Tongue and do honour to our Country; for I conclude of it already from those performances with the Iliad, how painful is it to bring one's mind to any thing like conviction, that Addison could encourage Tickell to publish a rival translation; and much more, that he himself could be the author of this very translation? which yet too many circumstances, alas! concur, to make us believe was really the case. Let us read and duly weigh the following statement of this delicate affair, as it is given by Dr. Hurd in his Discourse on the Life of Bishop Warburton lately published, page 59. - "To this translation are prefixed a DEDICATION, and ADVERTISEMENT. The latter is in these words "I must inform the reader, that when I began this first book I had some thoughts of translating the whole Iliad: but had the pleasure of being diverted from that design, by finding the work was fallen into a much abler hand. I would not therefore be thought to have any other view in publishing this small specimen of Homer's Iliad, than to bespeak, if possible, the favour of the Public to a translation of Homer's Odysseys, wherein I have already made some progress." "To the words in this advertisement-when I began this first book-Mr. Pope affixes this note-See the first line of the Dedica tion. "Turning to the dedication, we find it begins thus--" When I first entered upon this translation, I was ambitious of dedicating it to the late Lord Halifax-" over-against which words is likewise, entered in Mr. Pope's hand, the following note, The translator was first known to him (Lord Halifax) four months before his death. He died in May 1715. Now, from comparing these two notes together, one sees clearly how Mr. Pope reasoned on the matter. He concluded from Tickell's saying, when he first entered on this translation, that is, began this first book, he thought of dedicating his work to Lord Halifax- that he could not have entertained this thought, if he had not at that time been known to Lord Halifax, But it was certain, it seems, that Mr. Tickell was first known to that Lord only four months before his death, in May 1715. Whence it seemed to follow that this first book had been written within, or since that time. "Admitting this conclusion to be rightly made by Mr. Pope, which you have obliged the public. I would only have you consider how it may most turn to your advantage. Excuse my impertinence in this particular, which proceeds from my zeal for your ease and happiness. The work would cost you a great deal of Time, and, unless you undertake it, will, I am afraid, it must indeed be allowed that he had much reason for his charge of insincerity on Mr. Addison, who, as a friend that had great influence with the translator, would not have advised, or even permitted, such a design to be entered upon and prosecuted by him at this juncture. But there seems not the least ground for such a conclusion. Lord Halifax was the great patron of wits and poets and if Tickell had formed his design of translating the Iliad long before Mr. Pope was known to have engaged in that work, he might very well be supposed to think of dedicating it to this Maecenas, as much a stranger as he then was to him. Nothing is more common than such intentions in literary men; although Mr. Pope might be disposed to conduct himself, in such a case, with more delicacy and dignity. "I see, then, no reason to infer from the premises, that Mr. Tickell began his first book but four months before Lord Halifax's death. For any thing that appears to the contrary, he might have begun, or even finished it four years before that event, and have only relinquished the thoughts of prosecuting his translation from the time that he found this work had fallen, as he says, into an abler, that is, Mr. Pope's hand. "These passages, however, of the Advertisement and Dedication, reflected upon and compared together, furnished Mr. Pope, as I suppose, with the chief of those odd concurring circumstances, which, as we are told*, convinced him that this translation of the first book of the Iliad was published with Mr. Addison's participation, if not composed by him. If the work had been begun but four months before its appearance, it must have been at least by his allowance and participation: if before that time (Mr. Tickell's acquaintance with Lord Halifax not being of so early a date), it was, most probably, his own composition. And to this latter opinion, it seems, Mr. Pope inclined." * In the notes on the Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot. never be executed by any other; at least I know none of this age that is equal to it besides yourself. I am at present wholly immersed in country business, and begin to take delight in it. I wish I might hope to see you here some time, and will not despair of it, when you engage in a work that will require solitude and retirement. I am, LETTER XII. FROM MR. ADDISON. Your, etc. November 2, 1713. I HAVE received your letter, and am glad to find that you have laid so good a scheme for your great undertaking. I question not but the 'Prose will require as much care as the Poetry, but the variety will give yourself some relief, and more pleasure to your readers. your You gave me leave once to take the liberty of a friend, in advising you not to content yourself with one half of the nation for admirers when you might command them all. dom to repeat it, I would on this occasion. I think you are very happy that you are out of the Fray, and I hope all your undertakings will turn to the better account for it. You see how I presume on your friendship in The notes to his translation of Homer. W. taking all this freedom with you: but I already fancy that we have lived many years together in an unreserved conversation, and that we may do so many more, is the sincere wish of Your, etc. LETTER XIII. TO MR. ADDISON. YOUR last is the more obliging, as it hints at some little niceties in my conduct, which your candour and affection prompt you to recommend to me, and which (so trivial as things of this nature seem) are yet of no slight consequence, to people whom every body talks of, and every body as he pleases. 'Tis a sort of Tax that attends an estate in Parnassus, which is often rated much higher than in proportion to the small possession an author holds. For indeed an author, who is once come upon the town, is enjoyed without being thanked for the pleasure, and sometimes ill-treated by those very persons who first debauched him. Yet, to tell you the bottom of my heart, I am no way displeased that I have offended the violent of all parties already; and at the same time I assure you conscientiously, I feel not the least malevolence or resentment against any of those who misrepresent me, or are dissatisfied with me. This frame of mind is so easy, that I am perfectly content with my condition. As I hope, and would flatter myself, that you know me and my thoughts so entirely as never to be mistaken in either, so 'tis a pleasure to me that you guessed so right in regard to the author of that Guardian you mentioned. But I am sorry to find it has taken air, that I have some hand in those papers, because I write so very few as neither to deserve the credit of such a report with some people, nor the disrepute of it with others. An honest Jacobite spoke to me the sense or nonsense of the weak part of his party very fairly, that the good people took it ill of me, that I writ with Steele, though upon never so indifferent subjects. This, I know, you will laugh at as well as I do; yet I doubt not but many little calumniators and persons of sour dispositions will take occasion hence to bespatter me. I confess I scorn narrow souls, of all parties, and if I renounce my reason in religious matters, I'll hardly do it in any other. I can't imagine whence it comes to pass that the few Guardians I have written are so generally known for mine that in particular which you mention I never discovered to any man but the publisher, till very lately: yet almost every body told me of it. As to his taking a more politic turn, I cannot any way enter into that secret, nor have I been let into it, any more than into the rest of his politics. Though 'tis said he will take into these papers also several subjects of the politer kind, as before: but, I assure you, as to myself, I have quite done with them for the future. The little I have done, and the great respect I bear Mr. Steele as a man of wit, has |