I thought Mr Lintott's civility not to be neglected, fo gave the Boy a fmall bag, containing three Shirts and an Elzevir Virgil; and mounting in an inftant proceeded on the Road, with my Man before, my courteous Stationer befide, and the aforefaid Devil behind. "Now,

Mr Lintott began in this manner.,' "damn them! What if they should put it into the "News-paper, how you and I went together to "Oxford? Why what would I care? If I fhould << go down into Suffex, they would fay I was gone "to the Speaker. But what of that? If my Son "were but big enough to go on with the Business, by G-d I would keep as good company as old "Facob."

"The Lad

Hereupon I enquir'd of his Son. "(fays he) has fine Parts, but is somewhat fickly, "much as you are--I fpare for nothing in his "Education at Westminster. Pray don't you think "Westminster to be the best School in England? "moft of the late Miniftry came out of it, fo did "many of this Miniftry; I hope the Boy will make "his Fortune."

Don't you defign to let him pafs a Year at Oxford? "To what purpose? (faid he) the Univerfities do "but make Pedants, and I intend to breed him a "Man of Bufinefs."

As Mr Lintott was talking, I obferv'd he fate uneafy on his Saddle, for which I express'd fome Solicitude: Nothing, fays he, I can bear it well - enough; but fince we have the Day before us, methinks it would be very pleasant for you to reft a while under the Woods. When we were alighted, "See here, what a mighty pretty Horace I have "in my Pocket: What if you amus'd yourself in "turning an Ode, till we mount again? Lord! "if you pleas'd, what a clever Mifcellany might

you

make at leifure Hours." Perhaps I may, (faid I) if we ride on; the Motion is an aid to my Fancy; a round Trot very much awakens my Spirits. Then jog on apace, and I'll think as hard as I can.

Silence enfu'd for a full Hour; after which Mr Lintott lugg'd the Reins, ftopt fhort, and broke out, "Well, Sir, how far have you gone?" I anfwer'd seven Miles. "Z-ds, Sir, faid Lintott, "I thought you had done feven Stanza's. Oldf "worth in a Ramble round Wimbleton-hill, would "tranflate a whole Ode in half this Time. I'll "fay that for Oldsworth, (tho' I loft by his Timothy's) ❝he tranflates an Ode of Horace the quickest of any "Man in England. I remember Dr King would "write Verfes in a Tavern three Hours after he "could n't speak; and there's Sir Richard in that "rumbling old Chariot of his, between Fleet"ditch and St Giles's Pound fhall make you half " a Job."

66

Pray Mr Lintott (said I) now you talk of Tranflators, what is your method of managing them? "Sir (reply'd he) thofe are the faddeft pack of Rogues in the World: In a hungry Fit, they'll "fwear they understand all the Languages in the "Univerfe: I have known one of them take down a Greek Book upon my Counter and cry, Ay "this is Hebrew, I muft read it from the latter "End. By G-d I can never be fure in these "Fellows, for I neither understand Greek, Latin, "French, nor Italian my felf. But this is my way: "I agree with them for ten Shillings per Sheet, " with a Provifo, that I will have their doings cor"rected by whom I please; fo by one or other they 66 are led at laft to the true Sense of an Author; my "Judgment giving the Negative to all my Tran"flators." But how are you fecure that thofe CorK

rectors

" Why I get

rectors may not impose upon you? "any civil Gentleman, (efpecially any Scatchman) "that comes into my Shop, to read the Original to "me in English; by this I know whether my first "Tranflator be deficient, and whether my Cor❝rector merits his money or no.

"I'll tell you what happened to me last Month: "I bargain'd with S- for a new Verfion of "Lucretius to publish against Tonfon's; agreeing to "pay the Author fo many Shillings at his producing "fo many Lines. He made a great Progress in a "very fhort Time, and I gave it to the Corrector to 66 compare with the Latin; but he went directly to "Creech's Tranflation, and found it the fame Word "for Word, all but the firft Page. Now, what "d'ye think I did? I arrefted the Tranflator for a "Cheat; nay, and I ftopt the Corrector's Pay too, 66 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 one's for

for a Sheet a-piece of the blotted Manufcript, "which cofts me nothing. They'll go about with "it to their Acquaintance, and pretend they had it "from the Author, who fubmitted to their Cor"rection: This. has given fome of them fuch an "Air, that in Time they come to be confulted "with, and dedicated to, 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; he "turn'd over Homer, fhook his Head, fhrugg'd up

his Shoulders, and pifh'd at every Line of it; "One would wonder (fays he) at the frange Prefumption of Men; Homer is no fuch eafy task,

66

"that

he was

"that every Stripling, every Verfifier "going on when my Wife called to Dinner: Sir, faid "I, will you please 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 con"cern'd on your Account Sir, I am much ob"lig'd to you: If you can dine upon a Piece of "Beef, together with a Slice of Pudding-Mr Lin "tott, I do not fay but Mr Pope, if he would condefcend 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 "Tafte of your Poetry, and tells me in the fame "Breath, that the Book is commendable and the "Pudding excellent.

Now, Sir, (concluded Mr Lintott) in return to the Franknefs I have shown, pray tell me, "Is it "the Opinion of your Friends at Court, that my "Lord I will be brought to the Bar 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 Gd if he "is not, I 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 chosen for the subject of a Letter. I dropt him as foon as I got to Oxford, and paid a Vifit to my Lord Carleton at Middleton.

The Conversations 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.

I am, &c.

Dr PARNELLE to Mr Po PE.

JUNE 27, 1715. '

Am writing you a long Letter, but all the Tedioufnefs I feel in it is, that it makes mè, 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 Uneafiness which you may have felt from the Oppofition of the World, and which you should be ashamed to feel, fince it is but the Testimony which one part of it gives you that your Merit is unqueftionable: What wou'd you have otherwise from Ignorance, Envy, or thofe Tempers which vie with you in your own way? I know this in Mankind, that when our Ambition is unable to attain it's End, it is not only wearied, but exafperated too at the Vanity of it's Labours; then we speak ill of happier Studies, and fighing condemn the Excellence which we find above our reach.—

My Zoilus which you us'd to write about, I finished laft Spring, and left in Town; I waited till I came up to fend it you, but not arriving here before your Book was out, imagin'd it a loft Piece of Labour. If you will still have it, you need only write me Word.

I have here feen the First Book of Homer, 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 please, give them thanks who writ it. Neither the Numbers nor the Spirit have an equal maftery with your's; but what furprizes me more, is, that, a Scholar being concern'd, there fhould happen to be some Mistakes in the

* Printed for B. Lintott 1715, 8vo. under this Title.

Author's