asked, but to a man I value as much as I do you; being fenfible how improper it is on many accounts, for me to interpole in things of this nature; which I never understood well, and now understand somewhat less than ever I did. But I can deny you nothing; especially fince you have had the goodness often, and patiently, to hear what I have faid against rhime, and in behalf of blank verfe; with little difcretion perhaps, but I am fure without the least prejudice being my felf equally incapable of writing well in either of those ways, and leaning therefore to neither fide of the queftion, but as the appearance of reafon inclines me. Forgive me this error if it be one; an error of above thirty years standing, and which therefore I fhall be very loth to part with. In other matters which relate to polite writing, I fhall feldom differ from you or if I do, fhall I hope have the prudence to conceal my opinion. I am, much as I ought to be, that is as much as any man can be, Yours, &c. as The The Bishop of RoCHESTER to Mr. POPE. I Bromley, Nov. 8, 1717. Have nothing to fay to you on that melancholy fubject, with an account of which the printed papers have furnish'd me, but what you have already said to your felf. When you have paid the debt of tendernefs you owe to the memory of a Father, I doubt not but you will turn your thoughts towards improving that accident to your own Eafe and Happiness. You have it now in your power, to purfue that method of thinking and living which you like beft. Give me leave, (if I am not a little too early in my applications of this kind) to congratulate you upon it; and to affure you, that there is no man living, who wishes you better, or would be more pleas'd to contribute any way to your fatisfaction or fer vice. I return you your Milton, which upon collation, I find to be revised, and augmented in feveral places, as the title page of my third * edition pretends it to be. When I * The THIRD Edition, of MILTON's Paradife Loft, was Revised and Augmented by the Author, and printed 1678, tho' all the Writers of his Life make him die 1674. I see you next, I will shew you the several paffages alter'd and added by the author, befide what mention'd to me. you I proteft to you, this laft perufal of him has given me fuch new degrees, I will not fay of pleasure, but of admiration and aftonishment, that I look upon the fublimity of Homer and the majefty of Virgil with fomewhat lefs reverence than I us'd to do. I challenge you, with all your partiality, to fhew in the first of thefe, any thing equal to the Allegory of Sin and Death, either as to the greatnefs, and juftnefs of the invention, or the height and beauty of the colouring. What I look'd upon as a rant of Barrow's, I now begin to think a fe rious truth, and could almoft venture to fet my hand to it, me, Hæc quicunque legit, tantum ceciniffe putabit Maoniden Ranas, Virgilium Culices. But more of this when we meet. When I left the town, the D. of Buckingham 'continu'd fo ill that he receiv'd no mesfages; oblige me fo far as to let me know how he does; at the fame time I fhall know how you do, and that will be a double fatisfaction to your, &c. The My Lord, I The Answer. Nov. 20, 1717. Am truly oblig'd by your kind condolance on my Father's death, and the defire you express that I should improve this accident to my advantage. I know your Lordship's friendship to me is fo extenfive, that include in that with both my Spiyou ritual and my Temporal advantage; and it is what I owe to that friendship, to open my mind unreservedly to you on this head. It is true, I have loft a Parent for whom no gains I could make would be any equiva lent: But that was not my only tye; I thank God another ftill remains (and long 'may it remain) of the fame tender nature t Genitrix eft mihi and excufe me if I fay with Euryalus, 1561 nequeam lacrymas perferre parentis. A rigid Divine may call it a carnal tye, but fure it is a virtuous one. At least I am more certain that it is a Duty of Nature to preferve a good parent's life and happiness, than I am of any Speculative point what ever. - ignaram hujus quodcunque pericli Hanc For For the, my Lord, would think this Separation more grievous than any other; and I, for my part, know as little as poor Euryalus did of the fuccefs of fuch an Adventure, (for an Adventure it is, and no small one, in fpite of the most pofitive Divinity.) Whether the change would be to my fpiritual advantage, God only knows this I know, I mean as well in the Religion I now profefs, as I can poffibly ever do in any other. Can a man who thinks fo, justify a change, even if he thought both equally good? To fuch an one, the part of Joining with any one body of Chriftians might perhaps be eafy, but I think it would not be fo to Renounce the other. Your Lordship has formerly advis'd me to read the best Books of Controverfies between the Churches. Shall I tell you a fecret? I did fo at fourteen years old: for I loved reading, and my father had no other books. There was a collection of all that had been written on both fides in the reign of King James the fecond: I warm'd my head with them, and the confequence was, that I found my felf a Papift and a Proteftant by turns, according to the laft book I read, I am afraid moft Seekers are in the fame cafe, and when they stop, they are not fo properly converted, as out-witted. You fee how little glory you would gain by my converfion. And after all, I verily |