The Iliad was published volume by volume, as the 103 tranflation proceeded; the four first books appeared in 1715. The expectation of this work was undoubtedly high, and every man who had connected his name with criticism, or poetry, was defirous of fuch intelligence as might enable him to talk upon the popular topick. Halifax, who, by having been first a poet, and then a patron of poetry, had acquired the right of being a judge, was willing to hear fome books while they were yet unpublished. Of this rehearsal Pope afterwards gave the following account *.

"The famous Lord Halifax was rather a pretender "to taste than really poffeffed of it.-When I had "finished the two or three first books of my tranflation "of the Iliad, that Lord defired to have the pleasure "of hearing them read at his house-Addison, Con

greve, and Garth, were there at the reading. In "four or five places, Lord Halifax ftopt me very

civilly, and with a fpeech each time, much of the “fame kind, I beg your pardon, Mr. Pope; but "there is fomething in that paffage that does not

quite pleafe me. Be fo good as to mark the place, "and confider it a little at your leifure.-I am fure

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you can give it a little turn.'-I returned from Lord "Halifax's with Dr. Garth, in his chariot; and, as "we were going along, was faying to the Doctor, "that my Lord had laid me under a good deal of difficulty by fuch loose and general observations; that "I had been thinking over the paffages almoft ever "fince, and could not guess at what it was that of"fended his Lordfhip in either of them. Garth "laughed heartily at my embarraffiment; faid, I had

"not been long enough' acquainted with Lord Halifax to know his way yet; that I need not puzzle myself "about looking thofe places over and over, when I 66 got home. 'All you need do (fays he) is to leave ΑΠ "them just as they are; call on Lord Halifax two or "three months hence, thank him for his kind obfer❝vations on those paffages, and then read them to him 66 as altered. I have known him much longer than

you have, and will be anfwerable for the event." "I followed his advice; waited on Lord Halifax fome "time after; faid, I hoped he would find his ob

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jections to thofe paflages removed; read them to "him exactly as they were at firft: and his Lordship was extremely pleased with them, and cryed out, Ay, now they are perfectly right: nothing can be better," It is feldom that the great or the wife fufpect that they are defpifed or cheated. Halifax, thinking this a lucky opportunity of fecuring immortality, made fome advances of favour and fome overtures of advantage to Pope, which he feems to have received with fullen coldness. All our knowledge of this tranfaction is derived from a fingle Letter (Dec. 1, 1714), in which Pope fays, "I am obliged to you, both for "the favours you have done me, and thofe you in"tend me. I diftruft neither your will nor your me

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mory, when it is to do good; and if I ever become "troublesome 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 con"tentedly in the country, which is really all the dif"ference I fet between an eafy fortune and a fmall It is indeed a high ftrain of generofity in you to think of making me eafy all my life, only be

one.

"caufe

cause I have been fo happy as to divert you fome ❝few hours: but, if I may have leave to add it is be

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

Thefe voluntary offers, and this faint acceptance, 106 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 praife was valued; he would be troublefome out of gratitude, not expectation. Halifax thought himfelf 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 perfonal 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 parron; but it deprived him of a friend. Addifon and he were now at the head of poetry and criticifm; and both in fuch 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 kindnefs between friends, the beginning is often fcarcely difcernible by themfelves, and the process is continued by petty provocations, and incivi lities fometimes peevishly 'returned, and fometimes contemptuously neglected, which would efcape all attention but that of pride, and drop from any memory

but that of refentment. That the quarrel of those two wits fhould be minutely deduced, is not to be expected. from a writer to whom, as Homer fays, nothing but ru-. mour has reached, and who has no perfonal knowledge. 15% Pope doubtless approached Addison, when the reputation of their wit firft brought them together, with the refpect due to a man whofe abilities were acknowledged, and who, having attained that eminence to which he was himself afpiring, had in his hands the diftribution 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 confefled that he found in Addison something more pleafing than in any other

man.

It may be fuppofed, that as Pope faw himself favoured by the world, and more frequently compared his own powers with thofe of others, his confidence increased, and his fubmiffion leffened; and that Addifon felt 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 thofe who officioufly, or infiduoufly, quicken his attention to offences, heighten his difguft, and ftimulate his refentment. Of fuch adherents Addifon doubtlefs had many, and Pope was now too high to be without them.

From the emiffion and reception of the Propofals for the Iliad, the kindness of Addison seems to have abated. Jervas the painter once pleafed himself (Aug. 20, 1714) with imagining that he had re-established their friend

hip; and wrote to Pope that Addison once fufpected him of too clofe a confederacy with Swift, but was now fatisfied with his conduct. To this Pope anfwered, 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 afking leave to be grateful. But, fays he, as Mr. Addifon must be the judge in what regards himself, and Jeems to have no very just one in regard to me, so I must own to you I expect nothing but 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 confcioufnefs of behaviour, inattentively deficient in refpect.

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

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was

"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 defpife him. When I came to "the antichamber to wait, before prayers, Dr. Swift the principal man of talk and business, and acted as master of requefts.-Then he inftructed a young "nobleman that the beft Poet in England was Mr. Pope "(a papift), who had begun a tranflation of Homer into "English verfe, for which he must have them all fubscribe; for, fays he, the author shall not begin to print "till I have a thousand guineas for him."

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About this time it is likely that Steele, who was, with all his political fury, good-natured and officious, procured an interview between these angry rivals, which ended in aggravated malevolence. On this occafton, if the reports be true, Pope made his complaint with

franknefs