found in it particular imitations of the

History of Mr. Ouffle.

Swift carried fo much of it into Ireland as fupplied him with hints for his Travels; and with those the world might have been contented, though the rest had been fuppreffed.

Pope had fought for images and fentiments in a region not known to have been explored by many other of the English writers; he had confulted the modern writers of Latin poetry, a class of authors whom Boileau endeavoured to bring into contempt, and who are too generally neglected. Pope, however, was not afhamed of their acquaintance, nor ungrateful for the advantages which he might have derived from it. A small felection

N 2

felection from the Italians who wrote in

Latin had been published at London, about the latter end of the last century, by a man who concealed his name, but whom his Preface fhews to have been well qualified for his undertaking. This collection Pope amplified by more than half, and (1740) published it in two volumes, but injuriously omitted his predeceffor's preface. To thefe books, which had nothing but the mere text, no regard was paid, the authors were ftill neglected, and the editor was neither praised nor cenfured.

He did not fink into idlenefs; he had planned a work, which he confidered as fubfequent to his Effay on Man, of which he has given this account to Dr. Swift.

"March

"March 25, 1736.

"If ever I write any more Epiftles "in verfe, one of them fhall be ad"dreffed to you. I have long con"certed it, and begun it; but I would "make what bears your name as finished

as my last work ought to be, that is to "fay, more finished than any of the reft. "The fubject is large, and will divide "into four Epiftles, which naturally "follow the Efay on Man, viz. 1. Of "the Extent and Limits of Human Rea"fon and Science. 2. A View of the "ufeful and therefore attainable, and "of the unufeful and therefore unat"tainable Acts. 3. Of the Nature, "Ends, Application, and Ufe of dif"ferent Capacities. 4. Of the Ufe of

"Learning, of the Science, of the World,

" and of Wit. It will conclude with a "fatire against the Mifapplication of all "these, exemplified by Pictures, Cha"racters, and Examples.'

This work in its full extent, being now afflicted with an afthma, and finding the powers of life gradually declining, he had no longer courage to undertake; but, from the materials which he had provided, he added, at Warburton's requeft, another book to the Dunciad, of which the defign is to ridicule fuch studies as are either hopelefs or useless, as either pursue what is unattainable, or what, if it be attained, is of no use.

When

When this book was printed (1742) the laurel had been for fome time upon the head of Cibber; a man whom it cannot be fuppofed that Pope could regard with much kindnefs or esteem, though in one of the Imitations of Horace he has liberally enough praifed the Careless Husband. In the Dunciad, among other worthlefs fcribblers, he had mentioned Cibber; who, in his Apology, complains of the great poet's unkindnefs as more injurious, becaufe, fays he, I never have offended him.

It might have been expected that Pope should have been, in fome degree, mollified by this fubmiffive gentleness; but no fuch confequence appeared. Though he condefcended to commend