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But Lord Halifax, as we are affured by Mr. POPE, fent for him of his own accord, in the beginning of the reign of George the First, and acquainted him that he had often been concerned that his merit had never been rewarded as it deferved; adding, that he was very glad it was now in his power to be of fervice to him, by fettling a pension upon him, if he chose to accept of it, and that no return should be required of him for it.

Mr. POPE, having thanked him for the propofal, defired time to confider of it; and about three months after, having in the interim heard nothing from his Lordship, he wrote to him, repeating his obligations to him for the offer, but at the same time declining it, with a noble indifference *.

We

The letter was expreffed in the following terms

"My LORD,

"I am obliged to you, both for the favours you have "done met, and those you intend me. I diftruft neither "your will nor your memory, when it is to do good: and if "ever I become troublesome or folicitous, it must not be out "of expectation, but out of gratitude. Your Lordship, may either cause me to live agreeably in the town, or con"tentedly in the country; which is really all the difference "I fet between an easy fortune and a small one. It is in

+ His Lord hip not only fubfcribed himself to the Iliad, but promoted it in the Hanover Club, and rallied their fecretary Philips, for keeping the fubfcriptions in his hands for fome time, out of enmity to Mr. POPE.

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We do not find, that any farther propofals of this nature were made, till Mr. Craggs came into the ministry: and this minister, in all the warmth of friendship, affured Mr. POPE, that a penfion of 300l. per annum waited his acceptance adding with great franknefs and cordiality, that he, having the disposal of the secret service money, could pay him fuch an annual fum without the privity of any one.

But our author, without hesitation, declined this inviting offer. He thanked the secretary for the warm zeal of his friendship, affuring him that he could not accept of a penfion; but that, to fhew his fenfe of fo friendly a proposal, if he fhould at any time have occafion for a fum of money, he would apply to him.---An application however which he never made.

Mr. Craggs preffed this offer more than once, urging to him at the fame time, how convenient the use of a coach would be. Mr. POPE, however, though very fenfible of the convenience of an equipage, rightly judged that if on the ftrength of fo precarious an income, he fhould contract fuch a habit of indulgence, the want of it would prove doubly inconvenient to him; if,

"deed a high ftrain of generofity in you to think of making "me eafy all my life, only becaufe I have been so happy to "divert you fome few hours; but if I may have leave to "add, it is because you think me no enemy to my native country, there will appear a better reafon."

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from

from an accidental failure of that income, he fhould no longer be able to fupport it.

In fhort, Mr. POPE conftantly declined all offers of this nature, with a steadiness which does honour to his character. Nay, he even carried his fcruples fo far, as to decline making ufe of a fubfcription for 1000 l. in the South Sea, of which Mr. Craggs made him an offer in the year 1720. And he used to say, it was a fatisfaction to him that he did not grow rich (as he might have done) by the public calamity. Of this noble spirit of independence, he fhewed himself conscious in the epiftle above mentioned to Dr. Arbuthnot, where we find him speaking of himself with becoming pride, as→→→→

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Unplac'd, unpenfion'd, no man's heir, or "flave."

Mr. POPE's delicacy of fentiment probably fuggested to him, that the accepting of fuch offers, might impofe on him an obligation of detaching himself from some personal connections which he valued: and he always industriously avoided all party-attachments, declaring in a letter to his friend Swift, that he had perfonal obligations to men of different fides, which he would never violate.

As Mr. POPE's fpirit made him abhor the thought of a dependant state, so his prudence placed him above the neceffity of submitting

to it.

Mr.

Mr. POPE was fuperior to the little pride of fuppofing that an inattention to domeftic concerns, was characteristical of a great genius. On the contrary, that fortune which his merit acquired, he was mindful to husband to the best advantage. With this view, in the year 1729, he purchased an annuity of 100 l. for his own life, and with pious folicitude, took care likewife to include his mother's life in the purchase.

Our author having taken leave of satire, we find his mufe, in the fixth volume, more agreeably engaged. In this volume of his works we find imitations of the lighter pieces of Horace, fome of them in the manner of Swift. They fhew with what happy dexterity our author defcends from grave to gay.

The most diftinguifhed of thefe little pieces, is his imitation of the firft Ode of the fourth book of Horace. This has all the ease and elegance of the original, and frequently furpaffes it.

Our author here takes occafion to pay a delicate compliment to his friend, then Mr. MURRAY, which in fome parts is more happily turned than the Latin.

"Ad VENEREM.

"Mater faeva cupidinum,

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"Circa luftra decem flectere mollibus
Jam durum imperiis: abi

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Quo blandae juventum te revocant preces.

"Tem

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Tempeftivius in domum
"Paulli, purpureis ales oloribus,
Comiffabere Maximi;

"Si torrere jecur quaeris idoneum*.
"Namque et nobilis, et decens,
"Et pro felicitis non tacitus reis,
"Et centum puer artium,

"Late figna feret militiae tuae. "Et, quandoque potentior

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Largis muneribus riferit aemuli, "Albanos prope te lacus

"Ponet marmoream fub trabe citrea. "Illic plurima naribus

"Duces thura; lyraque et Berecynthiae "Delectabere tibia

"Mixtis carminibus,

"Illic bis pueri die

non fine fiftula.

"Numen cum teneris virginibus tuum "Laudantes, pede candido

"In morem Salium ter quatient humum.

"To VENUS.

"Mother too fierce of dear defires! "Turn, turn to willing hearts your wan "ton fires.

"To Number five direct your doves, "There spread round MURRAY all your blooming loves;

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*The imitation, the reader will obferve, has all the pleafantry and fprightlinefs of the Latin, and has avoided the indelicacy of torrere jecur idoneum.

"Noble

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