who look into the true Springs of the Affair at home, in my own Breaft, know to have no Foundation at all. For Fame, tho' it be, as Milton finely calls it, The laft Infirmity of noble Minds, is scarce fo ftrong a Temptation as to warrant our Lofs of Time here: It can never make us lie down contentedly on a Death-bed (as fome of the Ancients are said to have done with that Thought). You, Sir, have your. felf taught me, that an eafy Situation at that hour, can proceed from no Ambition lefs noble than that of an eternal Felicity, which is unattainable by the strongest Endeavours of the Wit, but may be gain'd by the fincere Intentions of the Heart only. As in the next World, fo in this, the only folid Bleffings are owing to the Goodness of the Mind, not the Extent of the Capacity: Friendship here is an Emanation from the fame Source as Beatitude there: the fame Benevolence and grateful Difpofition that qualifies us for the one, if extended farther, makes us partakers of the other. The utmost Point of my Defires in my present State terminates in the Society and Good-will of worthy Men, which I look upon as no ill Earneft and Fore-taste of the Society and Alliance of happy Souls hereafter."

The Continuance of your Favours to me is what not only makes me happy, but caufes me to set fome Value upon myself as a part of your Care. The Inftances I daily meet with of these agreeable awakenings of Friendship, are of too pleafing a Nature not to be acknowledg'd whenever I think of you.

I am,

Your, &c.

To

I

To the fame.

APRIL 30, 1713.

HAVE been almost every Day employ'd in following your Advice, and amusing myself in Painting, in which I am most particularly oblig'd to Mr Jervas, who gives me daily Inftructions and Examples. As to poetical Affairs, I am content at present to be a bare Looker-on, and from a Practitioner turn an Admirer, which is (as the World goes) not very ufual. Cato was not fo much the Wonder of Rome in his Days, as he is of Britain in ours; and tho' all the foolish Industry poffible has been us'd to make it thought a Party-play, yet what the Author once faid of another may the most properly in the world be apply'd to him, on this Occafion :

Envy itself is dumb, in Wonder loft,

And Factions ftrive who fhall applaud him moft.

The numerous and violent Claps of the Whigparty on the one fide of the Theatre, were echo'd back by the Tories on the other; while the Author fweated behind the Scenes with Concern, to find. their Applause proceeding more from the Hand than the Head. This was the Cafe too of the Prologuewriter, who was clapp'd into a ftanch Whig, at almoft every two Lines. I believe you have heard, that after all the Applaufes of the oppofite Faction, my Lord Bolingbroke fent for Booth, who play'd Cato, into the Box, between one of the Acts, and prefented him with fifty Guineas, in acknowledgment (as he exprefs'd it) for defending the Caufe of Liberty fo well against a perpetual Dictator. The Whigs are unwilling to be distanc'd this way, (as 'tis faid) and

H 5

and therefore defign a Present to the fame Cato very fpeedily; in the mean time they are getting ready as good a Sentence as the former on their fide: So betwixt them, 'tis probable that Cato (as Dr Garth exprefs'd it) may have fomething to live upon, after he dies.

I ain

Your, &c.

Mr POPE to Mr ADDISON.

JULY 30, 1713.

IAM more joy'd at your Return than I fhould

be at that of the Sun, fo much as I wish for him this melancholy wet Seafon ; but 'tis his Fate too, like yours, to be difpleafing to Owls and obfcene Animals, who cannot bear his Luftre. What put me in mind of these Night-birds was John Dennis, whom I think you are beft reveng'd upon, as the Sun was in the Fable upon thofe Batts and beaftly Birds above-mention'd, only by shining on. I am fo far from efteeming it any Misfortune, that I congratulate you upon having your fhare in that, which all the great Men and all the good Men that ever liv'd have had their Part of, Envy and Calumny. To be uncenfur'd, and to be obfcure, is the fame thing. You may conclude from what I here fay, that 'twas never in my Thoughts to have of fer'd you my Pen in any direct Reply to fuch a Critic, but only in fome little Raillery; not in Defence of you, but in Contempt of him *. But indeed your Opinion, that 'tis entirely to be neglected, would have been my own, had it been my own

This relates to the Paper occafion'd by Dennis's Remarks upon Cato, call'd, Dr Norris's Narrative of the Frenzy of John Den..

Cafe:

Cafe: But I felt more warmth here than I did when firft I faw his Book against myself (tho' indeed in two Minutes it made me heartily merry). He has written against every, thing the World has approv'd thefe many Years: Í apprehend but one danger from I Dennis's dilliking our Senfe, that it may make us think fo very well of it, as to become proud and conceited, upon his Difapprobation.

I must not here omit to do Juftice to Mrwhofe Zeal in your concern is worthy a Friend, and Honourer of you. He writ to me in the most preffing Terms about it, tho' with that juft contempt of the Critic that he deferves. I think in thefe Days one honeft Man is oblig'd to acquaint another who are his Friends; when fo many mifchievous Infects are daily at work to make People of Merit fufpicious of each other; that they may have the Satisfaction of feeing them look'd upon no better than themfelves.

I am

Your, &c.

Mr ADDISON to Mr POPE.

OCT. 26. 1713.

I Was extreamly glad to receive a Letter from

you,

but more fo upon reading the Contents of it. The Work you mention will I dare fay very fufficiently recommend itself, when your Name appears with the Propofals: And if you think I can any way contribute to the forwarding of them, you cannot lay a greater Obligation upon me, than by employing me in fuch an Office. As I have an Ambition of having it known that you are my Friend, I fhall

*The Tranflation of the Iliad.

be very proud of showing it by this, or any other Inftance. I question not but your Tranflation will enrich our Tongue and do Honour to our Country: For I conclude of it already from thofe Performances with which you have obliged the Public. I would only have you confider how it may most turn to your Advantage. Excufe my Impertinence in this Particular, which proceeds from my Zeal for your Ease and Happiness. The Work wou'd coft you a great deal of Time, and unless you undertake it will, I am afraid, never be executed by any other, at least I know none of this Age that is equal to it befides yourself.

I am at prefent wholly immerfed in Country Bufinefs, and begin to take Delight in it. I wish I might hope to fee you here fome time, and will not defpair of it, when you engage in a Work that will require Solitude and Retirement. I am

Your, &c.

Mr ADDISON to Mr POPE.

Nov. 2. 1713.

IHAVE receiv'd your Letter, and am glad to find that you have laid so good a Scheme for your great Undertaking. I queftion not but the Profe will require as much care as the Poetry, but the Variety will give your felf fome Relief, and more pleafure to your Readers.

You gave me leave once to take the Liberty of a Friend, in advifing you not to content yourself with one half of the Nation for your Admirers, when you might command them all! If I might take the Freedom to repeat it, I would on this Occafion. I think you are very happy that you are out of the

Fray,