"I am forry to fay there are in your letter "fo many mifunderstandings, that I am weary "of repeating what you feem determined not "to take rightly,

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"I once more tell you, that neither I, nor any one who contributed at firft to affift you in your retirements, ever defired you should ftay out of London, for any other reafon than "that your debts prevented your ftaying in it,

"No man defired to confine you to the country, but that the little they contributed might fupport you better there than in a 66 town.

It was yourself who chofe Swanzey for your place; you no fooner objected to it after"wards, (when Mr. Mendez ftopt his allow"ance, upon complaint that you had ufed him "ill) but I endeavoured to add to it, and agreed to fend remittances to any other country place you pleased. Indeed I apprehended Bristol was too great a city to fuit a frugal expence; "however I fent thither all I could, and now "with as good a will, I add this little more at your defire, which I hope will answer your "end you propofe of making eafy your journey to London,

"I heartily with you may find every advantage, both in profit and reputation, which

( you expect from your return and fuccefs; not

"only

"only on the ftage, but in every thing you "fhall commit to the prefs. The little I could ❝contribute to affift you fhould be at your fer"vice there, could I be fatisfied it would be "effectually fo; (though intended only while

you were obliged to retire.) But the con"trary opinion prevails fo much with the per"fons I applied to, that it is more than I can "obtain of them to continue it. What mortal "would take your play, or your business with

"Lord T. out of your hands, if you could

"come, and attend it yourself. It was only in "defect of that, thefe offices of the two gen"tlemen you are fo angry at, were offered. "What intereft but trouble could they have had "in it? And what was done more in relation to the Lord, but trying a method we thought more likely to ferve you, than threats and injurious language? You feemed to agree with 66 us at your parting, to send some letters, which "after all were left in your own hands, to do

66

as you pleased. Since when, neither they "nor I ever faw or spoke to him, on yours or any other fubject. Indeed I was shocked at your ftrong declarations of vengeance and "violent meafures against him, and am very glad you now proteft you meant nothing like what "thofe words imported."

On another occafion, he thus warmly expoftulates with him.

"Sir, I must be fincere with you, as our "correfpondence is now likely to be closed. "Your

"Your language is really too high, and what "I am not used to from my fuperiors; much "too extraordinary for me, at least fufficiently fo, to make me obey your commands, and

never more prefume to advife or meddle in 66 your affairs, but leave your own conduct en"tirely to your own judgment. It is with concern I find fo much mifconftruction joined "with fo much refentment, in your nature. "You still injure fome, whom you had known many years as friends, and for whofe inten

26

bns I could take upon me to answer; but I "have no weight with you, and cannot tell "how foon (if you have not already) you may

mifconftrue all I can fay or do; and as I fee in "that cafe how unforgiving you are, I defire to

prevent this in time. You cannot think yet, "I have injured you, or been your enemy: and I am determined to keep out of your fufpicion, by not being officious any longer, or obtruding into any of your concerns further than to with you heartily fuccefs in them all, and "will never pretend to ferve you, but when both "you and I fhall agree that I fhould. I am, &c."

From a letter which our author wrote to Mr. Allen, in which the foregoing letter feems to have been inclofed, it appears that Mr. Savage's unaccountable and ungrateful return, had made a ftrong impreffion on his mind.

"Pray forward the inclofed to the fimple man it is directed to. I could not bring myself to write to him fooner, and it, was neceffary

..

to tell him how much I difapproved his anguage and conduct. What a pleasure it had "been to me, had he been a better man, whom fmall charity had been a true relief to: or were he lefs miferable, that I might bestow "it better, without abandoning him to ruin."

my

Hubfequent letter to the fame gentleman, Mr. POPE apologizes for the emotions he expreffed in his laft.

My last short letter, fays he, fhewed

"I was peevish. Savage's ftrange behaviour “made me fo, and yet I was in haste to relieve him, though I think nothing will relieve "him."

Such was the humanity and generosity of our author, that his reflections on the fufferings of this unhappy man, outweighed the confideration of his demerits.

From the fame humane and noble principles he affifted Dennis in his diftrefs, and generoufly fubfcribed to his works, though he had offended him by the groffeft abuse, and endeavoured to injure his reputation by the most illiberal criticifm*.

His

In his laft diftreffes, he wrote an inimitable Prologue to a play for his benefit. All ferious encomium on the fortune-ftruck critic had been a joke; he therefore, by the most delicate pleafantry on the great critic's past atchieve

ments,

His gratitude was equal to his generofity. He never forgot any benefit that he had received, or ever omitted an occafion of making a grateful return to his benefactor. Of this, we have a remarkable instance, in the ready zeal with which he applied to Sir Robert Walpole, on behalf of one Southcot, a prieft of his acquaintance. Our poet, when he was about feventeen, had a very bad fever in the country, which it was feared would end fatally. In this condition, he wrote to this Southcot, then in town, to take his laft leave of him: Southcot, with great affection and folicitude, applied to Dr. Radcliffe for his advice. Not content with that, he rode down poft to Mr. POPE, who was then an hundred miles from London, with the Doctor's directions; which had the defired effect.

A long time after this, Southcot, who had an intereft in the court of France, writing to a common acquaintance in England, informed him that there was a good abbey void near Avignon, which he had credit enough to get, were it not from an apprehenfion that his promotion would give umbrage to the English court: To which this Southcot, by his intrigues in the Pretender's fervice, was become very obnoxious. The perfon to whom this was written, happening to

ments, affected a very ferious recommendation of him to the audience. And thefe ftrokes of humour were fo delicate, and devoid of all acrimony, that Dennis, who was then blind and prefent, and to whom his friends avoided to communicate the knowledge of the author, heard it with great complacency as a ferious panegyric.

acquaint