THE

LIVE S

OF THE MOST EMINENT

ENGLISH POETS.

WITH

CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS

ON THEIR

WORK S.

By SAMUEL JOHNS O N.

A NEW EDITION, CORRECTED.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.

VOL. IV.

LONDON:

Printed for T. Longman, B. Law, J. Dodfley, H. Baldwin,
J. Robfon, J. Johnson, C. Dilly, G. G. & J, Robinson, T. Cadell,
P. Elmsly, J. Nichols, R. Baldwin, H. L. Gardner, T. Payne,
F. & C. Rivington, W. Otridge, J. Sewell, W. Goldsmith,
W. Richardson, R. Faulder, Leigh and Sotheby, G. Nicol,
W. Lowndes, W. Bent, S. Hayes, G. & T. Wilkie, C. Davis,
W. Nicoll, J. Matthews, J. Egerton, W. Fox, J. Edwards,
Ogilvy & Speare, Scatcherd & Whitaker, J. Evans, Vernor & Hood,
Clark & Son, E. Newbery, and H. Murray.

1794.
(Drawback.)

POPE.

A

A

LEXANDER POPE was born in London, May 22, 1688, of parents whose rank or ftation was never afcertained: we are informed that they were of "gentle "blood;" that his father was of a family of which the earl of Downe was the head, and that his mother was the daughter of William Turner, Efquire, of York, who had likewife three fons, one of whom had the honour of being killed, and the other of dying, in the fervice of Charles the Firft; the third was made a general officer in Spain, from whom the fifter inherited what fequeftrations and forfeitures had left in the family.

This, and this only, is told by Pope; who is more willing, as I have heard obferved, to fhew what his father was not, than what he It is allowed that he grew rich by trade;

was.

but whether in a fhop or on the Exchange

was never discovered till Mr. Tyers told, on

VOL. IV.

B

the