when, perhaps, for your health's sake, you should not have a moment's disturbance, and I could not send sooner at this distance.

Pray think I wish you all the success you deserve, and all the health you want. I am, dear Sir, Your, &c.

SIR,

LETTER XXIII.

MR. POPE TO MR. JABEZ HUGHES.*

February 26, 1719-20.

I CANNOT omit the acknowledgment I really think I owe your great civility, especially at so melancholy and affecting a moment, as that of your worthy brother's death must have been to you. Indeed, even his common acquaintance must have known enough of him to regret his loss; and I most heartily condole with you upon it. I believe I am further obliged to you for his play;

* Younger brother of Mr. John Hughes, and, like him, a votary of the Muses, and an excellent scholar. He published, in 1714, a translation of "The Rape of Proserpine," from Claudian; and the story of Sextus and Erictho, from Lucan's Pharsalia, b. vi. in 8vo. These translations, with notes, were reprinted in 12mo. in 1723. He also published, in 1717, a translation of Suetonius's" Lives of the twelve Cæsars," and translated several novels "from the Spanish of Cervantes," which are inserted in "The select Collection of Novels and Histories," printed for Watts, 1729. He died January 17, 1731, in the 46th year of his age: a volume of his Miscellanies, in prose and verse, was published in 1737. His widow accompanied the Lady of Governor Byng to Madras, and died there. Warton.

which I received yesterday, and read over again with more concern and sorrow than I ever felt at reading any tragedy. The real loss of a good man may be called a distress to the world, and ought to affect us more than any feigned or ancient distress, how finely drawn soever. I am glad of an occasion to give you, under my hand, this testimony, both how excellent I think this work to be, and how excellent I thought the author. I am, with my hearty thanks to you, Sir,

Your, &c.

LETTER XXIV.

TO MR. JABEZ HUGHES.

SIR,

I HAVE read over again your brother's play, with more concern and sorrow than I ever felt in the reading any tragedy.

The real loss of a good man may be called a distress to the world, and ought to affect us more than any feigned or ancient distress, how finely drawn soever.

I am glad of an occasion to give you, under my hand, this testimony, both how excellent I think this work to be, and how excellent I thought the author.* I am, &c.

* This letter to Mr. Hughes, with the excellent character of his deceased brother, being so contradictory to one addressed to Dean Swift, in which he says, "The author of the Siege of Da

SIR, .

LETTER XXV.

MR. POPE TO MR. DUNCOMBE.

Twickenham, Oct. 20, 1734.

I AM AM obliged for the favour of yours. I have looked for the letter Mr. Hughes sent me, but cannot find it. I had a great regard for his merit, modesty, and softness of manners. He writ to me a few days before his death, concerning his

mascus was of the class of the mediocribus in prose and verse," made it necessary to sink the first. Warton.

Dr. Warton thinks much higher of Pope's opinion of Hughes, than can be justified by a perusal of this letter, which appears to me to be equivocal. The letter, however, as here given, is but a part of what Pope wrote to Mr. Jabez Hughes, and was probably taken from Mr. Duncombe's Preface to Hughes's Works, 2 vols. 1735. In Hughes's Correspondence, published by Mr. Duncombe in 1772, we have the entire letter, which is dated Feb. 26, 1719-20. (This letter is before given.) The other part of Dr. Warton's note appears to be founded on two mistakes, which are rather singular in him, who was the editor of Pope, and added or left out what he pleased. In the first place there is no letter sunk at all: the one he alludes to appeared in vol. ix. and is numbered 76, as in the present edition; and secondly, the opinion that Hughes should be ranked among the mediocribus was not Pope's, but Swift's. It is true, that Pope assented to it, but in a manner which does not appear to me to contrast very strongly with his former sentiments. After fifteen years, the sensations occasioned by the singular circumstance of Hughes having expired on the first night his tragedy was acted, may be supposed to yield to a calm examination of his whole Works then published, some of which, it is probable, Pope had never before seen, or known to be his. It may be necessary to attempt to vindicate Pope's sincerity in this instance. C.

Bowles.

play of the "Siege of Damascus," which is the only letter I can meet with.

I thank you for the part you are pleased to take, both in regard to my health (which has, I thank God, been as good as usual) and to my reputation, my poetical welfare, which I resign as much to Providence as the other. But truly I had not the least thought of stealing applause, by suppressing my name to that Essay.* I wanted only to hear truth, and was more afraid of my partial friends than enemies. Besides, I really was humble and diffident enough to distrust my own performance. All I can say of it is, that I know it to be an honest one. I am, Sir, Your, &c.

SIR,

LETTER XXVI.

TO MR. DUNCOMBE.

Twickenham, May 6, 1735.

MANY thanks for your kind present, in which I find several pleasing and very correct pieces of his (Mr. Hughes's), which were new to me. I beg you to accept of the new volume of my things, just printed, which will be delivered you by Mr. Dodsley, the author of the Toy-shop, who has just set up (as) a bookseller; and I doubt not, as he has more sense, so will have more honesty, than most of his profession. I am, Sir,

Your, &c.

* Essay on Man, published without a name. Bowles.

SIR,

LETTER XXVII.

TO MR. DUNCOMBE.

Twickenham, Nov. 5, 1734.

I AM extremely willing to bear any testimony of my real regard for Mr. Hughes, and therefore what you mention of my letter to his brother, after his death, will be a greater instance of the sincerity with which it was given it is perfectly at your service. I thank you for the tenderness with which you deal in this matter toward me, and I esteem you for that which you shew to the memory of your kinsman. I doubt not but you will discharge it in a becoming manner; and am, Sir,

Your, &c.

SIR,

Y

LETTER XXVIII.

TO MR. DUNCOMBE.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 1734.

My absence from home prevented my receiving your two letters till this day. I would else have read your tragedy willingly; and I beg you not to take amiss that I return your presents of the tickets, since it is not in my power to be there next week, through indispensable obligations in the country at some distance. I think your prologue* a good one; and I think of players as I * This prologue (which was afterwards spoken by Mr. Milward