Jan. 30, 1713-14.

YOUR letter found me very bufy in my grand undertaking, to which I muft wholly give up myself for fome time, unless when I fnatch an hour to please myself with a diftant converfation with you and a few others, by writing. 'Tis no comfortable prospect to be reflecting, that so long a fiege as that of Troy 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 myself, that Homer fecretly feems inclined to a correspondence 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 would frighten many people by their number and bulk, and perplex our progrefs under pretence of fortifying their author. Thefe lie These lie very low in the trenches and ditches they themselves have digged, encompassed 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 speedy and gallant way than by mining under ground, that is, by ufing the poetical engines, wings, and flying over their heads.

While I am engaged in the fight, I find you are concerned how I fhall be paid, and are folicitous that I may not have the ill fate of many difcarded Generals, to be first envied and malign'd, then perhaps prais'd, and laftly neglected. The former (the conftant attendant upon all great and laudable enterprizes) I have already experienced. 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 catechiz'd me. But if they can read (for I know some critics can,

F 2

and

and others cannot) there are fairly lying before thein fome fpecimens of my tranflation from this Author in the Mifcellanies, which they are heartily welcome to. I have met with as much malignity another way, fome calling me a Tory, because the heads of that party have been diftinguishingly favourable to me; fome a Whig, because I have been favoured with yours, Mr. Congreve's, and Mr. Craggs's friendship, and of late with my Lord Halifax's 's patronage. How much more natural a conclufion might be formed, by any good-natured man, that a perfon 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 Belief enough to hinder their own falvation. I hope for my own part never to have more of either than what is confiftent with common Juftice and Charity, and always as much as becomes a Chriftian and an 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 or too little; I shall yet be eafy under both their mistakes, and be what I more than feem to be, for I fuffer for it. God is my witness, that I no more envy you Proteftants your places and poffeffions, than I do our Priefts 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 worth more than all the virtues put together of all the narrow-foul'd people in the world. I am

Your, &c.

LETTER

LETTER XVI.

To Mr. ADDISON,

Oct. 10, 1714.

I Have been acquainted by one of my friends, who

omits no opportunities of gratifying me, that you have lately been pleas'd to speak of me in a manner which nothing but the real respect I have for you can deserve. May I hope that fome late malevolencies have loft their effect? Indeed it is neither for me, nor my enemies, to pretend to tell you whether I am your friend or not; but if you would judge by probabilities, I beg to know which of your poetical acquaintance has fo little interest in pretending to be fo? Methinks no man should question the real friendship of one who defires no real fervice. I am only to get as much from the Whigs, as I got from the Tories, that is to fay, Civility; being neither fo proud as to be infenfible of any good office, nor fo humble, as not to dare heartily to despise any man who does me an injustice.

I will not value myfelf upon having ever guarded all the degrees of respect for you; for (to say the truth) all the world fpeaks well of you, and I should be under a neceffity of doing the fame, whether I car'd for you or

not.

As to what you have faid of me, I fhall never believe that the author of Cato can fpeak one thing and think another. As a proof that I account you fincere, I beg a favour of you: it is, that you would look over the two firft books of my tranflation of Homer, which are in the hands of my Lord Hallifax. I am fenfible how much the reputation of any poetical work will depend upon the character you give it: 'tis therefore fome evidence of the truft I repose in your good-will, when I give you this opportunity of fpeaking ill of me with juftice; and yet

See a Letter from Mr. Jervas, and the Answer to it, N9 22, 23.

expect

expect you will tell me your trueft thoughts, at the fame time that you tell others your moft favourable ones.

I have a farther requeft, which I muft prefs with earneftnefs. My bookfeller is re-printing the Effay on Criticifm, to which you have done too much honour in your Spectator of N° 253. The period in that paper, where you fay, "I have admitted fome ftrokes of ill-nature into that Effay," is the only one I could wifh omitted of all you have written; but I would not defire it should be fo, unless I had the merit of removing your objection. I beg you but to point out thofe ftrokes to me, and, you may be affured, they fhall be treated without mercy.

Since we are upon proofs of fincerity (which I am pretty confident will turn to the advantage of us both in each other's opinion) give me leave to name another pasfage in the fame Spectator, which I wish you would alter: it is where you mention an obfervation upon Homer's Verfes of Sifyphus's Stone, as never having been made before by any of the Critics: I happened to find the fame in Dionyfius of Halicarnaffus's Treatife, Пegi curbéoews ovouάrav, who treats very largely upon thefe verfes. I know you will think fit to foften your expreffion, when you fee the paffage; which you must needs have read, though it be finçe flipt out of your memory. I am, with the utmost esteem,

LETTER XVII.

Your, &c.

To the Honourable

June 8, 1714.

THE question you afk in relation to Mr. Addison and Philips, I fhall anfwer in a few words. Mr. Phi-' lips did exprefs himself with much indignation against me one evening at Button's Coffee-house (as I was told) fay

*Thefe words are fiece left out in M:. Tickel's edition, but were extant fa all during Mr. Addison's life.

ng

ing, that I was enter'd into a cabal with Dean Swift, and others, to write against the Whig-Intereft, and in particular to undermine his own reputation, and that of his friends Steele and Addison: but Mr. Philips never opened his lips to my face, on this or any like occafion, tho I was almoft every night in the fame room with him, nor ever offer'd me any indecorum. Mr. Addison came to me a night or two after Philips had talk'd in this idle manner, and affured me of his difbelief of what had been faid, of the friendship we should always maintain, and defir'd I would fay nothing further of it. My Lord Hallifax did me the honour to stir in this matter, by speaking to several people to obviate a false 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 fubfcriptions 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 fuch a man) I would not ask him for this money, but commiffion'd one of the Players, his equals, to receive it. This is the whole matter: but as to the fecret grounds of this malignity, they will make a very pleasant history 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 ridicule on their Secretary. It is to this management of Philips, that the world owes Mr. Gay's Paftorals. The ingenious author is extremely your fervant, and would have complied with your kind invitation, but that he is just 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 calumnies, which a man of any genius or merit is born to. I fhall never complain while I am happy in fuch noble defenders, and in fuch contemptible opponents. May their envy and ill

nature