you, both for the favours you have done 66 me, and those you intend me. I diftruft ❝ neither your will nor your memory, when "it is to do good; and if I ever become trou"blesome or folicitous, it must not be out "of expectation, but out of gratitude. Your

Lordship may cause me to live agreeably in "the town, or contentedly in the country, "which is really all the difference I set be"tween an easy fortune and a finall one. It “is indeed a high strain of generosity in you "to think of making me easy all my life, ❝ only because I have been so happy as to di"vert you fome few hours; but, if I may

have leave to add it is because you think "me no enemy to my native country, there "will appear a better reafon; for I must of confequence be very much (as I fincerely "am) yours &c."

These voluntary offers, and this faint acceptance, ended without effect. The patron was not accustomed to fuch frigid gratitude, and the poet fed his own pride with the dignity of independence. They probably were fufpicious of each other. Pope would not dedicate till he faw at what rate his praise was valued;

valued; he would be troublesome out of gratitude, not expectation. Halifax thought himself entitled to confidence, and would give nothing, unless he knew what he should receive. Their commerce had its beginning in hope of praise on one fide, and of money on the other, and ended because Pope was lefs eager of money than Halifax of praife. It is not likely that Halifax had any personal benevolence to Pope; it is evident that Pope looked on Halifax with fcorn and hatred,

The reputation of this great work failed of gaining him a patron; but it deprived him of a friend. Addison and he were now at the head of poetry and criticism; and both in such a state of elevation, that, like the two rivals in the Roman ftate, one could no longer bear an equal, nor the other a fuperior. Of the gradual abatement of kindness between friends, the beginning is often scarcely difcernible by themselves, and the process is continued by petty provocations, and incivilities fometimes peevishly returned, and fometimes contemptuously neglected, which would escape all attention but that of pride, and drop from any memory but that of refent

ment.

ment. That the quarrel of those two wits should be minutely deduced, is not to be expected from a writer to whom, as Homer Lays, nothing but rumour has reached, and who bas no perfonal knowledge.

Pope doubtless approached Addison, when the reputation of their wit first brought them together, with the refpect due to a man whose abilities were acknowledged, and who, having attained that eminence to which he was himself aspiring, had in his hands the distribution of literary fame. He paid court with fufficient diligence by his Prologue to Cato, by his abuse of Dennis, and, with praise yet more direct, by his poem on the Dialogues on Medals, of which the immediate publication was then intended. In all this there was no hypocrify; for he confeffed that he found in Addison fomething more pleafing than in any other man.

It may be fuppofed, that as Pope faw himfelf favoured by the world, and more frequently compared his own powers with those of others, his confidence increased, and his fubmiffion leffened; and that Addison felt

no

no delight from the advances of a young wit, who might foon contend with him for the highest place. Every great man, of whatever kind be his greatnefs, has among his friends those who officiously, or infidiously, quicken his attention to offences, heighten his difgust, and stimulate his resentment. Of fuch adherents Addison doubtless had many, and Pope was now too high to be without them.

From the emiffion and reception of the Proposals for the Iliad, the kindness of Addison seems to have abated. Jervas the painter once pleased himself (Aug. 20, 1714) with imagining that he had re-established their friendship; and wrote to Pope that Addison once fufpected him of too close a confederacy with Swift, but was now satisfied with his conduct. To this Pope answered, a week after, that his engagements to Swift were fuch as his fervices in regard to the fubfcription demanded, and that the Tories never put him under the neceffity of asking leave to be grateful. But, fays he, as Mr. Addifon must be the judge in what regards himfelf, and feems to have no very just one in regard to me, fo I must own to you I expect nothing but civility

civility from him. In the fame Letter he mentions Philips, as having been busy to kindle animofity between them; but, in a Letter to Addison, he expreffes fome consciousness of behaviour, inattentively deficient in respect.

Of Swift's industry in promoting the fubfcription there remains the testimony of Kennet, no friend to either him or Pope.

"Nov. 2, 1713, Dr. Swift came into the "coffee-house, and had a bow from every body but me, who, I confefs, could not " but despise him. When I came to the anti"chamber to wait, before prayers, Dr. Swift "was the principal man of talk and business, " and acted as master of requests.—Then he "inftructed a young nobleman that the beft "Poet in England was Mr. Pope (a papist), "who had begun a translation of Homer "into English verfe, for which he must have "them all fubfcribe; for, fays he, the author fhall not begin to print till I have a thou"fand guineas for him."

About this time it is likely that Steele, who was, with all his political fury, good-natured

and