of Atterbury's domeftick life, and private employment, that it might appear how little time he had left for plots. Pope had but few words to utter, and in thofe few he made feveral blunders.

His Letters to Atterbury express the utmost esteem, tenderness, and gratitude: perhaps, fays he, it is not only in this world that I may have cause to remember the Bifhop of Rochester. At their laft interview in the Tower, Atterbury prefented him with a Bible.

Of the Odyssey Pope tranflated only twelve books; the reft were the work of Broome and Fenton: the notes were written wholly by Broome, who was not over-liberally rewarded. The Publick was carefully kept ignorant of the fe

veral fhares; and an account was fubjoined at the conclufion, which is now known not to be true.

The first copy of Pope's books, with those of Fenton, are to be feen in the Museum. The parts of Pope are less interlined than the Iliad, and the latter books of the Iliad lefs than the former. He grew dexterous by practice, and every fheet enabled him to write the next with more facility. The books of Fenton have very few alterations by the hand of Pope. Thofe of Broome have not been found; but Pope complained, as it is reported, that he had much trouble in correcting them.

His contract with Lintot was the fame as for the Iliad, except that only

one

one hundred pounds were to be paid

him for each volume. The number of fubfcribers was five hundred and feventyfour, and of copies eight hundred and nineteen; fo that his profit, when he had paid his affiftants, was ftill very confiderable. The work was finifhed in 1725, and from that time he refolved to make no more tranflations.

The fale did not answer Lintot's expectation, and he then pretended to difcover fomething of fraud in Pope, and commenced, or threatened, a fuit in Chancery.

On the English Odyssey a criticifm was published by Spence, at that time Prelector of Poetry at Oxford; a man whofe learning was not very great, and whofe

mind was not very powerful. His criticism, however, was commonly juft, what he thought, he thought rightly; and his remarks were recommended by his coolness and candour.. In him Popehad the first experience of a critick without malevolence, who thought it as much his duty to display beauties as expofe faults; who cenfured with refpect,, and praised with alacrity..

With this criticism Pope was fo little offended, that he fought the acquain-tance of the writer, who lived with him. from that time in great familiarity, attended him in his laft hours, and compiled memorials of his conversation.. The regard of Pope recommended him. to the great and powerful, and he ob

tained very valuable preferments in the

Church.

Not long after Pope was returning home from a vifit in a friend's coach, which, in paffing a bridge, was overturned into the water; the windows were closed, and being unable to force them open, he was in danger of immediate death, when the poftilion fnatched him out by breaking the glass, of which the fragments cut two of his fingers in fuch a manner, that he loft their use.

He

Voltaire, who was then in England, fent him a Letter of Confolation. had been entertained by Pope at his table, where he talked with so much groffnefs that Mrs. Pope was driven

from