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tranflation and original defign, which pleases when the thoughts are unex pectedly applicable, and the parallels lucky. It feems to have been Pope's favourite amusement; for he has carried it further than any former. poet.

He published likewise a revival, in smoother numbers, of Dr. Donne's Sa tires, which was recommended to him by the Duke of Shrewsbury and the Earl of Oxford. They made no great impreffion on the publick. Pope feems to have known their imbecillity, and therefore fuppreffed them while he was yet contending to rife in reputation, but ventured them when he thought their deficiencies more likely to be imputed to Donne than to himself.

The

The Epiftle to Dr. Arbuthnot, which feems to be derived in its first defign from Boileau's Addrefs à fon Efprit, was publifhed in January 1735, about a month before the death of him to whom it is infcribed. It is to be regretted that either honour or pleasure fhould have been miffed by Arbuthnot; a man eftimable for his learning, amiable for his life, and venerable for his piety.

Arbuthnot was a man of great comprehenfion, kilful in his profeffion, verfed in the fciences, acquainted with ancient literature, and able to animate his mafs of knowledge by a bright and active imagination; a fcholar with great brilliancy of wit; a wit, who, in the crowd

of

of life, retained and discovered a noble

ardour of religious zeal.

In this poem Pope feems to reckon with the publick. He vindicates himfelf from cenfures; and with dignity, rather than arrogance, enforces his own claims to kindnefs and refpect.

Into this poem are interwoven feveral paragraphs which had been before printed as a fragment, and among them the fatirical lines upon Addifon, of which the last couplet has been twice corrected. It was at firft,

Who would not fmile if fuch a man there be?

Who would not laugh if Addison were

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Who would not grieve if fuch a man there be?

Who would not laugh if Addison were be ?

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Who but muft laugh if fuch a man there be?

Who would not weep if Atticus were he?

He was at this time at open war with Lord Hervey, who had diftinguifhed himself as a steady adherent to the Miniftry, and, being offended with a contemptuous answer to one of his pamphlets, had fummoned Pulteney to a duel. Whether he or Pope made the

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first attack, perhaps cannot now be cafily known: he had written an invective against Pope, whom he calls, Hard as thy heart and as thy birth obfcure; and hints that his father was a batter. To this Pope wrote a reply in verfe and profe: the verses are in this poem; and the profe, though it was never fent, is printed among his Letters, but to a cool reader of the prefent time exhibits nothing but tedious malignity.

His laft Satires, of the general kind, were two dialogues, named from the year in which they were published Seventeen kundred and Thirty-eight. thefe poems many are praifed, and many are reproached. Pope was then entangled in the oppofition; a follower of

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