time to London, that he might ftudy French and Italian, which, as he defired nothing more than to read them, were by diligent application foon difpatched. Of Italian learning he does not appear to have ever made much ufe in his fubfequent ftudies.

He then returned to Binfield, and delighted himfelf with his own poetry. He tried all ftyles, and many fubjects. He wrote a comedy, a tragedy, an epick poem, with panegyricks on all the princes of Europe; and, as he confeffes, thought bimfelf the greatest genius that ever was. Self-confidence is the first requifite to great undertakings; he, indeed, who forms his opinion of himself in folitude, without knowing the powers of other men, is very liable to errour; but it was the felicity of Pope to rate himfelf at his real value.

Moft of his puerile productions were, by his maturer judgement, aftewards deftroyed; Alcander, the epick poem, was burnt by the perfuafion of Atterbury. The tragedy was founded on the legend of St. Genevieve. Of the comedy there is no account.

Concerning his ftudies it is related, that he translated Tully on cla Age; and that, befides his books of poerry and criticism, he read Temple's Effays and Locke on human Understanding. His reading, though his favourite authors are not known, appears to have been fufficiently extenfive and multifarious; for his early pieces fhew, with fufficient evidence, his knowledge

of books.

He that is pleafed with himself cafily imagines that he fhall pleafe others. Sir William Trumbal, who had been ambalador at Conftantinople, and fecretary of state, when he retired from bufinefs,

and which therefore was left to him as a basis of fame; and, being delighted with rural poems, recommended to him to write a pastoral comedy, like those which are read fo eagerly in Italy; a defign which Pope probably did not approve, as he did not follow it.

Pope had now declared himself a poet; and thinking himself entitled to poetical converfation, began at feventeen, to frequent Will's, a coffee-houfe on the north fide of Ruffel-ftreet in Covent-garden, where the wits of that time used to affemble, and where Dryden had, when he lived, been accuftomed to prefide.

During this period of his life he was indefatigably diligent, and infatiably curious; wanting health for violent, and money for expenfive pleasures, and having certainly excited in himself very strong desires of intellectual eminence, he spent much of his time over his books; but he read only to ftore his mind with facts and images, feizing all that his authors presented with undistinguishing voracity, and with an appetite for knowledge too eager to be nice. In a mind like his, however, all the faculties were at once involuntarily improving. Judgement is forced upon us by experience. He that reads many books must compare one opinion or one ftyle with another; and when he.compares, muft neceffarily distinguish, reject, and prefer. But the account given by himself of his studies was, that from fourteen to twenty he read only for amufement, from twenty to twenty-feven for improvement and inftruction; that in the first part of this time he defired only to know, and in the second he endeavoured to judge.

The

Pope learned the cant of an author, and began to treat criticks with contempt, though he had yet fuffered nothing from them.

But the fondnefs of Wycherley was too violent to laft. His esteem of Pope was fuch, that he submitted fome poems to his revifion; and when Pope, perhaps proud of fuch confidence, was fufficiently bold in his criticifins, and liberal in his alterations, the old fcribbler was angry to fee his pages defaced, and felt more pain from the detection than content from the amendment of his faults. They parted; but Pope always confidered him with kindness, and vifited him a little time before he died.

Another of his carly correfpondents was Mr. Cromwell, of whom I have learned nothing particular but that he used to ride a hunting in a tye-wig. He was fond, and perhaps vain, of amufing himself with poetry and criticifm; and fometimes fent his performances to Pope, who did not forbear fuch remarks as were now-and-then unwelcome. Pope, in his turn, put the juvenile verfion of Statius into his hands for correction.

Their correfpondence afforded the publick its first knowledge of Pope's Epiftolary Powers; for his Letters were given by Cromwell to one Mrs. Thomas, and the many years afterwards fold them to Curll, who inferted them in a volume of his Mifcellanies.

Walth, a name yet preferved among the minor poets, was one of his firft encouragers. His regard was gained by the Paftorals, and from him Pope received the council by which he feems to have regulated his ftudies. Walth advifed him to correctnefs, which, as he told him, the English pocts had hitherto neglected,

and

and which therefore was left to him as a bafis of fame; and, being delighted with rural poems, recommended to him to write a pastoral comedy, like those which are read fo eagerly in Italy; a defign which Pope probably did not approve, as he did not follow it.

Pope had now declared himself a poet; and thinking himself entitled to poetical converfation, began at feventeen, to frequent Will's, a coffee-houfe on the north fide of Ruffel-ftreet in Covent-garden, where the wits of that time used to affemble, and where Dryden had, when he lived, been accuftomed to prefide.

During this period of his life he was indefatigably diligent, and infatiably curious; wanting health for violent, and money for expenfive pleasures, and having certainly excited in himself very strong defires of intellectual eminence, he spent much of his time over his books; but he read only to ftore his mind with facts and images, feizing all that his authors prefented with undistinguishing voracity, and with an appetite for knowledge too eager to be nice. In a mind like his, however, all the faculties were at once involuntarily improving. Judgement is forced upon us by experience. He that reads many books muft compare one opinion or one ftyle with another; and when he compares, must neceffarily distinguish, reject, and prefer. But the account given by himfelf of his ftudies was, that from fourteen to twenty he read only for amufement, from twenty to twenty-feven for improvement and instruction; that in the first part of this time he defired only to know, and in the fecond he endeavoured to judge.

The

The Paftorals, which had been for fome time handed about among poets and criticks, were at last printed (1709) in Tofon's Mifcellany, in a volume which began with the Paftorals of Philips, and ended with thofe of Pope.

The fame year was written the Effay on Criticism; a work which difplays fuch extent of comprehenfion, fuch nicety of distinction, fuch acquaintance with mankind, and fuch knowledge both of ancient and modern learning, as are not often attained by the matureft age and longeft experience. It was published about two years afterwards; and being praised by Addifon in the Spectator with fufficient liberality, met with fo much favour as enraged Dennis, "who," he fays, "found himself attacked, without any manner of pro"vocation on bis fide, and attacked in his perfon,

inftead of his writings, by one who was wholly a "ftranger to him, at a time when all the world knew "he was perfecuted by fortune; and not only faw "that this was attempted in a clandeftine manner, "with the utmoft falfehood and calumny, but found "that all this was done by a little affected hypocrite, "who had nothing in his mouth at the fame time but "truth, candour, friendthip, good-nature, humanity, "and magnanimity.”

How the attack was clandeftine is not eafily per ceived, nor how his perfon is depreciated; but he feems to have known fomething of l'ope's character, in whom may be discovered an appetite to talk too frequently of his own virtues.

The pamphlet is fuch as rage might be expected to distate. He fuppofes himfelf to be asked two quef