out deduction, as the books were supplied by Lintot. By the success of his subscription Pope was relieved from those pecuniary distresses with which, notwithstanding his popularity, he had hitherto struggled. Lord Oxford had often lamented his disqualification for public employment, but never proposed a pension. While the translation of “Homer” was in its progress, Mr. Craggs, then secretary of state, offered to procure him a pension, which, at least during his ministry, might be enjoyed with secrecy. This was not accepted by Pope, who told him, however, that, if he should be pressed with want of money, he would send to him for occasional supplies. Craggs was not long in power, and was never solicited for money by Pope, who disdained to beg what he did not want. With the product of this subscription, which he had too much discretion to squander, he secured his future life from want, by considerable annuities. The estate of the Duke of Buckingham was found to have been charged with five hundred pounds a year, payable to Pope, which doubtless his translation enabled him to purchase. It cannot be unwelcome to literary curiosity, that I deduce thus minutely the history of the English "Iliad." It is certainly the noblest version of poetry which the world has ever seen; and its publication must therefore be considered as one of the great events in the annals of Learning. To those who have skill to estimate the excellence and difficulty of this great work, it must be very desirable to know how it was performed, and by what gradations it advanced to correctness. Of such an intellectual process the knowledge has very rarely been attainable; but happily there remains the original copy of the "Iliad," which, being obtained by Bolingbroke as a curiosity, descended from him to Mallet, and is now, by the solicitation of the late Dr. Maty, reposited in the Museum. Between this manuscript, which is written upon accidental fragments of paper, and the printed edi tion, there must have been an intermediate copy, that was perhaps destroyed as it returned from the press. From the first copy I have procured a few transcripts, and shall exhibit first the printed lines; then, in a small print, those of the manuscripts, with all their variations. Those words in the small print, which are given in Italics, are cancelled in the copy, and the words placed under them adopted in their stead. The beginning of the first book stands thus ; The wrath of Peleus' son, the direful spring Of all the Grecian woes, O Goddess, sing, That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain. wrath Of all the woes of Greece the fatal spring, Grecian That strew'd with warriors dead the Phrygian plain, And peopled the dark hell with heroes slain. fill'd the shady hell with chiefs untimely Whose limbs, unburied on the naked shore, Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore, Since great Achilles and Atrides strove; Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove. Whose limbs, unburied on the hostile shore, Since first Atrides and Achilles strove; Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove. Declare, O muse, in what ill-fated hour Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended Power? And heap'd the camp with mountains of the dead; Declare, O Goddess, what offended Power Enflam'd their rage, in that ill-omen'd hour; fatal, hapless anger Phoebus himself the dire debate procur'd, fierce T' avenge the wrongs his injur'd priest endur'd; For Chryses sought with costly gifts to gain For Chryses sought by presents to regain For these as ensigns of his God he bare, He sued to all, but chief implor'd for grace. To all he sued, but chief implor'd for grace The brother kings of Atreus' royal race. Ye sons of Atreus, may your vows be crown'd, Your labours, by the Gods be all your labours crown'd; So may the Gods your arms with conquest bless, And Troy's proud walls lie level with the ground; laid And crown your labours with deserv'd success; But, Oh! relieve a wretched parent's pain, But, oh! relieve a hapless parent's pain, And fear the God that deals his darts around, The Greeks, in shouts, their joint assent declare Not so Atrides; he with kingly pride, He said, the Greeks their joint assent declare, Atrides Repuls'd the sacred Sire, and thus replied. Of these lines, and of the whole first book, I am old that there was yet a former copy, more varied, nd more deformed with interlineations. The beginning of the second book varies very little from the printed page, and is therefore set down without a parallel; the few differences do not equire to be elaborately displayed. Now pleasing sleep had seal'd each mortal eye: To honour Thetis' son he bends his care, directs Fly hence, delusive dream, and, light as air, To Agamemnon's royal tent repair; Bid him in arms draw forth th' embattled train, Now tell the King 'tis given him to destroy The lofty walls of wide-extended Troy ; tow'rs |