Pope, Alexander, 1688-1744. An epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot. London: printed by J. Wright for Lawton Gilliver, 1734 [1735]. [4],30[i.e.20]p. ; 2⁰. (ESTC T5567; Foxon P802; OTA K023049.000)

  • AN EPISTLE FROM Mr. POPE, TO Dr. ARBUTHNOT.

    Neque sermonibus Vulgi dederis te, nec in Praemiis humanis spem posueris rerum tuarum: suis te oportet illecebris ipsa Virtus trahat ad verum decus. Quid de te alii loquantur, ipsi vide ant, sed loquentur tamen. TULLY.

    LONDON: Printed by J. Wright for LAWTON GILLIVER at Homer's Head in Fleetstreet, 1734.

  • ADVERTISEMENT.

    THIS Paper is a Sort of Bill of Complaint, be gun many years since, and drawn up by snatches, as the several Occasions offer'd. I had no thoughts of publishing it, till it pleas'd some Persons of Rank and Fortune [the Authors of Verses to the Imitator of Horace, and of an Epistle to a Doctor of Divinity from a Nobleman at Hampton Court,] to attack in a very extraordinary manner, not only my Writings (of which being publick the Publick judge) but my Person, Morals, and Family, whereof to those who know me not, a truer Information may be requisite. Being di vided between the Necessity to say something of Myself, and my own Laziness to undertake so awkward a Task, I thought it the shortest way to put the last hand to this Epistle. If it have any thing pleasing, it will be That by which I am most desirous to please, the Truth and the Sentiment; and if any thing offensive, it will be only to those I am least sorry to offend, the Vicious or the Ungenerous.

    Many will know their own Pictures in it, there be ing not a Circumstance but what is true; but I have, for[Page] the most part spar'd their Names, and they may escape being laugh'd at, if they please.

    I would have some of them know, it was owing to the Request of the learned and candid Friend to whom it is inscribed, that I make not as free use of theirs as they have done of mine. However I shall have this Advan tage, and Honour, on my side, that whereas by their pro ceeding, any Abuse may be directed at any man, no Injury can possibly be done by mine, since a Nameless Character can never be found out, but by its Truth and Likeness.

  • AN EPISTLE TO Dr. ARBUTHNOT.