again rife in judgment against me; yet in another refpect I shall be lefs afraid, fince this has given me fuch a proof of the extreme indulgence you afford to my flightest thoughts. The revifal of thefe letters has been a kind of examination of confcience to me fo fairly and faithfully have I fet down in them from time to time the true and undisguised state of my mind. But I find, that these which were intended as sketches of my friendship, give as imperfect images of it, as the little landscapes we commonly fee in black and white do of a beautiful country; they can reprefent but a very fmall part of it, and that deprived of the life and luftre of nature. I perceive that the more I endeavour'd to render manifeft the real affection and value I ever had for you, I did but injure it by reprefenting less and lefs of it: as glaffes which are defign'd to make an object very clear, generally contract it. Yet as when people have a full idea of a thing firft upon their own knowledge, the least traces of it ferve to refresh the remembrance, and are not dif pleafing on that score; fo, I hope, the foreknowledge you had of my esteem for you, is the reason that you do not diflike my letters. They will not be of any great fervice (I find) in the defign I mentioned to you: I believe I had better fteal from a richer man, and plunder, your letters (which I have kept as carefully as I would Letters Patents, fince they intitle me to what I more value than titles of honour.) You have fome caufe to apprehend this ufage from me, if what some say be true, that I am a great borrower; however I have hitherto had the luck that none of my creditors have challenged me for it: and those who say it are fuch, whofe writings no man ever borrow'd from, fo have the leaft reafon to complain; and whose works are granted on all hands to be but too much their own. Another has been pleas'd to de I clare, that my verfes are corrected by other men: verily believe theirs were never corrected by any man : but indeed if mine have not, 'twas not my fault; [ have endeavour'd my utmost that they fhould. But thefe things are only whifper'd, and I will not encroach upon Bays's province and pen-whispers, so hasten to conclude A M pleas'd beyond measure with your design of tranflating Homer. The trials which you have already made and published on some parts of that author have shewn that you are equal to fo great a task: and you may therefore depend upon the utmost services I can do you in promoting this work, or any thing that may be for your service. I hope Mr. Stafford, for whom you was pleased to concern yourself, has had the good effects of the Queen's grace to him. I had notice the night before I began my journey, that her Majefty had not only directed his pardon, but order'd a writ for reverfing his outlawry. Your, etc. LETTER IX. To General ANTHONY HAMILTON *. Upon his having translated into French Verse the Essay on Criticism, Oct. 10, 1713. IF I could as well exprefs, or (if you will allow me to fay it) tranflate the fentiments of my heart as you have done those of my head, in your excellent verfion of my Effay; I should not only appear the beft writer in the world, but, what I much more defire to be thought, the most your fervant of any man living. 'Tis an advantage very rarely known, to receive at once a great honour and a great improvement. This, Sir, you have afforded me, having at the fame time made others take my fenfe, and taught me to underftand my own; if I may call that my own which is indeed more properly yours. Your verses are no more a tranflation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer's; but are, like his, the jufteft imitation, and the nobleft Commentary. In putting me into a French dress, you have not only adorned my outfide, but mended my shape; and, if I am now a good figure, I must confider you have naturaliz'd me into a country which is famous for making every man a fine gentleman. It is by your means, that (contrary to most young travellers) I am come back much better than I went out. I cannot but with we had a bill of commerce for translation established the next parliament; we could not fail of being gainers by that, nor of making ourfelves amends for any thing we have loft by the war. Author of the Memoirs of the Count de Grammont, Contas, and other pieces of note in French. Nay, tho' we should infift upon the demolishing of Boileau's works, the French, as long as they have writers of your form, might have as good an equivalent. Upon the whole, I am really as proud, as our minifters ought to be, of the terms I have gain'd from abroad; and I defign, like them, to publish speedily to the world the benefits accruing from them; for I cannot refift the temptation of printing your admirable translation here*; to which if you will be fo obliging to give me leave to prefix your name, it will be the only addition you can make to the honour already done me. I am Your, etc. * This was never done, for the two printed French verfions are neither of this hand. The one was done by Monfieur Roboton, private fecretary to King George the firft, printed in quarto at Amfterdam, and at London 1717. The other by the Abbé Resnel, in octavo, with a large preface and notes, at Paris, 1730. LETTERS TO AND FROM Mr. STEELE, Mr. ADDISON, Mr. CONGREVE, etc. From the Year 1712 to 1715. I LETTER I. Mr. STEELE to Mr. PoP E. June 1, 1712. AM at a folitude, an houfe between Hampstead and London, wherein Sir Charles Sedley died. This circumftance fet me a thinking and ruminating upon the employments in which men of wit exercife themselves. It was faid of Sir Charles, who breath'd his laft in this room, Sedley has that prevailing gentle art, |