you, not to be pleased with them; and yet, I assure you, I receive praises from you with less pleasure than I have often paid them to your merit before, and shall (I doubt not) have frequent occasions of doing again, from those useful pieces you are still obliging us with. If you was pleased with my preface, you have paid me for that pleasure, in the same kind, by your entertaining and judicious essays* on Spenser. The present you make me is of the most agreeable nature imaginable, for Spenser has been ever a favourite poet to me he is like a mistress, whose faults we see, but love her with them all.

What has deferred my thanks till now, was a ramble I have been taking about the country, from which I returned home and found your kind letter but yesterday. A testimony of that kind, from a man of your turn, is to be valued at a better rate than the ordinary estimate of letters will amount to. I shall rejoice in all opportunities of cultivating a friendship I so truly esteem, and hope very shortly to tell you in town, how much I am, Sir, Your, &c.

Since you desire to hear of my progress in the translation, I must tell you that I have gone through four more books, which (with the remarks) will make the second volume.

"An Essay on allegorical Poetry," "Remarks on the Fairy Queen," "On the Shepherd's Calender," &c. prefixed to Mr. Hughes's edition of Spenser's Works, 1715. Warton.

I RETURN YOU the play sooner than I am wil

ling to part with what I like so extremely well, be

cause you press it.

Upon my word, I think it every

and make not the least doubt

the justice you deserve I continue very much

way worthy of you, but the world will do you in the acceptation of it. out of order, but must be forced to be in town (well or ill) some days this week, upon indispensable affairs; when I will wait upon you and tell you my sincere thoughts, none of which is more sincere than that I am truly,

Your, &c.

DEAR SIR,

I

LETTER XXI.

FROM MR. HUGHES.

Red Lion Street, Holborn, against

East Street, Jan. 22, 1719.

AM very sorry to hear of your ill health, and that my message came so unseasonable as to give you so much trouble to answer it. I I hope by your mentioning your coming to town, that you are on the mending hand, and that the spring coming on will be favourable to you. If you should not come in a day or two, I must beg your return of the copy,* which is much wanted, the

* The Siege of Damascus.

time of acting drawing very near. Your not being in a condition to supply me with a Prologue is a great disappointment to me, but I should much rather chuse my Play should want that advantage, than put you to any trouble at present which may be prejudicial; being with a true respect, dear Sir, Your, &c.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXII.

TO MR. HUGHES.

Twickenham, Feb. 18, 1719-20. I HAVE been much concerned not to have waited upon you as I designed, since you obliged me with your play. I am since much more troubled to hear of the continuance of your illness. Would to God you might live as long as, I am sure, the reputation of your tragedy must! I am a fellow-sufferer with you, in not being able to see it played, having been, and still being, too much indisposed to go to any public place. But I could be extremely glad some particular friends of mine had that pleasure I cannot enjoy. You would highly favour me in letting three or four ladies have a side-box, who have sent into the country to me, upon information that the boxes are disposed of by you. I am sorry to give you this trouble,

* Mr. Hughes died the night before this letter was written, aged 42; and, what is more remarkable, on the very night his Play was acted. Bowles.

when, perhaps, for your health's sake, you should not have a moment's disturbance, and I could not send sooner at this distance.

Pray think I wish you all the success you deserve, and all the health you want. I am, dear Sir, Your, &c.

SIR,

LETTER XXIII.

MR. POPE TO MR. JABEZ HUGHES.*

February 26, 1719-20. I CANNOT omit the acknowledgment I really think I owe your great civility, especially at so melancholy and affecting a moment, as that of your worthy brother's death must have been to you. Indeed, even his common acquaintance must have known enough of him to regret his loss; and I most heartily condole with you upon it. I believe I am further obliged to you for his play;

* Younger brother of Mr. John Hughes, and, like him, a votary of the Muses, and an excellent scholar. He published, in 1714, a translation of "The Rape of Proserpine," from Claudian; and the story of Sextus and Erictho, from Lucan's Pharsalia, b. vi. in 8vo. These translations, with notes, were reprinted in 12mo. in 1723. He also published, in 1717, a translation of Suetonius's" Lives of the twelve Cæsars," and translated several novels "from the Spanish of Cervantes," which are inserted in "The select Collection of Novels and Histories," printed for Watts, 1729. He died January 17, 1731, in the 46th year of his age: a volume of his Miscellanies, in prose and verse, was published in 1737. His widow accompanied the Lady of Governor Byng to Madras, and died there. Warton.

which I received yesterday, and read over again with more concern and sorrow than I ever felt at reading any tragedy. The real loss of a good man may be called a distress to the world, and ought to affect us more than any feigned or ancient distress, how finely drawn soever. I am glad of an occasion to give you, under my hand, this testimony, both how excellent I think this work to be, and how excellent I thought the author. I am, with my hearty thanks to you, Sir,

Your, &c.

LETTER XXIV.

TO MR. JABEZ HUGHES.

SIR,

I HAVE read over again your brother's play, with more concern and sorrow than I ever felt in the reading any tragedy.

The real loss of a good man may be called a distress to the world, and ought to affect us more than any feigned or ancient distress, how finely drawn soever.

I am glad of an occasion to give you, under my hand, this testimony, both how excellent I think this work to be, and how excellent I thought the author.* I am, &c.

* This letter to Mr. Hughes, with the excellent character of his deceased brother, being so contradictory to one addressed to Dean Swift, in which he says, "The author of the Siege of Da