old-fashion'd Sincerity) that I entirely approve of your Tranflation of thofe pieces of Homer both as to the Verfification and the true Senfe that shines thro' the whole; nay, I am confirm'd in my former Application to you, and give me leave to renew it upon this occafion, that you wou'd proceed in translating that incomparable Poet, to make him fpeak good English, to drefs his admirable Characters in your proper, fignificant, and expreffive Conceptions, and to make his Works as useful and inftructive to this degenerate Age, as he was to our Friend Horace, when he read him at Prænefte, Qui, quid fit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non, &c. I break off with that quid non?-with which I confefs I am charm'd. Upon the whole matter, I entreat you to fend this presently to be added to the Mifcellanies, and I hope it will come time enough for that purpose. I have nothing to fay of my Nephew B's Obfervations, for he sent them to me fo late, that I had not not time to confider them; I dare fay he endeavour'd very faithfully (tho' he told me very haftily) to execute your Commands. All I can add, is, that if your Excefs of Modefty. fhou'd hinder you from publishing this Effay, I fhall only be forry that I have no more Credit with, you, to perfuade you to oblige the Public, and very particularly, dear Sir, April 9, 1708. Your most faithful, bumble Servant, W. TRUMBULL. Mr POPE to the Hon. J. C. Efq; JUNE 15, 1711. ISEND you Dennis's Remarks on the. * Essay, which equally abound in just Criticisms and fine Railleries: The few Obfervations in my hand in the Margins, are what a Morning's Leisure permitted me to make, purely for your Perufal. For I am. of opinion, that fuch a Critic as you will find him. by the latter part of his Book, is but one way to be properly answer'd; and that way I wou'd not take after what he informs me in his Preface, that he is at this time perfecuted by Fortune. This I knew not before; if I had, his Name had been spar'd in. the Efay, for that only Reason. I can't conceive what Ground he has for fo exceffive a Refentment; nor imagine how thofe † three Lines can be call'd a Reflection on his Perfon, which only describe him. *On Criticism. But Appius rends at each word you speak, G. 3. subject fubject a little to Anger on fome Occafions. I have heard of Combatants fo very furious, as to fall down themselves with that very Blow which they defign'd to lay heavy on their Antagonists. But if Mr Dennis's Rage proceeds only from a Zeal to difcourage young and unexperienc'd Writers from fcribbling, he fhou'd frighten us with his Verfe not Profe: For I have often known, that when all the Precepts in the World would not reclaim a Sinner, fome very fad Example has done the Bufinefs. Yet to give this Man his due, he has objected to one or two Lines with Reafon, and I will alter 'em in Cafe of another Edition; I will make my Enemy do me a Kindness where he meant an Injury, and fo ferve inftead of a Friend. What he observes at the Bottom of Page 20th of his Reflections, was objected to by yourfelf, and had been mended but for the Hafte of the Prefs: 'Tis right Hibernian, and I confess it what the English call a Bull in the Expreffion, though the Sense be manifest enough: Mr Dennis's Bulls are feldom in the Expreffion, they are always in the Senfe. I fhall certainly never make the least Reply to him, not only because you advise me, but because I have ever been of Opinion, that if a Book can't answer for itself to the Public, 'tis to no fort of Purpofe for it's Author to do it. If I am wrong in any Sentiment of that Effay, I protest fincerely, I don't defire all the World fhould be deceiv'd (which wou'd be of very ill Confequence) meerly that I myfelf may be thought right (which is of very lit-. le Confequence). I'd be the firft to recant, for the Benefit of others, and the Glory of myself; for (as I take it) when a Man owns himself to havebeen in an Error, he does but tell you in other Words, that he is wiser than he was. But I have *This Thought we find afterwards put into Verfe in the Dunciad, Book I had |