frequented, and pleafed himself with having feen him.

Dryden died May 1, 1701, fome: days before Pope was twelve; fo early muft he therefore have felt the power of harmony, and the zeal of genius. Who does not with that Dryden could have known the value of the homage that was paid him, and foreseen the greatnefs of his young admirer?

The earlieft of Pope's productions is his Ode on Solitude, written before he was twelve, in which there is nothing more than other forward boys have attained, aud which is not equal to Cowley's performances at the fame age.

His time was now fpent wholly in reading and writing. As he read the Claf

Clafficks, he amufed himself with tranflating them; and at fourteen made a verfion of the firft book of the Thebais, which, with fome revifion, he afterwards published. He must have been. at this time, if he had no help, a confiderable proficient in the Latin tongue..

By Dryden's Fables, which had then been not long published, and were much in the hands of poetical readers, he was tempted to try his own skill in giving Chaucer a more fashionable appearance, and put January and May, and the Prologue of the Wife of Bath, into modern English. He tranflated likewise the Epistle of Sappho to Phaon from Ovid, to complete the verfion, which was before imperfect; and wrote fome

fome other small pieces, which he after

wards printed.

He fometimes imitated the English poets, and profeffed to have written at fourteen his poem upon Silence, after Rochefter's Nothing. He had now formed his verfification, and in the fmoothness of his numbers furpaffed his original but this is but a small part of his praife; he discovers fuch acquaintance both with human life and publick affairs as is not eafily conceived to have been attainable by a boy of fourteen in Windfor Foreft.

Next year he was defirous of opening to himself new fources of knowledge, by making himself acquainted with modern languages; and removed for a time

to

to London, that he might study 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 himself 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 himself the greatest genius that ever was. Self-confidence is the firft requifite to great undertakings; he, indeed, who forms his opinion of himself in folitude, without knowing the powers

of

and his entrance was very early, he was admitted to familiarity with those whofe Frank or ftation made them most confpicuous.

From the age of fixteen the life of Pope, as an author, may be properly computed. He now wrote his Paftorals, which were fhewn to the Poets and Criticks of that time; as they well deferved, they were read with admiration, and many praises were beftowed upon them and upon the Preface, which is both elegant and learned in a high degree: they were, however, not published till five years afterwards.

Cowley, Milton, and Pope, are diftinguifhed among the English Poets by the early exertion of their powers; but