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From The Bibliophile Library of Literature, Art, & Rare Manuscripts, Volume I, compiled and arranged by Nathan Haskell Dole, Forrest Morgan, and Caroline Ticknor; The International Bibliophile Society, New York-London; 1904; facing p. 190.

MANUSCRIPT OF ALEXANDER POPE.*

Letter to Charles Montague, Earl of Halifax, First Lord of the Treasury, begging him not to forget Homer (Vol. I. of Pope’s translations, published in June, 1715), which he had left with him, and thanking him for past and future favors.
Written 3 Dec., 1714.

[Elf.Note. — For examples of his sense of humor, see Alexander Pope, by James Parton, with links.]

December 3d 1714.

MY LORD, — While you are doing justice to all the world, I beg you will not forget Homer, if you can spare an hour to attend to his cause. I leave him with you in that hope and return full of acknowledgments for the Favors your Lordship has done me, and for those you are pleased to intend me. I distrust neither your will nor your memory, when it is to do good; and if ever I become troublesome of solicituous it must not be out of expectation but out of gratitude. Your Lordship may either cause me to live agreeably in the towns or contentedly in the country; which is really all the difference I sett between our easy fortune and a small one. It is indeed a high strain of generosity in you, to think of making me easie all my life, only because I have been so happy as to divert you an our or two; but if I may have leave to add, because you think me no enemy to my country, there will appear a better reason, for I must be of consequence, as I sincerely am,

My Lord
     Your most obliged
          most obedient
                         A. POPE.

NOTES

*  Vol. I. p. 191

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