his early pieces fhew, with fufficient evidence, his knowledge of books.

He that is pleased with himself, cafily imagines that he fhall please others. Sir William Trumbal, who had been ambaffador at Conftantinople, and fecretary of ftate, when he retired from bu finefs, fixed his refidence in the neighbourhood of Binfield. Pope, not yet fixteen, was introduced to the statesman of fixty, and fo diftinguished himself that their interviews ended in friendship and correfpondence. Pope was, through his whole life, ambitious of fplendid acquaintance, and he feems to have wanted neither diligence nor fuccefs in attracting the notice of the great; for from his firft entrance into the world,

and

and his entrance was very early, he was admitted to familiarity with those whofe rank or ftation made them moft 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 praifes were beftowed upon them and upon the Preface, which is both elegant and learned in a high degree: they were, however, not publifhed till five years afterwards.

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

the works of Cowley alone were publifhed in his childhood, and therefore of him only can it be certain that his puerile performances received no improvement from his maturer ftudies.

At this time began his acquaintance with Wicherley, a man who feems to have had among his contemporaries his full fhare of reputation, to have been efteemed without virtue, and careffed without good-humour. Pope was proud of his notice; Wycherley wrote verses in his praife, which he was charged by Dennis with writing to himself, and they agreed for a while to flatter one another. It is pleafant to remark how foon Pope learned the cant of an author, and began to treat criticks with contempt,

tempt, though he had yet fuffered nothing from them.

But the fondness of Wycherley was too violent to laft. His efteem of Pope was fuch, that he fubmitted fome poems to his revifion; and when Pope, perhaps proud of fuch confidence, was fufficiently bold in his criticisms, and liberal in his alterations, the old scribler 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 early correfpondents was Mr. Cromwel, of whom. I have learned nothing particular but that he

ufed to ride a-hunting in a tye-wig. He was fond, and perhaps vain, of amufing himself with poetry and criticism; 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 firft knowledge of Pope's Epiftolary Powers; for his Letters were given by Cromwel to one Mrs. Thomas, and the many years afterwards fold them to Curll, who inferted them in a volume of his Mifcellanies.

Walsh, a name yet preferved among the minor poets, was one of his first encouragers. His regard was gained

by