« all disguises, not only of fentiment, but of "style, as they themselves."

In a word, he was the very SOUL OF FRIENDSHIP. He was never at ease, nor would let others be fo, while any misunderstandings or strangeness fubfifted amongst his friends, or while any of them was labouring under fickness or disease.

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Mrs. Anne Arbuthnot has faid to the present Bishop of Gloucester, that on occafions of eftrangement among his friends, he was never at reft till he brought the parties together, among fuch common friends who had moft power or art to bring about a reconcilement. And as the promise of his own company was a forcible inducement to bring his friends to concur with, or bear a part in his scheme of the propofed reconciliation, he would engage himself to twenty places, when he could not attend at one. On which occafions Mrs. Arbuthnot used to tell him, that he was a perfect male-bawd in promoting friendship, and was able to give leffons to those of her own fex, who dealt only in the affairs of love.

She used to add, that when a common friend was fick, her father *, whofe aid was generally fought for on thefe occafions, was neceffitated carefully to hide himself from Mr. POPE, to

* It was in a great measure owing to the care a skill of this worthy man and able phyfician, that Mr. POPE, with fo weak a conftitution, was enabled to extend his life to fuch an advanced season.

avoid the teazings of his anxiety concerning the iffue of the disease.

His zeal for the intereft and credit of his friends was carried to that degree of anxiety, that he felt every circumftance which affected either, as powerfully as if the concern was his own. In his latest illness, he gave a remarkable inftance of this friendly folicitude.

At the last time, when his intimate friend, the present Bishop of Gloucester, saw him, which was in bed, and one might fay his death-bed, taking his leave of him, he said, “You know "how often I have preffed you to print the laft "volume of the Divine Legation: your repu"tation, as well as your duty, is concerned in "it. People fay, you can get no farther in 66 your proof. Nay, Lord Bolingbroke himself "bids me expect no fuch thing. He fays, in"deed, you are mafter of the fubject; but for "that very reason you will ftop, knowing it can be pushed no farther.'

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His love of virtue likewife was ardent and unfeigned, and appeared even in his latest moments. On the very morning of the day on which he died, he faid to those about him,---" There is nothing ❝meritorious in life, but virtue and friendship; “and friendship indeed is only a part of virtue."

This, our author may truly be faid to have exercised in every branch. He was just, punctual, temperate, generous, beneficent and grate

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ful. His ftrict regard to juftice and punctuality, appeared in all his tranfactions. He was exact, even to minutenefs; and was quite free from the pitiful affectation of being thought too elevated a genius to defcend to trivial concerns. The nice fentiments he adopted, with respect to punctuality, appear in one of his letters to Mr. Allen, where he says

"I remember, and like the faying of a friend "of mine (no poet) That punctuality is a branch "of moral honesty; and that an unpunctual man "is a thief of his neighbour's time, which he can never repay."

Our author's regard to punctuality, is in no inftance more confpicuous, than in his agreements with the bookfellers, concerning the property of his works. The feveral deeds and articles, which were executed on those occafions, now lie before me: and they fhew with what precision, and scrupulous caution, our author entered into engagements, where punctuality was requifite.

It has, indeed, been publicly imputed to him, that he was in some respects over cautious in fuch contracts; and too attentive to dispose of his works on the moft beneficial terms. But, in truth, he was by no means more folicitous to improve his fortune by his writings, than becomes every man of difcretion, who is under the neceffity of enlarging the narrowness of his income, by the extent of his talents.

He

He appears, in many instances, more especially after he was made easy in his circumftances, by the profit of his Homer, to have been perfectly indifferent on the subject of gain.

In one of his letters to Mr. Bethel, dated 2d November, 1736, fpeaking concerning the publication of one of his favourite pieces, he fays,

"I have not taken any care, more than I "think decent, about faving myself harmless in "the expence; nor do I fee much taken; by "none fo much as yourself, I affure you, hitherto, "confidering the sphere you move in. I have

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many aukwardneffes in it, and hate to speak "of it; 'tis really to no purpose to do it, but "to ferve myself, which is a motive I am not "used to make my fole one."

Nay, fo far was he from being anxious to make the most of his writings, that he received fubfcriptions from his friends, with a kind of jealous fufpicion; which proved that his delicacy was fuperior to every other fentiment.

In a letter to Mr. Allen, he fays--- " I will "allow you to remit the forty-five guineas, "which, you fay, fome of your friends, and "Leake, have really fubfcribed."

The words in Italics were ftruck under by Mr. POPE in his letter, to intimate his fufpicion, that his friend only pretended to remit the subfcriptions

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fcriptions of others, in order to conceal his own

benefaction.

In fhort, Mr. POPE had nothing fordid or illiberal in his nature. He always happily preferved a due medium between parfimony and profufion. He was neither oftentatious nor niggardly. "He treated his friends," fays Lord Orrery, "with a politenefs that charmed, "and a generofity that was much to his honour. "Every guest was made happy within his doors; "pleasure dwelt under his roof, and elegance prefided at his table.'

He was nevertheless extremely temperate, and, in general, avoided the delicacies of a fumptuous table. Neither the weakness of his conftitution, nor his habit of ftudy, would admit of his indulging any habitual excefs. But from his numerous connections among the great, he was, nevertheless, fometimes obliged to fubmit to the inconvenience of irregular hours, and tempted to partake of a furfeiting variety. In fome of his letters to his more familiar friends, he often blamed himself for his accommodation in these respects: particularly in one to Mr. Bethel, which he concludes thus---

"Take care of your health; follow not the "feafts (as I have done) of Lords, nor the fro "lics of ladies: but be compofed, yet chearful; complaifant, yet not a flave."