"When Int'reft calls off all her sneaking, train, "And all th' oblig'd defert, and all the vain; "She waits, or to the fcaffold, or the cell, "When the last ling'ring friend has bid fare"well."

The two epiftles likewise to Mrs. Blount *, have diftinguifhed merit. That which is addreffed to her on her leaving the town after the Coronation, opens with inimitable cafe and pleafantry.

"As fome fond virgin, whom her mother's care Drags from the town to wholefome country

"air,

Juft when the learns to roll a melting eye, "And hear a spark, yet think no danger nigh; "From the dear man unwilling fhe muft fever, "Yet takes one kifs before fhe parts for ever: "Thus from the world fair Zephalinda flew, "Saw others happy, and with fighs withdrew; "Not that their pleafures caus'd her difcontent, "She figh'd not that they ftay'd, but that fhe "went t."

The

* Mr. POPE appears to have had a very fincere and tender friendship for this Lady, which malice was forward to mifconftrue. In a letter to Mr. Bethel, he thus bewails the cenforioufnefs of the world, which prevents his good offiées towards her." Half the effects of my friendship for "her, God knows, are rendered impracticable or difagree"able to her, by malicious infinuations; and I cannot be "of the ufe I wish to be to her."

+ The writer of these sheets has now in his hand the original copy of thefe verfes, from whence it appears that our

author

The reft of this poem abounds with turns of agreeable humour and fprightly gallantry. But our extracts have already, in the opinion of fome, perhaps, been too copious.

There are feveral other mifcellaneous little pieces in this volume which have great merit, more especially the collection of Epitaphs, of which it is fufficient to say, that they are equal, if not fuperior to any compofitions of the fame

kind.

The contents of the remaining volumes of the octavo edition of his works, confift of the Memoirs of Scriblerus, felect Effays which he wrote in the Guardian, as likewife his Preface to the Tranflation of Homer's Iliad, and the Works of Shakespear, together with fome leffer pieces, and his feveral epiftolary correspondences.

author made fome alterations, perhaps not for the better. The feventh line in the original ftood thus

"So fair Terefa gave the town a view."

The alteration, though it has undoubtedly improyed the harmony of the verfe, may probably be thought not to have mended the fenfe: For the reluctance with which she went into the country is better defcribed by her taking a wifhful retrospective view of the town, than by her flying from it. It must be added, that in the original there are fixteen additional lines, which immediately follow the last line of the printed copy. In thefe the poet humorously defcribes the manner in which the beau Ejprits spent their time in town. But on reflection he thought proper to fupprefs thefe lines.

The prefaces to Homer and Shakespear are, of themfelves, fufficient teflimonics of his extenfive learning, and critical fkill. The other fugitive picces, though excellent of their kind, are too inconfiderable to claim particular animadverfion.

It would be unpardonable, however, to pass over his epiflolary correfpondence, without dif tinguished notice. Thefe are in truth not lefs excellent in their kind, than his poetical pieces. In the turn of his letters, he displays that inimitable grace, in which we find all the wit, huinour, and enjoument of Voiture, joined to the good fenfe and penetration of B----. It is not too much to fay of them, that they afford the most perfect model of epiftolary writing; fuch as becomes a correfpondence between men of virtue, wit and learning, improved by a knowledge of the world. But what principally recommends them, is that frank fincerity, that artless naiveté, that unaffected opennefs, which fhews the amiable and virtuous difpofition of the writer *.

It is material to obferve, that it was the publication of Mr. POPE's Letters, which firft endeared him to Mr. Allen. Though he had long been acquainted with our poet, and admired him for the excellence of his genius, yet the afperity of his fatirical pieces was fo repugnant to the foftness and fuavity of that worthy man's difpofition, that it in fome degree cfranged him from his intimacy. But no fooner had be read our author's letters, than he loved him for the goodnefs and virtues of his heart: and ever after entertained the inoft cordial affection for him.

Among

Among thefe epiftolary picces, however, I muft not omit taking notice of the Character of the Duchefs of Buckingham, which was pretended to have been penned by Mr. POPE; but in truth Mr. POPE feems to have had but little thare in the compofition of it, as appears by a letter of his to a friend, which is fubjoined to the Character.

This Lady feems to have been one of thofe in whofe character our author appears to have been mistaken, as appears by a letter addreffed to Mr. Bethel *.

Among

* In this letter, having acquainted his friend that his house and garden were offered to him in fale, he adds "If I thought any very particular friend would be pleased to "live in it after my death (for as it is, it ferves all my pur"poses as well during life) I would purchase it; and more

particularly, could I hope two things, that the friend "who fhould like it, was fo much younger, and healthier

than myfelf, as to have a profpect of its continuing his "fome years longer than I can of its continuing mine. "But most of thofe I love, are travelling out of the world, ❝nct into it; and unless I had fuch a view given me, I have no vanity nor pleasure, that does not stop short of the grave.

46

"The Duchefs of Buckingham has thought otherwife, who ordered all manner of vanities for her own "funeral, and a fum of money to be fquandered on it, "which is but neceffary to preferve from ftarving many "poor people, to whom he is indebted. I doubt not Mrs. "Pratt is as much aftonished as you or I, at her leaving "Sir Robert Walpole her truftee, and Lord Hervey her "executor, with a marriage-fettlement on his daughter,

that will take place of all the prior debts fhe has in the "world. All her private papers, and those of her correfpondents, are left in the hands of Lord Hervey; so that

Dd 4

66 it

Among our author's leffer pieces, may properly be claffed the following copy of verfes, which have never yet. been printed, and for which the public is indebted to the honourable Mr. Yorke. The verfes, which appear to have been written in the year 1730, are addreffed to Dr. Bolton, late Dean of Carlisle, who lived fome time at Twickenham with old Lady Blount. On the death of her mother (Mrs. Butler of Suffex) Dr. Bolton drew up the mother's character; from thence Mr. POPE took occafion to write this epiftle to Dr. Bolton, in the name of Mrs. Butler's fpirit, now in the regions of blifs.

Stript to the naked foul, efcap'd from clay, "From doubts unfetter'd, and diffolv'd in dạy; "Unwarm'd by vanity, unreach'd by ftrife, "And all my hopes and fears thrown off with “life;

"And though unbody'd, confcious of thy "praise ?

it is not impoffible another volume of my letters may "come out. I am fure they make no part of her treasonable "correfpondence (which they fay fhe has exprefly left to

him) but fure this is infamous conduct towards any com"mon acquaintance. And yet this woman feemed once a woman of great honour, and many generous principles."

1

* We have here another inftance, that the character of a great lawyer, is not inconfiftent with that of an elegant and refined fcholar. Were other inftances in the profeffion wanting, I might point to a learned and able judge, who was not long fince promoted to one of the chief feats of judicature.

"Haş