cefs of this work raised Pope many enemies, that endeavoured to depreciate his abilities; Burnet, who was afterwards a Judge of no mean reputation,, cenfured him in a piece called Homerides before it was published; Ducket likewife endeavoured to make him ridiculous. Dennis was the perpetual perfecutor of all his ftudies. But, whoever his criticks were, their writings are loft, and the names which are preferved, are preferved in the Dunciad.

In this difaftrous year (1720) of national infatuation, when more riches than Peru can boaft were expected from the South Sea, when the contagion of avarice tainted every mind, and even poets panted after wealth, Pope was feized with the univerfal paffion, and ventured fome of his money. The stock fofe in its price; and he for a while thought himself the Lord of thousands. But this dream of happiness did not laft long, and he feems to have waked foon enough to get clear with the lofs only of what he once thought himself to have won, and perhaps not wholly of that.

Next year he publifhed fome felect poems of his friend Dr. Parnell, with a very elegant

Dedication to the Earl of Oxford; who, after all his ftruggles and dangers, then lived in retirement, ftill under the frown of a victorious faction, who could take no pleasure in hearing his praise.

He gave the fame year (1721) an edition of Shakspeare. His name was now of fo much authority, that Tonfon thought himfelf entitled, by annexing it, to demand a subscription of fix guineas for Shakspeare's plays in fix quarto volumes; nor did his expectation much deceive him; for of feven hundred and fifty which he printed, he difperfed a great number at the price proposed. The reputation of that edition indeed funk afterwards fo low, that one hundred and forty copies were fold at fixteen fhillings each.

On this undertaking, to which Pope was induced by a reward of two hundred and feventeen pounds twelve fhillings, he seems never to have reflected afterwards without vexation; for Theobald, a man of heavy diligence, with very flender powers, first, in a book called Shakespeare Reftored, and then in a formal edition, detected his deficiencies

with all the infolence of victory; and, as he was now high enough to be feared and hated, Theobald had from others all the help that could be fupplied, by the defire of humbling a haughty character.

From this time Pope became an enemy to editors, collaters, commentators, and verbal criticks; and hoped to perfuade the world, that he miscarried in this undertaking only by having a mind too great for fuch minute employment.

Pope in his edition undoubtedly did many things wrong, and left many things undone; but let him not be defrauded of his due praife. He was the first that knew, at least the first that told, by what helps the text might be improved. If he inspected the early editions negligently, he taught others to be more accurate. In his Preface he expanded with great fkill and elegance the character which had been given of Shakspeare by Dryden; and he drew the publick attention upon his works, which though often mentioned, had been little read.

Soon

Soon after the appearance of the Iliad, refolving not to let the general kindness cool, he published propofals for a tranflation of the Odyssey, in five volumes, for five guineas. He was willing, however, now to have affociates in his labour, being either weary with toiling upon another's thoughts, or having heard, as Ruffhead relates, that Fenton and Broome had already begun the work, and liking better to have them confederates than rivals.

In the patent, instead of faying that he had tranflated the Odyssey, as he had faid of the Iliad, he fays that he had undertaken a translation; and in the proposals the fubscription is faid to be not folely for his own ufe, but for that of two of his friends who have affifted him in this work.

In 1723, while he was engaged in this new version, he appeared before the Lords at the memorable trial of Bishop Atterbury, with whom he had lived in great familiarity, and frequent correfpondence. Atterbury had honeftly recommended to him the study of

the

the popish controverfy, in hope of his converfion; to which Pope answered in a manner that cannot much recommend his prin ciples, or his judgement. In questions and projects of learning, they agreed better. He was called at the trial to give an account of Atterbury's domestick life, and private employment, that it might appear how little time he had left for plots. Pope had but few words to utter, and in those few he made feveral blunders.

His Letters to Atterbury express the utmost esteem, tenderness, and gratitude: perhaps, fays he, it is not only in this world that I may have cause to remember the Bishop of Rochefter. At their laft interview in the Tower, Atterbury prefented him with a Bible.

Of the Odyssey Pope tranflated only twelve books; the reft were the work of Broome and Fenton: the notes were written wholly by Broome, who was not over-liberally rewarded. The Publick was carefully kept ignorant of the feveral fhares; and an account was fubjoined at the conclufion, which is now known not to be true.

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