to please my self with a diftant Converfation with you and a few others, by writing. 'Tis no comfortable profpect to be reflecting, that fo long a Siege as that of Tray lies upon my hands, and the Campaign above half over, before I have made any Progrefs. Indeed the Greek Fortification upon a nearer Approach does not appear fo formidable as it did, and I am almoft apt to flatter my felf, that Homer fecretly feems inclined to a Correfpondence with me, in letting me into a good Part of his Intentions. There are indeed a fort of underling Auxiliars to the Difficulty of a Work, called Commentators and Critics, who wou'd frighten many People by their number and bulk, and perplex our progrefs under pretence of fortifying their Author. Thefe lie very low in the Trenches and Ditches they themfelves have digged, encompaffed with dirt of their own heaping up, but I think there may be found a Method of coming at the main Works by a more fpeedy and gallant Way than by mining under Ground, that is, by ufing the Poetical Engines, Wings, and flying over their Heads.

While I am engag'd in the Fight, I find you are concern'd how I fhall be paid, and are follicitous that I may not have the ill Fate of many discarded Generals, to be first envy'd and malign'd, then perhaps prais'd, and laftly neglected. The former (the conftant Attendant upon all great and laudable Enterprizes) I have already experienc'd. Some have

faid I am not a Mafter in the Greek, who either are fo themselves or are not: If they are not, they can't tell; and if they are, they can't without having catechized me. But if they can read (for I know some Critics can, and others cannot) there are fairly lying before them, fome Specimens of my Tranflation from this Author in the Mifcellanies, which they are heartily welcome to. I have met with as much

Malignity

Malignity another way, fome calling me a Tory, because the Heads of that Party have been diftinguifhingly favourable to me; fome a Whig, because I have been favoured with Your's, Mr Congreve's, and Mr Craggs his Friendship, and of late with my Lord Hallifax's Patronage. How much more natural a Conclufion might be formed, by any goodnatur'd Man, that a Person who has been well used by all fides, has been offenfive to none. This miferable Age is fo funk between Animofities of Party, and thofe of Religion, that I begin to fear, moft Men have Politics enough to make (thro' Violence) the best Scheme of Government a bad one; and Faith enough to hinder their own Salvation. I hope for my own Part, never to have more of either than is confiftent with common Juftice and Charity, and always as much as becomes a Chriftian and honeft Man. Tho' I find it an unfortunate thing to be bred a Papist here, where one is obnoxious to four Parts in five as being fo too much, and to the fifth Part as being fo too little; I fhall yet be eafy under both their mistakes, and be what I more than feem to be, for I suffer for it. God is my Witness, that I no more envy you Proteftants your Places and Poffeffions, than I do our Priests their Charity or Learning. I am ambitious of nothing but the good Opinion of good Men, on both fides; for I know that one Virtue of a free Spirit is more worth, than all the Virtues put together of all the narrow-fsoul'd People in the World.

I am

Your, &c,

The Rev. Dean BERKLEY to Mr PorE.

Leghorne, MAY 1, 1714.

A SI take Ingratitude to be a greater Crime than Impertinence, I chufe rather to run the Rifque of being thought guilty of the latter, than not to return you my Thanks for a very agreeable Entertainment you just now gave me. I have accidentally met with your Rape of the Lock here, having never seen it before. Style, Painting, Judgment, Spirit, I had already admired in others of your Writings; but in this I am charmed with the Magic of your Invention, with all thofe Images, Allufions, and inexplicable Beauties, which you raise fo furprizingly, and at the fame time fo naturally, out of a Trifle. And yet I cannot fay that I was more pleased with the reading of it, than I am with the Pretext it gives me to renew in your Thoughts the Remembrance of one who values no Happiness beyond the Friendship of Men of Wit, Learning, and good Nature.

I remember to have heard you mention some half-formed Design of coming to Italy. What might we not expect from a Mufe that fings fo well in the bleak Climate of England, if she felt the fame warm Sun, and breath'd the fame Air with Virgil and Horace?

There are here an incredible Number of Poets that have all the Inclination but want the Genius, or perhaps the Art, of the Ancients. Some among them who understand English, begin to relish our Authors; and I am informed that at Florence they have tranflated Milton into Italian Verfe. If one who knows so well how to write like the old Latin Poets, came among them; it wou'd probably be a Means

Means to retrieve them from their cold, trivial Conceits, to an Imitation of their Predeceflors.

As Merchants, Antiquaries, Men of Pleasure, &c. have all different Views in travelling; I know not whether it might not be worth a Poet's while, to travel, in order to ftore his Mind with ftrong Images of Nature.

Green Fields and Groves, flow'ry Meadows and purling Streams, are no where in fuch Perfection as in England: But if you wou'd know lightfome Days, warm Suns, and blue Skies, you must come to Italy; and to enable a Man to describe Rocks and Precipices, it is abfolutely neceffary that he pafs the Alps.

You will eafily perceive that it is Self-Interest makes me fo fond of giving Advice to one who has no need of it. If you came into these Parts, I fhou'd fly to fee you. I am here (by the Favour of my good Friend the Dean of St Patrick's) in Quality of Chaplain to the Earl of Peterborough; who about three Months fince left the greatest Part of his Family in this Town. God knows how ong we shall stay here. I am

Your, &c.

Mr. POPE to the Honourable

THE

JUNE 8, 1714.

HE Queftion you ask in Relation to Mr Adand Philips, I fhall answer in a few Words. Mr Philips did exprefs himself with much Indignation against me one Evening at Button's Coffeehoufe (as I was told) faying, that I was entered into a Cabal with Dean Swift and others to write against the Whig-Intereft, and in particular to undermine

his

his own Reputation, and that of his Friends Steele and Addifon. But Mr Philips never open'd his Lips to my Face, on this or any like Occafion, tho' I was almost every Night in the fame Room with him, nor ever offer'd me any Indecorum. Mr Addifon came to me a Night or two after Philips had talk'd in this idle Manner, and affur'd me of his Disbelief of what had been faid, of the Friendfhip we fhou'd always maintain, and defir'd I wou'd fay nothing further of it. My Lord Hallifax did me the Honour to stir in this Matter, by fpeaking to feveral People to obviate a falfe Afperfion, which might have done me no fmall Prejudice with one Party. However, Philips did all he could, fecretly to continue the Report with the Hanover Club, and kept in his Hands the Subfcriptions paid for me to him, as Secretary to that Club. The Heads of it have fince given him to understand, that they take it ill; but (upon the Terms I ought to be with a Man whom I think a Scoundrel) I wou'd not even ask him for this Money, but commiffioned one of the Players, his Equals, to receive it. This is the whole Matter; but as to the fecret Grounds of Philips's Malignity, they will make a very pleafant Hiftory when we meet. Mr Congreve and fome others have been much diverted with it, and moft of the Gentlemen of the Hanover Club have made it the Subject of their Ridiculs on their Secretary. It is to this Management of Philips, that the World owes Mr Gay's Paftorals. The ingenious Author is extreamly your Servant, and would have comply'd with your kind Invitation, but that he is juft now appointed Secretary to my Lord Clarendon, in his Embaffy to Hanover.

I am fenfible of the Zeal and Friendship with which I am fure you will always defend your Friend in his Abfence, from all thofe little Tales and Ca

lumniés,