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THE

LIFE

O F

ALEXANDER POPE, Efq.

COMPILED FROM

ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS;

WITH A

CRITICAL ESSAY

ON HIS

WRITINGS AND GENIUS.

BY OWEN RUFFHEAD, ESQ.

LONDON:

Printed for C. BATHURST, H. WOODFALL, W. STRAHAN,
J. and F. RIVINGTON, W. JOHNSTON, B. WHITE,
T. CASLON, T. LONGMAN, B. LAW, JOHNSON and
PAYNE, S. BLADON, T. CADELL, and the Executors
of A. MILLAR. MDCCLXIX.

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BIBLIOTHECA

REGIA

MONACENSIS.

Sayensche Staatsbibliothek

Munchen

ADVERTISEMENT.

T

HE following History hath been chiefly compiled from original manufcripts, which the writer had the honour to be entrufted with by the reverend and learned prelate, the Bishop of Gloucefter, the intimate friend of Mr. POPE.

As a compofition of this nature ought to be compleat in itself, without reference to any other work, the reader will, nevertheless, unavoidably meet with fome repetitions of matter, which is already perhaps familiar to him.

In those inftances, where the writer hath been indebted to others, more efpecially in what he hath borrowed from the Commentary and Notes, he hath, for the most part, followed the very words of the author, from whom the paffages are taken. As in justice to the public, he would not prefume to alter expreffions which he could not mend; so in justice to himself, he would not

incur

incur the fufpicion, of attempting to conceal the true owner, by a pitiful variation.

With refpect to the critical animadverfions on Mr. POPE's writings, and genius, he is far from being over anxious to make others adopt his fentiments. He will think it fufficient, if his remarks should engage the reader to review his own opinions. Where he hath prefumed to differ from the most refpectable authorities, he would be rather understood to propose a doubt, than to offer a contradiction: he is not fo vain, 10 make light of the opinions of others; nor yet fo modeft, to fupprefs his own. It will give him lefs concern, however, to expose his want of judgment, than to be confcious of the defpicable infincerity of feigning a conviction, which he does not feel.

To fome, perhaps, the extracts will appear too copious, and he once entertained thoughts of referring to the paffages, he judged proper to felect. But, befide the great trouble and inceffant interruption, which this would have occafioned to the reader, it occurred to him that it would be impoffible, more efpecially in our author's

9

author's moral and didactic pieces, fully and candidly to exemplify the beauties and blemishes of his compofitions, without giving a short connected view of the plan of each piece, and of his chain of reafoning; which contributes, in fome inftances, to conftitute the peculiar excellencies and faults, which are most material to be remarked.

It would, to a few perhaps, have been fufficient to have pointed out particular beauties by inverted commas, or other marks of diftinction; and the writer is aware of the oftentation of citing fine paffages with general applauses, and empty exclamations, at the ends of them. But he recollected, that flight intimations do not always ftrike precipitate readers. Besides, it is fcarce poffible fometimes, when we are smitten with a fine paffage, to suppress those involuntary bursts of applaufe---Euge! atque belle! though, in truth, they are but empty exclamations.

Whenever fuch may have efcaped from his pen, he trufts that the candid reader will afcribe them to a folicitude, which made him rather carneft to do juftice to the poet's merit, than to raise an admiration of his own judgment.

Should

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