fon fold copies of the first volume with all their extent of margin for two fhillings.

It is unpleasant to relate that the bookfeller, after all his hopes and all his liberality, was, by a very unjust and illegal action, defrauded of his profit. An edition of the English Iliad was printed in Holland in Duodecimo, and imported clandeftinely for the gratification of those who were impatient to read what they could not yet afford to buy. This fraud could only be counteracted by an edition equally cheap and more commodious; and Lintot was compelled to contract his Folio at once into a Duodecimo, and lofe the advantage of an intermediate gradation. The

notes, which in the Dutch copies were placed at the end of each book, as they had been in the large volumes, were now fubjoined to the text in the fame page, and are therefore more eafily confulted. Of this edition the fale was doubtless very numerous; but indeed great numbers were neceffary to produce confiderable profit.

Pope, having now emitted his propofals, and engaged not only his own. reputation, but in fome degree that of his friends who patronifed his fubfcription, began to be frighted at his own. undertaking; and finding himself at first embarraffed with difficulties, which retarded and oppreffed him, he was for a time timorous and uneafy; had his

nights difturbed by dreams of long journeys through unknown ways, and wished, as he said, that fomebody would bang bim *

This mifery, however, was not of long continuance; he grew by degrees more acquainted with Homer's images and expreffions, and practice increafed his facility of verfification. In a fhort time he represents himself as dispatching regularly fifty verfes a day, which would fhew him by an eafy computation the termination of his labour.

His own diffidence was not his only vexation. He that afks a fubfcription foon finds that he has enemies.

All

who do not encourage him defame him.

*

Spence.

He

He that wants money will rather be thought angry than poor, and he that wishes to fave his money conceals his avarice by his malice. Addifon had hinted his fufpicion that Pope was too much a Tory; and fome of the Tories fufpected his principles becaufe he had contributed to the Guardian, which was carried on by Steele.

To thofe who cenfured his politicks were added enemies yet more dangerous, who called in queftion his knowledge of Greek, and his qualifications for a tranflator of Homer. To these he made no publick oppofition; but in one of his Letters efcapes from them as well as he can. At an age like his, for he was not more than twenty-five, with an irregular

gular education, and a courfe of life of which much feems to have paffed in conversation, it is not very likely that he overflowed with Greek. But when he felt himself deficient he fought asfiftance, and what man of learning would refuse to help him? Minute enquiries into the force of words are less neceffary in tranflating Homer than other poets, because his pofitions are general, and his reprefentations natural, with very little dependence on local or temporary customs, on thofe changeable fcenes of artificial life, which, by mingling original with accidental notions,. and crowding the mind with images which time effaces, produce ambiguity, in diction, and obfcurity in books. To

this