As a Man who standing to descry,
How great Floods far off, run, and Vallies lye;
Taketh a Glass-Prospective , good and true,
By which, Things most remote, are full in View:
If Monarchs , so, would take an Instrument
Of Truth compos'd, to spy their Subject's Drent,
In foul Oppression, by those high in Seat,
Who care not to be Good, but to be Great;
In full Aspect, the Wrongs of each Degree
Would lie before them; and they then would see.
The devilish Politician all convinces,
In murd'ring Statesmen, and in pois'ning Princes;
The Prelate in P LURALITIES asleep,
Whilst that the Wolf lies preying on his Sheep;
The drowsy Lawyer , and the false Attornies ,
Tire poor Men's Purses, with their Life-long Journies;
The Country Gentleman , from's Neighbour's Hand
Forceth th' Inheritance, joins Land to Land;
And, most insatiate, seeks under his Rent,
To bring the World's most spacious Continent;
The fawning Citizen , whose Love's bought dearest;
Deceives his Brother, when the Sun shines clearest;
Gets, borrows, breaks, lets in, and stops out Light,
And lives a Knave , to leave his Son a Knight ;
The griping Farmer hoards the Seed of Bread,
Whilst, in the Street, the Poor lye famished.
And free, there's none, from all this worldly Strife,
Except the Shepherd 's Heaven-blest happy Life.
Tantum , for were I to Copy every Beauty in this Author, I must transcribe His whole Work.
Return we now to Mr. Pattison , whom we shall find either Versifying at Sidney -College, or Angling on the Banks of the River Cam .
This Amusement was the chief Alleviation of his Studies, for he was always averse to the Publick Disputations . Upon one of these Occasions it was, that he shewed his Resentment, at being carried to the Schools by the Wranglers .
As the Brute-World to Father Adam came,
Requesting, with enquiring Looks, a Name,
To ev'ry Beast , a Title he assign'd,
And nominated all the Sylvan-kind .
So savage Multitudes about Me throng,
Did Adam's Talent but to Me belong!
Yet, tho' they cheat the World , by their Disguise ,
They are but Asses , to Poetick Eyes .
The Acquaintance he contracted in the University was of the best Sort, and the Marks of Esteem they shewed him, upon all Occasions, were very singular and affectionate; more particularly, in the many Instances of Friendship which they have vouchsafed him by their Subscriptions .
I profess myself to be wholly ignorant of the Grounds of the Quarrel between him and his Tutor, but I am assured from many Hands, that, the Rigour with which he treated him, was not easy to brook, and he could very ill bear Restraint, telling me himself, that, it was the Threats of Expulsion , and the Dread of such a Scandal , which made him cut his Name out of the College-Book. However, he left the College in Mirth , tho' the Consequences terminated in Melancholy , by deputing his Gown to make his Apology in the following Verses, which he pinned upon it, at his Departure.
Whoever gives himself the Pains to stoop,
And take my venerable Tatters up;
To his presuming Inquisition I,
In Loco Pattisoni thus reply .
Tir'd with the senseless Jargon of the Gown,
My Master left the College, for the Town;
Where, from Pedantick Drudgery secur'd,
He laughs at Follies which he once endur'd;
And scorns his precious Minutes to regale,
With wretched College-Wit, and College-Ale;
Far nobler Pleasures open to his View,
Pleasures for ever Sweet! for ever New!
Bright Wit, soft Beauty, and Ambition's Fire
Inflame his Bosom, and his Muse inspire;
While to his few, but much endearing Friends,
His Love, and humble Service, he commends.
Soon after his Departure , his most sincere Friends expressed their hearty Concern thereat; and were very anxious, either for his Return , or, at least, that he would make an Apology to the Superiors of the College for his Behaviour . The former he could not be persuaded to, but the latter he readily complied with, and drew up a State of his Case , in the following Manner, and transmitted it to a peculiar Friend at Cambridge .
SIR,
It is observable, that Misfortune is the Touch-stone of Friendship , and, as it ever is wont to cool the Affections of a Pretender , so it has, sometimes, the Virtue to awaken a generous Compassion in a Stranger . I am sensible it is owing to this Cause, you expressed so kind a Concern for my Welfare upon leaving College . And it is your good nature which encourages me to make this rude Acknowledgment of my Gratitude: But, that I may not altogether seem unworthy your Regard, give me leave, as far as Modesty will allow, to rescue my Character from some Persons, who, I fear, will be as maliciously industrious to prejudice you against me, as they have been in promoting my Ruin.
The Breath of Fame is an unwholsome Air,
For Vanity and Scorn engender there.
And here, Sir, lies the Difficulty, for the World is ever inclined to suspect us of Partiality, when we speak of our selves; and it is unnatural for a Person to condemn himself, when he has an Adversary , so ready as mine, to deal with; I was going to say, so powerful, without considering the Validity of his Accusations , which must be proved . If they are found to be true , I shall, with a great deal of Resignation, submit to the Censures of Mankind , and when he has honestly acquitted himself from the same Charge to his Conscience , I invite him to throw the first Stone . Here is a Field of Satire opened for me, but I scorn to draw upon a naked Man, and shall content, myself. But, I hope, the absolute Necessity of such a Proceeding will, in some Measure, excuse me to that usual. Indulgence, which the Master and the Fellows have ever favoured me with, especially since it is the last Offence I am likely to be guilty of; in Testimony of which, I have one Request to make, which, tho' it may appear presumptious, carries very sufficient. Reasons, which, I hope, will not be refused. Every one is sensible what Reflections the World are generally apt to throw upon Persons in my Condition; for branding them with the Reproach of Expulsion , may be very unhappily received among Strangers, whilst there are Persons ready to forge specious Pretences, and can never be more injurious to me, than at present; because my Fortune must depend upon the Publick, as I am engaging Subscribers to my Poems ; the Success I have met with, in Town, is much beyond the Expectation of a Stranger, and I should be inclined, were my Condition known, to attribute such an Indulgence rather to a generous Sense of my Misfortunes, than my Merit; may the former plead in Defence of the latter! and may you be moved with so much Humanity to my Sufferings, as to adorn the Lift of my Subscribers . By such a Favour, you will not only contribute to my better Fortune, but secure my Reputation, whilst your Name convinces the World, that you are still ready to encourage any innocent Endeavours of, Sir ,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
I have been a little uneasy in my Circumstances, of late, which has depriv'd you of the Pleasure of some Entertainments, that otherwise you had received. I shall excuse my self to you now, with the Promise of communicating personally, as I intend to be at Cambridge very shortly. I have wrote Two Epistles more, since my Residence in Town; and, I hope, perfected my other Four ; which, as they are design'd to begin my Second Collection, are ready for the Press, and will also shortly be printed off. I have done several little Occasional Pieces , which 'twould be tedious to particularize to you.
I was, last Night, with Mr. Concanen , he's pretty Gentleman, and, to give him no small Compliment, I think, very near your Taste; upon that, I took, the Freedom to mention you, and accordingly we both drank your Health, till we a little incommoded our own. Commend me heartily to all Friends, and believe me to be Yours most sincerely,
W. P ATTISON .
Dear Pattison,
I Received the Proposats , &c. last Saturday ; and on Sunday your Letter came to my Hands. I really wonder you should think so poorly of your Friends Readiness to serve you, as to send me no more than! Ten Receipts. Your Proposals here have met with, I believe I may say, an Universal Reception. I have, in our own College, already got forty Promises, nor do I despair of procuring the greatest Part of a Hundred. I have not received an absolute Denial from any of our Batchelors, excepting two, and one gives it, because he leaves College soon: Nor are there above two more, who have not entirely determined in your Favour. I waited, Yesterday, on a Senior Fellow of our College, a Doctor of Divinity; Persons of his Standing, you know, are generally not very great Admirers of Poetry; but indeed, in this, as in all other Things, his Taste is extraordinary; and he not only subscribed, but has likewise past several very handsome Compliments upon you, and when I came away, he was so kind, as to wish you Success, after a very affectionate Manner. By my Description of him, I don't question but you know who it is I mean, and it can be no small Satisfaction to you, when you consider, that you have got one of the finest Men in the University, and one whose Example a great many of our most celebrated Doctors will be willing to follow. My Lord Scarsdale 's Heir has promised a Subscription, and another of our Fellows. I can almost promise you our President and Dean, tho' the latter is not in College at present. Mr. Law , and Mr. Rothery , prove indefatigable Friends, and the greatest Part of those of their Standing, with many others, are very willing to serve you. Mr. Law tells me, he has an Acquaintance, who says, he can procure you forty Subscriptions among the Templars . Mr. Rowe is likewise as ready as the rest; and many more have promised to write to the Temple, Oxford , and their respective Countries about you. It is my Opinion, you will have Reason to look upon the Lift of Subscribers, which I shall send you, not only as Names of your Well-wishers, but as a Catalogue of your affectionate Friends. Every Body approves of your Specimen of The H OUR -G LASS , which takes wonderfully. I am glad you will receive such a large Recommendation, from a Place where you are so well known; I mean, from the University , and I hope you will live to be an Honour to it. 'Tis upon this Account, that I am vastly pleased, that you print the Subscribers Names; no doubt, in all, there will be a great Number; I'm sure no possible Endeavour to enlarge it, shall be wanting, from,
Dear, &c.
Your sincere Friend ,
and obedient humble Servant ,
J OHN D ICKINSON .
P. S . I would have you send me forty or fifty Receipts , and as many Proposals as you can well spare. Write to me likewise by the next Post. Let me know if Mr. Pope subscribes, or any other eminent Hands. I will use my utmost Endeavour to serve you.
I did not, at first, know whether it would not be more proper to address you, being an Author, as Authors address their Patrons in a fawning Dedication , or, as a Friend, to play the Humourist for your Diversion. But, upon Consideration, that I should require no small Study to be formal, and likewise as Gallantry, by Men of Business is look'd upon as the worst-tim'd Impertinence. I chose to fall in with your own Vein at present, knowing, that if I pleased you less , I should please you more . Pardon the Paradox, and farewel.
Mr. Dickinson , in another, Letter of October 25, 1726, writes thus to Mr. Pattison , — " The Story of your Cutting your Name out of College, is now told with this farther Addition , that if you had not done so, you had certainly been expelled , tho' no one knows for what . This puts a Stop to our Proceedings; it is in vain to ask any one that have not given a Promise, and they that have, seem unwilling to perform it, and the most favourable Excuse I receive from any, is their delaying it. The Reason they gave, was this; they thought they could have no Security for their Money, and they could not tell but this might be an Imposition, since every Circumstance conduced much to make it appear very probably so. And then they would proceed to give. Instances of the same Nature, where Proposals were printed, and Receipts given. All the Service I or any of your Friends could do you then, was very small: Indeed, we told them, You voluntarily cut your Name out for your own Advantage in being at some other College; and not out of any Fear of Expulsion ; we farther affirmed, You would return shortly, and fix in Trinity- Hall ; but we were looked upon, as Persons who were obliged to make this, as well as every Thing they objected besides, appear in fair, if not false Colours. That which proved most serviceable to you, was a Story I heard by Chance, that your College would admit you again, or give you your Terms . I made no Scruple of improving this Hint , but, with all Industry, spread it Abroad, that your College was vastly desirous of getting you again; and this has, in some Measure, established in all, the good Opinion they had of you. I wish you would return , since it will be so advantageous, and I beg you will not be too nice in insisting upon Articles; you will not be obliged to reside. I'm certain you need not doubt Mr. Hulse 's good Will in any Thing; to my Knowledge, he is ambitious of serving you most. Mr. Stilling fleet left College some Time ago; he gave his Service to you, and was sorry he could not serve you among the Fellows, and he gave me a Subscription . Mr. Surll has subscribed ; gives his Service to you, and if he can any Ways promote your Interest, he will not be wanting. I shall be obliged to you, if you will let me know what Subjectject you design for your last Epistle . What News — and don't forget to relate the Usage you met with at Mr. Pope 's. I am obliged to you, for your Recommendation to Mr. Ward , he is a Gentleman, whose Acquaintance I should be proud of.
I am, dear Sir ,
Your affectionate Friend ,
and obedient humble Servant ,
J OHN D ICKINSON .
As a Specimen of the Treatment Mr. P ATTISON met with from his Tutor, the following Authorities are produced.
Dear Pattison,
I Was inconceivably grieved at Hulse 's Account of your Tribulation and Confusion, after I parted from you, and wish I could have contributed towards your Relief: Here hath been vast Enquiries made about you, by the Fellows, but none of them seems to be touched with so much Pity and Concern as Mr. G — y ; who, this Morning, to me, express'd no small Regard for your Welfare, and wish'd that you had taken leave of him, who intended to have given you a Token of his Gratitude for your Service in College: I advise you to send him a decent Epistle, and another to the Master, with an impartial Account of the ill Treatment which you have met with under B — display therein his severe Usage , in moving Terms, and urge, that he was the chief Cause of your abrupt departing hence; B — is not, as yet returned, the Fellows begin, in an open Manner to complain of his Misbehaviour to them, and Dishonesty to his Creditors; they have met together twice; to consult some Means of redressing the Grievances of College Servants , and others . When you have any Business of Importance to be done here, depend upon his Service and Sincerity, who subscribes himself, with all possible Respect,
Your assured Friend ,
and Servant ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
Dear Pattison,
I Am sorry to tell you, that I had the Misfortune, in an Hurry of Business, to lose your last Letter out of my Pocket, which, I am afraid, is, by some hostile Hand, taken up, and convey'd to B — , who threatens to give you Trouble, but on what Score is unknown to me; he seems exceedingly incensed at your leaving College, counter to his Permission; and, for the Defence of his own Reputation, with Regard to you, exposes his Accounts and Letters, from your Friends, to every curious Eye; and farthermore, takes no small Pains to enumerate, in emphatical Words, what mighty Services he has done, and what vast Kindnesses he always shewed you, whilst in College; he opened his Books, to my View, Yesterday Morning; wherein I perceived you stand indebted to him, all Matters justly calculated, but for a mere Trifle; for he has your Caution-Money in his Custody, being Ten Pounds; and Exhibition-Money , &c. to receive on your Account, all which will near amount to a compleat Disbursement of himself, &c. I have received from Mr. Ward , your Ten Proposals and Receipts, which I can, with Ease, get off, and perhaps, as many more; a Specimen of them shall be usher'd in amongst our Fellows at the Combination-Room; some of whom will, doubtless, subscribe; few of our Junior Fellows are at present in College. I advise you to write to Mr. G — y , with Speed, because he is about leaving us; and also to Mr. Davie , who has been so kind as to pay to David Adams , our Sub-Porter, one Guinea, towards discharging the Sum you owed him. You had better mention Sidney -College, immediately after your own Name in the Title-Page, than not; it will look more, ornamental to, tho' cannot enhance the intrinsick Value of your Poems. Your Proposals have always found good Success in the University; I am extremely glad, and congratulate you hereupon; and wish you may meet with as much Encouragement as either you desire, or deserve. You need not fear Encouragement for your Second Volume. Be sure to hold a Correspondence with good and choice Associates, and live as long as you can in a private Capacity; excuse this Freedom, and impute it to my deep Sense of the innumerable Temptations to which one of your Complexion is liable in such a populous Place; but peculiarly to my earnest Wishes for your well doing. Mr. B — has made a Seizure of all Things that you have left in your Room, for his own Security, as he pretends. I have been out of College, otherwise should have forestalled his Design. Mr. Dickinson , of St. John 's College, is very active in your Service; as also is Mr. Rothery ; if this tedious Scrawl proves of any Moment to you, the Author will think himself amply rewarded, who remains, with all possible Respect,
Yours everlastingly ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
P. S. Give me leave to tell you, That your last to me justly deserves to be censured; in the Beginning of which, you call me ungenerous, for making generous and friendly Proposals, with a tender Regard to your future Welfare in this Life; but I believe that Passion, rather than Reason, had the Ascendant in your Mind at that Juncture when you wrote; otherwise you had expressed, your self in more charitable Terms; you sought to, consider what I inserted on that Subject, as Henley 's Liturgy is recommended; not imposed as necessary , but advertised as useful , &c. You know I always delight to speak my inward Sentiments in the plainest Manner; for which Reason, I hope, you'll excuse my Freedom and Imperfections herein; proceeding in very much Haste, from
Your most assured Friend ,
and Servant ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
Dear Mr. Pattison,
I Am sorry I have ever given you Reason to complain of ill Usage from me, as your Letter to Wase terms my Silence, and am much concerned that it has been aggrevated by the Miscarriage of an Answer I sent you near three Weeks ago. You seem not to have received it, since 'twas not mentioned in your last Letter. As to the Apprehensions of Jealousy therein hinted at, they are on your Side, not on mine, though I acknowledge I have been so unhappy as to occasion them. Your Mistrust of my Respect to you has troubled me very much, and your unkind Opinion that I only followed your Fortune, has given me great Uneasiness. I'll assure you my Love for you is as constant as ever, and if any Thing has seemed wanting in Words, I hope my Actions will atone for it. I lately received your Favour of a Visit from Mr. Eusden , who says he has writ to you a Fortnight ago, and expresses the tenderest Affection for you, such as I wish you may receive from Mr. Pope 's Acquaintance. Poetry has been a long Time at a very low Ebb, though Satire threatens to shoot its Sting, now Python , alias C — ly is returned to College, and wants an Apollo in your self to manage him. Pray pardon a little poetical Freedom, and believe me in earnest, when I profess my self what I hope you shall have no future Reason to mistrust me.
Yours sincerely ,
J. H ULSE .
Your Proposals continue successful; I have this Afternoon procured another Subscriber, and shall immediately go to my Tutor to obtain what I don't doubt of, his favouring your Deserts.
Dear Pattison,
SOME here have catch'd a flying Notion, this your Poems in Embryo will prove abortive; but they, who are your real Friends, endeavour to suppress it; a few succeeding Months, I hope, will discover the Truth and Justice of your Friend's Defence of your Cause; and by publishing and delivering a Copy to each Subscriber, you'll convince the Censorious Place of your Honour, as well as Honest with Regard to this Affair. Mr. Adams desires to know whether you are determined to return to College , or not, because your Exhibition is in Suspence on that Account; if you receive any more than what is herein noticed, a farther Account shall be given you in another, by
Yours assuredly ,
B ENJ W ASE .
Dear Mr . Wase,
I Received your Favours, and own my self highly obliged to you for that Trouble, which you are always ready to undergo for the sake of your Friend: I am sorry I can only repay you with my sincere and hearty Thanks, but I know your generous Spirit will consider such an Acknowledgment as something of a Satisfaction. I intend, this Post, to write to Mr. Adams , upon the Affair you mentioned from him. I hope I need not be particular in expressing my Gratitude to my Friends. I meet every Day with very great Encouragement among Persons of Distinction; and in short, live so happily, that I begin to be in Love with the Town; however, I will be at Cambridge by the next Division , for I am afraid I cannot dispatch Affairs before.
Yesterday I fell in Love with a Lady in the Park; I took the Freedom of the Place, offered my Addresses, which at first she received coily, but waiting upon her to her Lodgings, I found after some modest Struggles of Honour, that, to speak poetically,
There is a Time, when Love no Wish denies,
And smiling Nature throws off each Disguise;
But who can Words, to speak those Raptures find?
Vast Sea of Extacy, that drowns the Mind!
That fierce Transfusion of exchanging Hearts!
That gliding Glimpse of Heav'n, in pulsive Starts!
The Rush of Joy! that wild tumultuous Roll!
That Fire! that kindles Body into Soul!
And, on Life's Margin, strains Delight so high,
That Sense breaks short, and while we taste, we die!
But, however, after all this warm Description, I beg that you, and my Friends, will entertain as charitable an Opinion as you can of,
Your sincere Friend ,
and humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON
A few Days after, He sent his fair Incognita the following Billet.
Madam ,
As the Spring gives us the fairest Idea of Paradise , I was reflecting with Adam , in Milton , how I could desire to improve it in the same Manner. You remember his beautiful Expostulation with his Creator , for the want of a rational Conversation Paradise it self , with all its most agreeable Scenes , were but, at best, insipidly pleasing , till they were sweetened with the Enjoyment of his Eve ; may I presume for the same Happiness! it cannot be accomplished but by the same Means — I naturally reflected also on the Happiness of your Company, and from that past Pleasure was insensibly betrayed into a Desire of repeating it ; I know not how to presume so far, as to hope for it this Evening, but if I may expect it, the usual Walk in the Park, &c.
To Mr. W. Pattison , to be left at Old-man 's Coffee House, near Charing-Cross .
Dear Sir ,
I Must own, I should have advised you against the Cutting out of your Name , and have endeavoured to have found out some other Expedient to have made you easy, but since that is now too late, I wish you, sincerely, Success in London , to your own Desire, and if, either there, or here, I can be of any little Assistance to you, you shall not ever want it.
Our Family send their Services to you, and heartily wish you well.
I am, dear Sir ,
Your sincere Friend ,
and most humble Servant ,
L. E USDEN .
Dear Mr. Eusden,
I Have been warmly sollicited to return to College by the next Term, but I cannot immediately give you my Resolution, I beg your Advice upon the Matter, and shall, with a great deal of Pleasure, consider any Thought you shall think proper to offer, because I know your Affection will design them to my Advantage. I suppose, by this Time, you have seen my Proposals , and, I hope, encouraged them with your Hand; if you can oblige me with your Interest in Cambridge , or Recommendations here in Town, I know you will give me leave to depend upon them I begin now to meet with better Success then I could ever promise my self, as a Stranger. I was, Yesterday, agreeably surprized with a Subscription and Compliment upon my Undertaking, from a certain stanch old Critick, whom I leave you to guess at; you will excuse me from the Vanity of transcribing the Verses, and be satisfied with them in the Place they are intended for. In Mr. Savage 's Miscellany, there are several Things by Aaron Hill , Esq; and, I think, very peculiar to his Character. I learnt Yesterday that the Battle of the Poets was wrote by Mr. Cooke who is translating Hesiod by Subscription. There's very arch Bob, wrote upon Dr. Young and Mr. Philips by Mr. Moore , Author of a new Play, now in Rehearsal at the Old House; but as it is only handed about in Manuscript , I have not an Opportunity of sending it. Pray commend me to your good Family, and believe me to be
Yours most affectionately ,
W. P ATTISON .
Dear Pattison,
I have done my utmost Endeavours to promote your Interest by Way of Subscriptions , but four are all I have been able to procure you as yet; tho' shall not be unmindful of you, if it lays in my Way to serve you farther. I have sent you a small Piece of Gold, which I beg you would be pleased to accept as an Earnest of my good Will and Affection to you, which will ever be the same, however distant Fortune may place me from you. I could gladly have sent you a larger , but, I can assure you, as Matters stand with me at present, this was more than I could have spared to any one less beloved than your self. You may be sure of my good Wishes, and that to hear from you often, will be very agreeable to,
Dear Sir, Yours ,
J. B UNCE .
Dear Sir ,
As you know the Friendship I always bore you, and are well acquainted with my Sincerity towards you, I believe I need not tell you how sorry I was for your Misfortune ; but have a good Heart, and let not your noble Courage be cast down; and I believe you can (with any Poet of 'em all) out-brave your Fate , and dare her to do her worst ; nor let your Spirits sink, my Friend, for I am Prophet enough to foretel, Non, si male nunc, & olim sic erit . I was sorry I could not take my leave of you before you went, but hope to see you again some time or other; till then, be assured, I shall always remain, with much Affection,
Your sincere Friend ,
and humble Servant ,
J. B UNCE .
P. S . Let me hear from you as soon, and as often, as possible — I wish you much Success in all your Undertakings, and so, dear Pattison , once more adieu!
The following Letters are from his School-Master, and some other Friends in the North .
Dear Sir ,
I Am much concerned that I can give you no better Assurance of my Diligence in promoting your, Interest, than by magnifying my Services, voce & praeterea nihil . I wish the Success had spoke it.
I waited on all the Gentlemen in our Neighbourhood, with whom I had the least Acquaintance, or that were likely to subscribe; I pressed several of the Clergy, and my own Fraternity; nor was I wanting in applying to Gentlemen I could be less free with, with all the persuasive Address I was Master of.
The Spirit has moved an honest Quaker to subscribe , but I have not been able to move any , except (a Brother Bum-brusher ) Mr. Noble , School-Master of Kirby-Stephen .
I wrote into Northumberland ; Mr. Nevinson replied, He would venture to answer for two Subscriptions besides his own, viz . one for Mr. Noble , your Poetical Father , and one for Mr. Woof . Upon sending down these Copies, the Money shall be faithfully remitted you, by,
Dear Sir ,
your assured Friend ,
and humble Servant,
R ICH . Y ATES .
Dear Pattison,
I Am sorry I can't let you know that your Proposals , have met with so good Encouragement in the North , as I wish. I am surprized to find a parcel of Hogs (whom I really thought to be the reverse) who would as soon part with a Drop of Blood from the Heart , as pay a poor Half-Crown for the Encouragement of one, who (without any Compliment) I take to be an Honour to their Town. There was a certain Gentleman here, from Cambridge , since I came into the Country, who endeavoured to perswade the Gentlemen, that there are a great many young Fellows, who, to get a little Money, publish Proposals, which they never intend to answer: I used all the Means I could, to let them know, that Mr. Pattison designed to publish whatever was proposed, but it was all to no Purpose. I have been down at Whitehaven , and Cockermouth , and got a Friend at each Place to recommend your Proposals , to whom they thought would subscribe.
For Six , you may however, send down Books when you please, and have the Money remitted you.
I have no News for you here, but that all Friends are well, and I am.
Dear Pattison,
Your most obedient Servant ,
T HO . N OBLE .
Dearest Sir ,
Y OUR acceptable Letter I received, and am wonderfully pleased to read so many fine Pieces in Manuscript as you have honoured me with, but above all, the Epistles from Rosamond to Henry , its Answer , and Abelard to Eloisa . These, in my sincere Opinion, infinitely excel all I ever read of the like Nature. I hope you will not ascribe it to any Inclination so sordid as that of Flattery , nor any want of true Taste in Poetry , or any Judgment corrupted with Partiality if I should even prefer the last to Mr. Pope 's excellent Epistle from Eloisa to Abelard . There is in yours, I know not what so moving and pathetick, so insensibly prevalent in actuating the Springs of Pity and Compassion, that whoever reads it, must unavoidably, read it (as all Readers ought) with the same Spirit its Author wrote it.
Yours ever ,
J. B.
Here concludes, what we have to offer relating to Mr. Pattison 's Correspondence. We must now cast and Eye towards that Scene of Misfortunes, wherein he had involved himself, by opposing the universal Request of his Friends in not returning to his College after they had paved a Way for his kind Reception.
As his Life became the Forfeit , we ought to draw a Veil of Forgiveness over his Imprudencies ; and it is to be hoped, that the Fatality of his Example will have some Influence over all such Youth , who, by running counter to the Advice of their best Friends, let their Heat get the better of their Judgment , and fall Victims to their own Folly .
Upon his leaving the University , he had several Recommendations to Gentlemen in London ; whom, it is to be presumed, by repeated Acts of Friendship, he had quite tired out, insomuch, that he was often near the Borders of Death , as appears by the following Letter to Mr. Southern .
S IR ,
If you are a Person of the Humanity represented to me, I presume you will excuse my Freedom, and consider my Circumstances; what I am, my Proposals and Specimen will tell you, and I hope, direct your good Nature accordingly. Suffice it for me to acquaint you that I am of S IDNEY -College in Cambridge , but, by some Misfortunes in Town, reduced to make my Applications of this Nature. If you scruple any. Thing in Relation to what I propose (as you very reasonably may) give me leave to justify my self, by satisfying you, that my Intentions, however unhappy, are honourable, at least.
I am, Sir ,
Your most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
And to another Gentleman he wrote this, a few Days after.
S IR ,
If you was ever touched with a Sense of Humanity , consider my Condition ; what I am , my Proposals will inform you; what I have been, Sidney -College, in Cambridge , can witness; but what I shall be , some few. Hours hence, I tremble to think — Spare my Blushes — I have not enjoyed the common Necessaries of Life for these two Days, and can hardly hold, to subscribe my self,
Your most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
The following Letter, to Lord Carteret , with the Verses annexed, met with an Answer, I am well assured, peculiar to the Humanity of that very worthy Nobleman.
My Lord ,
Tho' I have not the Honour of being known to your Lordship, yet I presume, upon your Lordship's general Character of encouraging Literature, to offer my Proposals; they are, I presume, so reasonable, that your Lordship will easily discover me to aim at the Ambition, rather than the common Advantage of an Author, when I thus apply for that Name which will be a Recommendation to the Book, and a particular Favour to
Your Lordship's most obedient .
and most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
What Effect the two other Applications had, I cannot determine; but, I fear, tho' the Request was so small, as only a Subscription to his Miscellany , it met with a Denial . Such is the general Inhumanity of the World, when Distress makes but the least Application. It gave me a great Pleasure, I must own (on the Day of their present Majesties Accession) to meet him at Mr. Curll 's, the Bookseller in the Strand , in whose Family, he then told me, he had been for about a Month, and added, that his daily Employ was transcribing his Papers for the Press, in Order to do Justice to those Gentlemen who were his Subscribers , by a speedy Delivery of their Books, through whose Generosity he had wholly subsisted ever since he left Cambridge , having had no Remittance from his Father.
Shortly after, calling at Mr. Curll 's, to buy Mr. Pope 's Letters , I found Mr. Pattison putting into a Chair. Upon Enquiry, Mr. Curll 's Servant (his Master being gone to pay a Visit at Ilford ), in Essex ) told me, That the Small-Pox having appeared upon Mr. Pattison , he bequithed mia to Protesilaus , with some other Classical Translations , and Occasional Poems .
He earnestly sollicited a Friendship with Mr. Pope , of the Success of which I cannot say any thing, but I have often heard him acknowledge, with the greatest Satisfaction, the Happiness of the Acquaintance he had cultivated with that sincere young Gentleman Mr. Walter Harte , of St. Mary-Hall, Oxon , with whom he not only held a very amicable Correspondence, but was also obliged to him for many kind Offices of Relief under his Misfortunes.
The last Letter he ever received was from this Gentleman (being but two Days before his Death) he had wrote to him for his Advice concerning a new Version of Ovid's Epistles , and Mr. Harte , as he says himself, at a Moment's Summons, dealt plainly, and communicated his Sentiments in the following Manner.
S IR ,
The little I can say in Regard to Ovid , will be of small Service to your New Version of his Epistles . I must own, I have studied his Manner much, and have often endeavoured to make a mixed Sort of Writing from him and Statius . But to enter into a long Detail of Criticisms, would swell my Letter too much, or to speak more sincerely, I will never say a Word after Mr. Dryden .
Yet, methinks, I had better play the Fool, than be too Ill-natured; for you press me hard to speak my Thoughts impartially on the last Translation. I should be glad to equivocate in this Case, for of all Things I hate Detraction. You are sensible I do this very unwillingly, for the Gentlemen are dead, and may my own ill Poetry never meet with Favour, if I take any Pleasure in disturbing their Ashes. To translate after them is to do 'em no Injury. To imitate an Original is every Man's Property, and he may assume it when he pleases. All we can do, is to alleviate their Errors, and to avoid Reflection. 'Tis ungenerous to upbraid a Man for doing his best, either in Life or Writings.
The Epistles which I think to be capable of many Amendments, are these following. Phillis to Demophoon by Poley and Lloyd, Hypermnestra by Wright, Ariadne to Theseus, Hermione to Orestes, Leander , &c. by Tate , and Ænone by Mrs. Behn , (these are pretty good, but paraphrased) Laodamia, Paris to Helen, Penelope, Hypsipyle, Medea, Phaedra by Otway, Briseis by Caryl , (this has many fine Lines) Dejanira, Acontius , and my own Cydippe . On the contrary, I need not tell you, that no Man living can exceed Sapho to Phaon , by Mr. Pope , and if I were to Criticise on the Epistles , I would draw my Rules from his Version . The same may be said of Canace, Helen to Paris , and Dido to Æneas , by Dryden .
A Reason may be given, why those Gentlemen succeeded no better. They left out many Beauties, but seldom added or improved any. I shall just observe some general Failings which run thro' 'em all.
Ovid 's Character was Ease and Softness , here they all lost him. Nothing can be more stiff and prosaic than the modern Version. Ovid , methinks, is like some great Man placed on an Eminence.
Despicere unde potest illos, passimque videre
Errare, atque viam palantes quaerere —
In the next Place, they have nothing Pathetical , or if they had, the Lameness of the Verse would spoil it. 'Twere tedious to give you Directions to Copy, or rather to improve Ovid in this Case: 'Tis the very Soul of all the Epistles , nor can a Translator be supposed to be ignorant of so essential a Beauty. 'Tis all in all, and all in every Part , as Suarez and the School-men tell us. I think I have brought in this metaphysical Notion very dextrously. In Regard to the Pathos above-mentioned, I know not how to make you sensible of my own Conceptions, for we conceive many Things which cannot be defined. I never hear what Tully calls the dictum ardens in Poetry, but I tremble extremely, though at that instant I cannot give any exact Reason why I am pleased. All I mean, may be found in Eloisa to Abelard , the Fairy-Queen , and the most tender Tragedies . But beware of any Thing too subtile and abstruse in the Notions of Love and Honour (a Fault which Petrarch and Cowley mostly ran into) and on the other Hand, avoid too Womanish a Softness , such as we find in Romances ; for let the French say what they will, a Thing may be written too Cavalierement . In Regard to the mythological and historical Part, you cannot be too short and plain. Something like Sandys 's Translation of the Metamorphosis , and in the last Place, I would advise you to follow no Commentator whatsoever in the first Sketch of your Verses. For, by adhering too scrupulously to the Letter and Context, the whole must of Consequence be stiff , and the first Error will grow worse and worse, the more you strive to correct it. It puts me in mind of a Fault in most ill Poets , though I never saw the Observation before. They make the former Line of the Couplet first , and when they have taken the full Force and Extent of the Thought into this one , 'tis impossible for the other to have either Sense , or Sound . I have read a whole Poem, of which every other Line was an Anti-Clima .
Thus far, Sir, I have ventured to give my Opinion, and if my Letter should prove something of the longest, be pleased to take Cardinal du Perron 's Answer, who used to say, on the same Occasion, He had not Time to write a shorter . 'Twas begun and ended in one Morning, without reading, or thinking with any tolerable Exactness, and if you knew how ill I am, you would wonder I could say so much. Sickness excuses Impertinence, as well as ill Manners, so, without Ceremony, adieu!
Yours most affectionately ,
W. H ARTE .
He had begun his Version of Ovid , two Years ago, as appears by the following Letter.
Mr. C URLL ,
I Have now gone through with Four of Ovid 's Epistles , in such a Manner as I adjoin this Specimen ; you will see the Severity of the Latin has deterred me from a servile Metaphrase, and given me a Loose to a freer Version. I have always my Author so in my Eye, as never to tread upon his Heels, or I hope, lose, Sight of him; I flatter my self, my English Reader will not distaste some Turns of my own, when I declare I added them not out of any Self-Vanity, but Justice to my Original. For certainly a Translator ought to make Amends when it lies in his Way, for such Beauties, as, being often in Ovid couched under some Expressions that are incapable to shine in any Dress but their Own.
I desire you to receive what I send you here, with the same Candour you were wont to shew to,
Yours, in every Respect ,
W. P ATTISON .
P. S . You must remember the Ladies are the best Judges in Poetry, especially, of this Nature; and if by their Encouragement I can proceed with Hopes to please, I shall think it a greater Honour to lay my Labours, and my self, at their Feet, than to enjoy the Applauses of the most judicious Criticks.
His sincere Friend and School-fellow Florio , so often mentioned in Mr. Pattison 's Writings, declares in a Letter, That as to a New Translation of O VID'S Epistles , he knew none more equal to the Undertaking; and that even at School an early Fondness after that Book began to dawn in his Breast . He farther confirms his Opinion, by the Specimen Mr. Pattison sent him, in this Definitive Sentence of his Versification — Yours is That in English, which Ovid's is in Latin. It will be doubtless, thought very daring that He should re-attempt Sapho to Phaon after Mr. Pope , but it must be considered they are performed very differently in the Nature of the Versions; Mr. Pope 's being pretty close to the Original, and Mr. Pattison' s an extensive Paraphrase .
To put an End to these melancholy Memoirs, it must be declared that Mr. Pattison's Sufferings were inexpressible; and to sum up all in the Words of his Friend Mr. H ARTE — He was miserably unfortunute to my Knowledge . But what heightened even his greatest Distress was the unheard-of Barbarity of his Father Above a Fortnight before there was any Apprehension of his having the Small-Pox , his Father was acquainted, by Letter , with his Circumstances, and the drooping Indisposition he complained of. And so far was he from sending him any Relief, that he did not return an Answer . When he lay on his Death-Bed, he said, He would give all the World to obtain a Reconciliation between himself and his Father . — Upon this, a second Letter was sent, to acquaint him, that if ever he expected to see his Son any more Alive, he must forthwith come away. To this Letter he likewise remained silent, and staid where he was. After his Death a special Messenger was dispatched with a third Letter to acquaint him, that, Nothing now remained to be done but the last Office, his Son's Burial, which only waited for his Direction. Four Days was his body kept above Ground, but no Father either came or sent. After his Funeral, a fourth Letter was sent, to which no other Answer was returned, but one from an Attorney, to pay all the Expences of Two Month's Lodging, Board, Sickness, and Burial, &c. with a Spunge . This a Court of Judicature must decide, if it be not otherwise speedily discharged.
No Care was wanting to have saved him, and the greatest Hopes appeared of his Recovery; but, he had laid his Afflictions to Heart , and all Medicinal Prescriptions were ineffectual.
He had, without Doubt ( says one of his best Friends, more than once mentioned in the foregoing Pages ) an uncommon Genius for English Poetry, and he was so taken with it, as to be negligent of other Parts of Learning, even of such as must be necessary for the Composition of a good Poet.
It is too late now to say, I wish he had behaved so as to tarry longer where he was, given the World now and then a Specimen of what they might hope for from him in Time, and then have launch'd forth as his Judgment, when more mature, should direct him.
I know of no Severities from his Tutor, ( continues the same worthy Gentleman ) but what were necessary to make him sensible, of his Doings, and to know to whom he was indebted for his Favours, which I am sure he was to Mr. B — .
However, it is on all Hands allowed, that the Publick will be entertained with these Juvenile Productions , being most of them written, as well as his Friend 's, before the Author was Nineteen Years of Age. And I doubt not, but the Reverend Mr. Hildrop , Master of Marlborough School in Wiltshire , looks upon it as an Honour to have had a Harte for his Pupil, as Mr. Yates of Appleby expresses his generous Pleasure at having educated a Pattison .
The many Misrepresentations of his Case, both in Cambridge and London , have obliged me to draw up so long an Account of so short a Life . As I, at first, profess'd my self a Stranger to his Case, so have impartially laid before the Publick his Own and his Friends Vouchers in his behalf; nor shall I make any other Remark than this, — Whatever Offices of Friendship his Tutor might shew him, while under his Care , it was ungenerous to expose his private Affairs , after his Departure ; all Obligations being cancelled, when a publick Declaration is made of them.
Lastly , One of the Epistles promised by Mr. Pattison in his Proposals , he left unfinished; but the Fragment of it, which he had begun, hereafter follows. It is that of Yarico to Inkle .
Yarico to Inkle: an Epistle
Dear, faithless Man! if e'er that cruel Breast
Love's pleasing Toys, and soft Delights, confest;
Distress like mine, may sure thy Pity move,
For tender Pity is the Child of Love!
But can Compassion from thy Bosom flow?
Source of my Wrongs, and Fountain of my Woe!
Wilt thou, repentant, soften at my Grief,
Melt at my Tears, and lend a late Relief!
What have I done? ah! how deserv'd thy Hate?
Or was this Vengeance treasur'd up by Fate?
Then will I mourn my Fate's severe Decree,
Nor charge a Guilt so black, so base on Thee;
For O! I know, ah no! I knew, thy Mind
Soft as the Dove , and as the Turtle kind;
How have I seen thy gentle Bosom move,
And heave, contagious, to some Tale of Love !
How have I heard thee paint the faithfull'st Pair,
Describe their Bliss, and e'en their Raptures share!
Then have thy Lips, with sweet Transition swore
Thy Love more lasting, and thy Passion more!
And what, is Truth , if Signs like these deceive!
Signs! that might win the wariest to believe.
Mr. C URIL ,
Upon the News of the Death of my dear Friend and School-fellow Mr. Pattison , I writ these Verses, which is a Duty I obliged my self to pay him, in Case I survived him. I beg you would insert them as you think most proper.
Your most obedient Servant, &c .
Verses on the Death of Mr. W. Pattison
Oft have I sung to thee, my Friend, when living,
Oft have I sung, — and thou hast sung to me:
Oft the delightful Musick of thy Numbers,
Has sooth'd the Anguish of my anxious Mind.
I weep to think of all our youthful Actions,
I weep and wish, and weep and wish again,
That all these Actions could but be renew'd,
And we our once liv'd Life again live o'er,
And run the Stream of easy Innocence —
But now no more — I sigh to say no more,
How can I say that Word without a Tear,
The Tribute due from me to thy pale Ghost:
And since it is thy Due I will not wrong thee,
But pay thee all thy Due, and more than's Due,
If I can more than's Due — Accept them all
I pour the willing Stream upon thy Ashes.
When I reflect upon our Actions past,
The innocent Amusements of our Youth,
When I reflect upon the great Esteem
We always entertain'd for one another.
I pish at Life — and wish and seek for Death,
To give me those Regions where thou art:
Those Regions which before we but imagin'd,
And form'd a faint imperfect Vision of.
Oft have we when in Solitude retir'd
A faint imaginary Heav'n describ'd,
By Words proportion'd to our grosser Senses;
And what we fancy'd most delightful here,
Of such Materials we compos'd our Heaven.
" Heav'n's made of Gold, a golden vaulted Roof
" O'erhangs the Pavement of a Silver Floor,
" And Diamonds dart their sparkling Waters round,
" To light the Courts of Heav'n! — and thus we strove,
By sensible Resemblances to see
That unimagin'd State thou now enjoy'st.
Now heav'nly Bard thou know'st, — ay — well thou know'st
That Gold and Silver give but faint Ideas
Of that ineffable transcendent State,
Where all Ideas are abstract from Sense.
Gold has no Lustre to the Souls of Man,
Gold is but tempting to our worldly Eye:
But in the blessed Mansions of Above,
There is some other Thing, I cannot think of,
Whose faint Resemblance we describe by Gold,
Silver and Diamonds; yet are none of these,
Nor nothing like them. But by this we know
That it is great and truly valuable.
When we describ'd th' Inhabitants of Heaven,
We gave them human Shape, because most perfect
We yet have thought of, and we give 'em Wings,
As Emblems of their great Velocity.
But now, dear Bard, methinks I see thee living,
Not shap'd like Man, or wing'd as we imagine;
There's no Description that can soar to thee,
Tho' enliven'd with thy own poetick Genius:
Tho' thy Descriptions have been rich as Thought,
Yet far below thy self they fault'ring fall.
Thou hast no Shape as we imagine Shape,
Nor Substance palpable to Touch or Eye:
And when we say thou art an heav'nly Being,
By that we mean a Thing we know not what,
And paint a Being we know nothing of.
Whene'er we form an Image of a Being,
We give it Substance, and we give it Shape,
Or else we lose the Meaning of our selves
In Speculation. In this new State thou art
An insubstantial Essence, a beauteous Being
Too great to be compar'd to aught Below.
When we delineate the Joys above,
By Flowers, by Fruits, by Streams, by Groves we show them,
And fill those Groves with Innocence and Musick,
And ev'ry Colour that obliges Sense
Of mortal Man, abound in great Profusion.
But these are nothing like the Joys above,
These are not Joys incomprehensible;
But the Felicity thou now enjoy'st,
Are too, too big for human Comprehension,
Which soars no higher than the Bounds of Sense.
When we put off this mortal Body, then
We are divested of corporeal Senses,
And then the Joys above would be invalid,
If they address'd themselves, as those on Earth
To the five Organs of the Senses only.
The Joys, the Beings, or the Seats above,
Are only to be known by Metaphor ,
And are not Objects to our finite Senses.
What shall I say to thee, caelestial Bard,
Words are too feeble to express my Thoughts,
Sweet was thy Fancy, and exact thy Ear,
Thy Numbers easy, and thy Judgment fine,
Thy Conversation pleasing, and thy Mind
Enliv'n'd by the Wit of ev'ry Author,
And by thy own. Thy Memory was strong,
Rich with Variety of Observations;
Thy Correspondence friendly and sincere,
And every other good Accomplishment,
That is to be desir'd in a Friend,
Companion or Poet were in Thee.
Accept this Verse, the Tribute that is due
From me to thee, from one Friend to another:
Accept it, as an Instance of th' Affection
That has surviv'd thee, and can never die:
The Source of Friendship is Celestial,
And there will be a Time in future Days,
When this our Friendship shall exist again,
And be immortal as our Souls in Heaven.
How great Floods far off, run, and Vallies lye;
Taketh a Glass-Prospective , good and true,
By which, Things most remote, are full in View:
If Monarchs , so, would take an Instrument
Of Truth compos'd, to spy their Subject's Drent,
In foul Oppression, by those high in Seat,
Who care not to be Good, but to be Great;
In full Aspect, the Wrongs of each Degree
Would lie before them; and they then would see.
The devilish Politician all convinces,
In murd'ring Statesmen, and in pois'ning Princes;
The Prelate in P LURALITIES asleep,
Whilst that the Wolf lies preying on his Sheep;
The drowsy Lawyer , and the false Attornies ,
Tire poor Men's Purses, with their Life-long Journies;
The Country Gentleman , from's Neighbour's Hand
Forceth th' Inheritance, joins Land to Land;
And, most insatiate, seeks under his Rent,
To bring the World's most spacious Continent;
The fawning Citizen , whose Love's bought dearest;
Deceives his Brother, when the Sun shines clearest;
Gets, borrows, breaks, lets in, and stops out Light,
And lives a Knave , to leave his Son a Knight ;
The griping Farmer hoards the Seed of Bread,
Whilst, in the Street, the Poor lye famished.
And free, there's none, from all this worldly Strife,
Except the Shepherd 's Heaven-blest happy Life.
Tantum , for were I to Copy every Beauty in this Author, I must transcribe His whole Work.
Return we now to Mr. Pattison , whom we shall find either Versifying at Sidney -College, or Angling on the Banks of the River Cam .
This Amusement was the chief Alleviation of his Studies, for he was always averse to the Publick Disputations . Upon one of these Occasions it was, that he shewed his Resentment, at being carried to the Schools by the Wranglers .
As the Brute-World to Father Adam came,
Requesting, with enquiring Looks, a Name,
To ev'ry Beast , a Title he assign'd,
And nominated all the Sylvan-kind .
So savage Multitudes about Me throng,
Did Adam's Talent but to Me belong!
Yet, tho' they cheat the World , by their Disguise ,
They are but Asses , to Poetick Eyes .
The Acquaintance he contracted in the University was of the best Sort, and the Marks of Esteem they shewed him, upon all Occasions, were very singular and affectionate; more particularly, in the many Instances of Friendship which they have vouchsafed him by their Subscriptions .
I profess myself to be wholly ignorant of the Grounds of the Quarrel between him and his Tutor, but I am assured from many Hands, that, the Rigour with which he treated him, was not easy to brook, and he could very ill bear Restraint, telling me himself, that, it was the Threats of Expulsion , and the Dread of such a Scandal , which made him cut his Name out of the College-Book. However, he left the College in Mirth , tho' the Consequences terminated in Melancholy , by deputing his Gown to make his Apology in the following Verses, which he pinned upon it, at his Departure.
Whoever gives himself the Pains to stoop,
And take my venerable Tatters up;
To his presuming Inquisition I,
In Loco Pattisoni thus reply .
Tir'd with the senseless Jargon of the Gown,
My Master left the College, for the Town;
Where, from Pedantick Drudgery secur'd,
He laughs at Follies which he once endur'd;
And scorns his precious Minutes to regale,
With wretched College-Wit, and College-Ale;
Far nobler Pleasures open to his View,
Pleasures for ever Sweet! for ever New!
Bright Wit, soft Beauty, and Ambition's Fire
Inflame his Bosom, and his Muse inspire;
While to his few, but much endearing Friends,
His Love, and humble Service, he commends.
Soon after his Departure , his most sincere Friends expressed their hearty Concern thereat; and were very anxious, either for his Return , or, at least, that he would make an Apology to the Superiors of the College for his Behaviour . The former he could not be persuaded to, but the latter he readily complied with, and drew up a State of his Case , in the following Manner, and transmitted it to a peculiar Friend at Cambridge .
SIR,
It is observable, that Misfortune is the Touch-stone of Friendship , and, as it ever is wont to cool the Affections of a Pretender , so it has, sometimes, the Virtue to awaken a generous Compassion in a Stranger . I am sensible it is owing to this Cause, you expressed so kind a Concern for my Welfare upon leaving College . And it is your good nature which encourages me to make this rude Acknowledgment of my Gratitude: But, that I may not altogether seem unworthy your Regard, give me leave, as far as Modesty will allow, to rescue my Character from some Persons, who, I fear, will be as maliciously industrious to prejudice you against me, as they have been in promoting my Ruin.
The Breath of Fame is an unwholsome Air,
For Vanity and Scorn engender there.
And here, Sir, lies the Difficulty, for the World is ever inclined to suspect us of Partiality, when we speak of our selves; and it is unnatural for a Person to condemn himself, when he has an Adversary , so ready as mine, to deal with; I was going to say, so powerful, without considering the Validity of his Accusations , which must be proved . If they are found to be true , I shall, with a great deal of Resignation, submit to the Censures of Mankind , and when he has honestly acquitted himself from the same Charge to his Conscience , I invite him to throw the first Stone . Here is a Field of Satire opened for me, but I scorn to draw upon a naked Man, and shall content, myself. But, I hope, the absolute Necessity of such a Proceeding will, in some Measure, excuse me to that usual. Indulgence, which the Master and the Fellows have ever favoured me with, especially since it is the last Offence I am likely to be guilty of; in Testimony of which, I have one Request to make, which, tho' it may appear presumptious, carries very sufficient. Reasons, which, I hope, will not be refused. Every one is sensible what Reflections the World are generally apt to throw upon Persons in my Condition; for branding them with the Reproach of Expulsion , may be very unhappily received among Strangers, whilst there are Persons ready to forge specious Pretences, and can never be more injurious to me, than at present; because my Fortune must depend upon the Publick, as I am engaging Subscribers to my Poems ; the Success I have met with, in Town, is much beyond the Expectation of a Stranger, and I should be inclined, were my Condition known, to attribute such an Indulgence rather to a generous Sense of my Misfortunes, than my Merit; may the former plead in Defence of the latter! and may you be moved with so much Humanity to my Sufferings, as to adorn the Lift of my Subscribers . By such a Favour, you will not only contribute to my better Fortune, but secure my Reputation, whilst your Name convinces the World, that you are still ready to encourage any innocent Endeavours of, Sir ,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
I have been a little uneasy in my Circumstances, of late, which has depriv'd you of the Pleasure of some Entertainments, that otherwise you had received. I shall excuse my self to you now, with the Promise of communicating personally, as I intend to be at Cambridge very shortly. I have wrote Two Epistles more, since my Residence in Town; and, I hope, perfected my other Four ; which, as they are design'd to begin my Second Collection, are ready for the Press, and will also shortly be printed off. I have done several little Occasional Pieces , which 'twould be tedious to particularize to you.
I was, last Night, with Mr. Concanen , he's pretty Gentleman, and, to give him no small Compliment, I think, very near your Taste; upon that, I took, the Freedom to mention you, and accordingly we both drank your Health, till we a little incommoded our own. Commend me heartily to all Friends, and believe me to be Yours most sincerely,
W. P ATTISON .
Dear Pattison,
I Received the Proposats , &c. last Saturday ; and on Sunday your Letter came to my Hands. I really wonder you should think so poorly of your Friends Readiness to serve you, as to send me no more than! Ten Receipts. Your Proposals here have met with, I believe I may say, an Universal Reception. I have, in our own College, already got forty Promises, nor do I despair of procuring the greatest Part of a Hundred. I have not received an absolute Denial from any of our Batchelors, excepting two, and one gives it, because he leaves College soon: Nor are there above two more, who have not entirely determined in your Favour. I waited, Yesterday, on a Senior Fellow of our College, a Doctor of Divinity; Persons of his Standing, you know, are generally not very great Admirers of Poetry; but indeed, in this, as in all other Things, his Taste is extraordinary; and he not only subscribed, but has likewise past several very handsome Compliments upon you, and when I came away, he was so kind, as to wish you Success, after a very affectionate Manner. By my Description of him, I don't question but you know who it is I mean, and it can be no small Satisfaction to you, when you consider, that you have got one of the finest Men in the University, and one whose Example a great many of our most celebrated Doctors will be willing to follow. My Lord Scarsdale 's Heir has promised a Subscription, and another of our Fellows. I can almost promise you our President and Dean, tho' the latter is not in College at present. Mr. Law , and Mr. Rothery , prove indefatigable Friends, and the greatest Part of those of their Standing, with many others, are very willing to serve you. Mr. Law tells me, he has an Acquaintance, who says, he can procure you forty Subscriptions among the Templars . Mr. Rowe is likewise as ready as the rest; and many more have promised to write to the Temple, Oxford , and their respective Countries about you. It is my Opinion, you will have Reason to look upon the Lift of Subscribers, which I shall send you, not only as Names of your Well-wishers, but as a Catalogue of your affectionate Friends. Every Body approves of your Specimen of The H OUR -G LASS , which takes wonderfully. I am glad you will receive such a large Recommendation, from a Place where you are so well known; I mean, from the University , and I hope you will live to be an Honour to it. 'Tis upon this Account, that I am vastly pleased, that you print the Subscribers Names; no doubt, in all, there will be a great Number; I'm sure no possible Endeavour to enlarge it, shall be wanting, from,
Dear, &c.
Your sincere Friend ,
and obedient humble Servant ,
J OHN D ICKINSON .
P. S . I would have you send me forty or fifty Receipts , and as many Proposals as you can well spare. Write to me likewise by the next Post. Let me know if Mr. Pope subscribes, or any other eminent Hands. I will use my utmost Endeavour to serve you.
I did not, at first, know whether it would not be more proper to address you, being an Author, as Authors address their Patrons in a fawning Dedication , or, as a Friend, to play the Humourist for your Diversion. But, upon Consideration, that I should require no small Study to be formal, and likewise as Gallantry, by Men of Business is look'd upon as the worst-tim'd Impertinence. I chose to fall in with your own Vein at present, knowing, that if I pleased you less , I should please you more . Pardon the Paradox, and farewel.
Mr. Dickinson , in another, Letter of October 25, 1726, writes thus to Mr. Pattison , — " The Story of your Cutting your Name out of College, is now told with this farther Addition , that if you had not done so, you had certainly been expelled , tho' no one knows for what . This puts a Stop to our Proceedings; it is in vain to ask any one that have not given a Promise, and they that have, seem unwilling to perform it, and the most favourable Excuse I receive from any, is their delaying it. The Reason they gave, was this; they thought they could have no Security for their Money, and they could not tell but this might be an Imposition, since every Circumstance conduced much to make it appear very probably so. And then they would proceed to give. Instances of the same Nature, where Proposals were printed, and Receipts given. All the Service I or any of your Friends could do you then, was very small: Indeed, we told them, You voluntarily cut your Name out for your own Advantage in being at some other College; and not out of any Fear of Expulsion ; we farther affirmed, You would return shortly, and fix in Trinity- Hall ; but we were looked upon, as Persons who were obliged to make this, as well as every Thing they objected besides, appear in fair, if not false Colours. That which proved most serviceable to you, was a Story I heard by Chance, that your College would admit you again, or give you your Terms . I made no Scruple of improving this Hint , but, with all Industry, spread it Abroad, that your College was vastly desirous of getting you again; and this has, in some Measure, established in all, the good Opinion they had of you. I wish you would return , since it will be so advantageous, and I beg you will not be too nice in insisting upon Articles; you will not be obliged to reside. I'm certain you need not doubt Mr. Hulse 's good Will in any Thing; to my Knowledge, he is ambitious of serving you most. Mr. Stilling fleet left College some Time ago; he gave his Service to you, and was sorry he could not serve you among the Fellows, and he gave me a Subscription . Mr. Surll has subscribed ; gives his Service to you, and if he can any Ways promote your Interest, he will not be wanting. I shall be obliged to you, if you will let me know what Subjectject you design for your last Epistle . What News — and don't forget to relate the Usage you met with at Mr. Pope 's. I am obliged to you, for your Recommendation to Mr. Ward , he is a Gentleman, whose Acquaintance I should be proud of.
I am, dear Sir ,
Your affectionate Friend ,
and obedient humble Servant ,
J OHN D ICKINSON .
As a Specimen of the Treatment Mr. P ATTISON met with from his Tutor, the following Authorities are produced.
Dear Pattison,
I Was inconceivably grieved at Hulse 's Account of your Tribulation and Confusion, after I parted from you, and wish I could have contributed towards your Relief: Here hath been vast Enquiries made about you, by the Fellows, but none of them seems to be touched with so much Pity and Concern as Mr. G — y ; who, this Morning, to me, express'd no small Regard for your Welfare, and wish'd that you had taken leave of him, who intended to have given you a Token of his Gratitude for your Service in College: I advise you to send him a decent Epistle, and another to the Master, with an impartial Account of the ill Treatment which you have met with under B — display therein his severe Usage , in moving Terms, and urge, that he was the chief Cause of your abrupt departing hence; B — is not, as yet returned, the Fellows begin, in an open Manner to complain of his Misbehaviour to them, and Dishonesty to his Creditors; they have met together twice; to consult some Means of redressing the Grievances of College Servants , and others . When you have any Business of Importance to be done here, depend upon his Service and Sincerity, who subscribes himself, with all possible Respect,
Your assured Friend ,
and Servant ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
Dear Pattison,
I Am sorry to tell you, that I had the Misfortune, in an Hurry of Business, to lose your last Letter out of my Pocket, which, I am afraid, is, by some hostile Hand, taken up, and convey'd to B — , who threatens to give you Trouble, but on what Score is unknown to me; he seems exceedingly incensed at your leaving College, counter to his Permission; and, for the Defence of his own Reputation, with Regard to you, exposes his Accounts and Letters, from your Friends, to every curious Eye; and farthermore, takes no small Pains to enumerate, in emphatical Words, what mighty Services he has done, and what vast Kindnesses he always shewed you, whilst in College; he opened his Books, to my View, Yesterday Morning; wherein I perceived you stand indebted to him, all Matters justly calculated, but for a mere Trifle; for he has your Caution-Money in his Custody, being Ten Pounds; and Exhibition-Money , &c. to receive on your Account, all which will near amount to a compleat Disbursement of himself, &c. I have received from Mr. Ward , your Ten Proposals and Receipts, which I can, with Ease, get off, and perhaps, as many more; a Specimen of them shall be usher'd in amongst our Fellows at the Combination-Room; some of whom will, doubtless, subscribe; few of our Junior Fellows are at present in College. I advise you to write to Mr. G — y , with Speed, because he is about leaving us; and also to Mr. Davie , who has been so kind as to pay to David Adams , our Sub-Porter, one Guinea, towards discharging the Sum you owed him. You had better mention Sidney -College, immediately after your own Name in the Title-Page, than not; it will look more, ornamental to, tho' cannot enhance the intrinsick Value of your Poems. Your Proposals have always found good Success in the University; I am extremely glad, and congratulate you hereupon; and wish you may meet with as much Encouragement as either you desire, or deserve. You need not fear Encouragement for your Second Volume. Be sure to hold a Correspondence with good and choice Associates, and live as long as you can in a private Capacity; excuse this Freedom, and impute it to my deep Sense of the innumerable Temptations to which one of your Complexion is liable in such a populous Place; but peculiarly to my earnest Wishes for your well doing. Mr. B — has made a Seizure of all Things that you have left in your Room, for his own Security, as he pretends. I have been out of College, otherwise should have forestalled his Design. Mr. Dickinson , of St. John 's College, is very active in your Service; as also is Mr. Rothery ; if this tedious Scrawl proves of any Moment to you, the Author will think himself amply rewarded, who remains, with all possible Respect,
Yours everlastingly ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
P. S. Give me leave to tell you, That your last to me justly deserves to be censured; in the Beginning of which, you call me ungenerous, for making generous and friendly Proposals, with a tender Regard to your future Welfare in this Life; but I believe that Passion, rather than Reason, had the Ascendant in your Mind at that Juncture when you wrote; otherwise you had expressed, your self in more charitable Terms; you sought to, consider what I inserted on that Subject, as Henley 's Liturgy is recommended; not imposed as necessary , but advertised as useful , &c. You know I always delight to speak my inward Sentiments in the plainest Manner; for which Reason, I hope, you'll excuse my Freedom and Imperfections herein; proceeding in very much Haste, from
Your most assured Friend ,
and Servant ,
B ENJAMIN W ASE .
Dear Mr. Pattison,
I Am sorry I have ever given you Reason to complain of ill Usage from me, as your Letter to Wase terms my Silence, and am much concerned that it has been aggrevated by the Miscarriage of an Answer I sent you near three Weeks ago. You seem not to have received it, since 'twas not mentioned in your last Letter. As to the Apprehensions of Jealousy therein hinted at, they are on your Side, not on mine, though I acknowledge I have been so unhappy as to occasion them. Your Mistrust of my Respect to you has troubled me very much, and your unkind Opinion that I only followed your Fortune, has given me great Uneasiness. I'll assure you my Love for you is as constant as ever, and if any Thing has seemed wanting in Words, I hope my Actions will atone for it. I lately received your Favour of a Visit from Mr. Eusden , who says he has writ to you a Fortnight ago, and expresses the tenderest Affection for you, such as I wish you may receive from Mr. Pope 's Acquaintance. Poetry has been a long Time at a very low Ebb, though Satire threatens to shoot its Sting, now Python , alias C — ly is returned to College, and wants an Apollo in your self to manage him. Pray pardon a little poetical Freedom, and believe me in earnest, when I profess my self what I hope you shall have no future Reason to mistrust me.
Yours sincerely ,
J. H ULSE .
Your Proposals continue successful; I have this Afternoon procured another Subscriber, and shall immediately go to my Tutor to obtain what I don't doubt of, his favouring your Deserts.
Dear Pattison,
SOME here have catch'd a flying Notion, this your Poems in Embryo will prove abortive; but they, who are your real Friends, endeavour to suppress it; a few succeeding Months, I hope, will discover the Truth and Justice of your Friend's Defence of your Cause; and by publishing and delivering a Copy to each Subscriber, you'll convince the Censorious Place of your Honour, as well as Honest with Regard to this Affair. Mr. Adams desires to know whether you are determined to return to College , or not, because your Exhibition is in Suspence on that Account; if you receive any more than what is herein noticed, a farther Account shall be given you in another, by
Yours assuredly ,
B ENJ W ASE .
Dear Mr . Wase,
I Received your Favours, and own my self highly obliged to you for that Trouble, which you are always ready to undergo for the sake of your Friend: I am sorry I can only repay you with my sincere and hearty Thanks, but I know your generous Spirit will consider such an Acknowledgment as something of a Satisfaction. I intend, this Post, to write to Mr. Adams , upon the Affair you mentioned from him. I hope I need not be particular in expressing my Gratitude to my Friends. I meet every Day with very great Encouragement among Persons of Distinction; and in short, live so happily, that I begin to be in Love with the Town; however, I will be at Cambridge by the next Division , for I am afraid I cannot dispatch Affairs before.
Yesterday I fell in Love with a Lady in the Park; I took the Freedom of the Place, offered my Addresses, which at first she received coily, but waiting upon her to her Lodgings, I found after some modest Struggles of Honour, that, to speak poetically,
There is a Time, when Love no Wish denies,
And smiling Nature throws off each Disguise;
But who can Words, to speak those Raptures find?
Vast Sea of Extacy, that drowns the Mind!
That fierce Transfusion of exchanging Hearts!
That gliding Glimpse of Heav'n, in pulsive Starts!
The Rush of Joy! that wild tumultuous Roll!
That Fire! that kindles Body into Soul!
And, on Life's Margin, strains Delight so high,
That Sense breaks short, and while we taste, we die!
But, however, after all this warm Description, I beg that you, and my Friends, will entertain as charitable an Opinion as you can of,
Your sincere Friend ,
and humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON
A few Days after, He sent his fair Incognita the following Billet.
Madam ,
As the Spring gives us the fairest Idea of Paradise , I was reflecting with Adam , in Milton , how I could desire to improve it in the same Manner. You remember his beautiful Expostulation with his Creator , for the want of a rational Conversation Paradise it self , with all its most agreeable Scenes , were but, at best, insipidly pleasing , till they were sweetened with the Enjoyment of his Eve ; may I presume for the same Happiness! it cannot be accomplished but by the same Means — I naturally reflected also on the Happiness of your Company, and from that past Pleasure was insensibly betrayed into a Desire of repeating it ; I know not how to presume so far, as to hope for it this Evening, but if I may expect it, the usual Walk in the Park, &c.
To Mr. W. Pattison , to be left at Old-man 's Coffee House, near Charing-Cross .
Dear Sir ,
I Must own, I should have advised you against the Cutting out of your Name , and have endeavoured to have found out some other Expedient to have made you easy, but since that is now too late, I wish you, sincerely, Success in London , to your own Desire, and if, either there, or here, I can be of any little Assistance to you, you shall not ever want it.
Our Family send their Services to you, and heartily wish you well.
I am, dear Sir ,
Your sincere Friend ,
and most humble Servant ,
L. E USDEN .
Dear Mr. Eusden,
I Have been warmly sollicited to return to College by the next Term, but I cannot immediately give you my Resolution, I beg your Advice upon the Matter, and shall, with a great deal of Pleasure, consider any Thought you shall think proper to offer, because I know your Affection will design them to my Advantage. I suppose, by this Time, you have seen my Proposals , and, I hope, encouraged them with your Hand; if you can oblige me with your Interest in Cambridge , or Recommendations here in Town, I know you will give me leave to depend upon them I begin now to meet with better Success then I could ever promise my self, as a Stranger. I was, Yesterday, agreeably surprized with a Subscription and Compliment upon my Undertaking, from a certain stanch old Critick, whom I leave you to guess at; you will excuse me from the Vanity of transcribing the Verses, and be satisfied with them in the Place they are intended for. In Mr. Savage 's Miscellany, there are several Things by Aaron Hill , Esq; and, I think, very peculiar to his Character. I learnt Yesterday that the Battle of the Poets was wrote by Mr. Cooke who is translating Hesiod by Subscription. There's very arch Bob, wrote upon Dr. Young and Mr. Philips by Mr. Moore , Author of a new Play, now in Rehearsal at the Old House; but as it is only handed about in Manuscript , I have not an Opportunity of sending it. Pray commend me to your good Family, and believe me to be
Yours most affectionately ,
W. P ATTISON .
Dear Pattison,
I have done my utmost Endeavours to promote your Interest by Way of Subscriptions , but four are all I have been able to procure you as yet; tho' shall not be unmindful of you, if it lays in my Way to serve you farther. I have sent you a small Piece of Gold, which I beg you would be pleased to accept as an Earnest of my good Will and Affection to you, which will ever be the same, however distant Fortune may place me from you. I could gladly have sent you a larger , but, I can assure you, as Matters stand with me at present, this was more than I could have spared to any one less beloved than your self. You may be sure of my good Wishes, and that to hear from you often, will be very agreeable to,
Dear Sir, Yours ,
J. B UNCE .
Dear Sir ,
As you know the Friendship I always bore you, and are well acquainted with my Sincerity towards you, I believe I need not tell you how sorry I was for your Misfortune ; but have a good Heart, and let not your noble Courage be cast down; and I believe you can (with any Poet of 'em all) out-brave your Fate , and dare her to do her worst ; nor let your Spirits sink, my Friend, for I am Prophet enough to foretel, Non, si male nunc, & olim sic erit . I was sorry I could not take my leave of you before you went, but hope to see you again some time or other; till then, be assured, I shall always remain, with much Affection,
Your sincere Friend ,
and humble Servant ,
J. B UNCE .
P. S . Let me hear from you as soon, and as often, as possible — I wish you much Success in all your Undertakings, and so, dear Pattison , once more adieu!
The following Letters are from his School-Master, and some other Friends in the North .
Dear Sir ,
I Am much concerned that I can give you no better Assurance of my Diligence in promoting your, Interest, than by magnifying my Services, voce & praeterea nihil . I wish the Success had spoke it.
I waited on all the Gentlemen in our Neighbourhood, with whom I had the least Acquaintance, or that were likely to subscribe; I pressed several of the Clergy, and my own Fraternity; nor was I wanting in applying to Gentlemen I could be less free with, with all the persuasive Address I was Master of.
The Spirit has moved an honest Quaker to subscribe , but I have not been able to move any , except (a Brother Bum-brusher ) Mr. Noble , School-Master of Kirby-Stephen .
I wrote into Northumberland ; Mr. Nevinson replied, He would venture to answer for two Subscriptions besides his own, viz . one for Mr. Noble , your Poetical Father , and one for Mr. Woof . Upon sending down these Copies, the Money shall be faithfully remitted you, by,
Dear Sir ,
your assured Friend ,
and humble Servant,
R ICH . Y ATES .
Dear Pattison,
I Am sorry I can't let you know that your Proposals , have met with so good Encouragement in the North , as I wish. I am surprized to find a parcel of Hogs (whom I really thought to be the reverse) who would as soon part with a Drop of Blood from the Heart , as pay a poor Half-Crown for the Encouragement of one, who (without any Compliment) I take to be an Honour to their Town. There was a certain Gentleman here, from Cambridge , since I came into the Country, who endeavoured to perswade the Gentlemen, that there are a great many young Fellows, who, to get a little Money, publish Proposals, which they never intend to answer: I used all the Means I could, to let them know, that Mr. Pattison designed to publish whatever was proposed, but it was all to no Purpose. I have been down at Whitehaven , and Cockermouth , and got a Friend at each Place to recommend your Proposals , to whom they thought would subscribe.
For Six , you may however, send down Books when you please, and have the Money remitted you.
I have no News for you here, but that all Friends are well, and I am.
Dear Pattison,
Your most obedient Servant ,
T HO . N OBLE .
Dearest Sir ,
Y OUR acceptable Letter I received, and am wonderfully pleased to read so many fine Pieces in Manuscript as you have honoured me with, but above all, the Epistles from Rosamond to Henry , its Answer , and Abelard to Eloisa . These, in my sincere Opinion, infinitely excel all I ever read of the like Nature. I hope you will not ascribe it to any Inclination so sordid as that of Flattery , nor any want of true Taste in Poetry , or any Judgment corrupted with Partiality if I should even prefer the last to Mr. Pope 's excellent Epistle from Eloisa to Abelard . There is in yours, I know not what so moving and pathetick, so insensibly prevalent in actuating the Springs of Pity and Compassion, that whoever reads it, must unavoidably, read it (as all Readers ought) with the same Spirit its Author wrote it.
Yours ever ,
J. B.
Here concludes, what we have to offer relating to Mr. Pattison 's Correspondence. We must now cast and Eye towards that Scene of Misfortunes, wherein he had involved himself, by opposing the universal Request of his Friends in not returning to his College after they had paved a Way for his kind Reception.
As his Life became the Forfeit , we ought to draw a Veil of Forgiveness over his Imprudencies ; and it is to be hoped, that the Fatality of his Example will have some Influence over all such Youth , who, by running counter to the Advice of their best Friends, let their Heat get the better of their Judgment , and fall Victims to their own Folly .
Upon his leaving the University , he had several Recommendations to Gentlemen in London ; whom, it is to be presumed, by repeated Acts of Friendship, he had quite tired out, insomuch, that he was often near the Borders of Death , as appears by the following Letter to Mr. Southern .
S IR ,
If you are a Person of the Humanity represented to me, I presume you will excuse my Freedom, and consider my Circumstances; what I am, my Proposals and Specimen will tell you, and I hope, direct your good Nature accordingly. Suffice it for me to acquaint you that I am of S IDNEY -College in Cambridge , but, by some Misfortunes in Town, reduced to make my Applications of this Nature. If you scruple any. Thing in Relation to what I propose (as you very reasonably may) give me leave to justify my self, by satisfying you, that my Intentions, however unhappy, are honourable, at least.
I am, Sir ,
Your most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
And to another Gentleman he wrote this, a few Days after.
S IR ,
If you was ever touched with a Sense of Humanity , consider my Condition ; what I am , my Proposals will inform you; what I have been, Sidney -College, in Cambridge , can witness; but what I shall be , some few. Hours hence, I tremble to think — Spare my Blushes — I have not enjoyed the common Necessaries of Life for these two Days, and can hardly hold, to subscribe my self,
Your most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
The following Letter, to Lord Carteret , with the Verses annexed, met with an Answer, I am well assured, peculiar to the Humanity of that very worthy Nobleman.
My Lord ,
Tho' I have not the Honour of being known to your Lordship, yet I presume, upon your Lordship's general Character of encouraging Literature, to offer my Proposals; they are, I presume, so reasonable, that your Lordship will easily discover me to aim at the Ambition, rather than the common Advantage of an Author, when I thus apply for that Name which will be a Recommendation to the Book, and a particular Favour to
Your Lordship's most obedient .
and most humble Servant ,
W. P ATTISON .
What Effect the two other Applications had, I cannot determine; but, I fear, tho' the Request was so small, as only a Subscription to his Miscellany , it met with a Denial . Such is the general Inhumanity of the World, when Distress makes but the least Application. It gave me a great Pleasure, I must own (on the Day of their present Majesties Accession) to meet him at Mr. Curll 's, the Bookseller in the Strand , in whose Family, he then told me, he had been for about a Month, and added, that his daily Employ was transcribing his Papers for the Press, in Order to do Justice to those Gentlemen who were his Subscribers , by a speedy Delivery of their Books, through whose Generosity he had wholly subsisted ever since he left Cambridge , having had no Remittance from his Father.
Shortly after, calling at Mr. Curll 's, to buy Mr. Pope 's Letters , I found Mr. Pattison putting into a Chair. Upon Enquiry, Mr. Curll 's Servant (his Master being gone to pay a Visit at Ilford ), in Essex ) told me, That the Small-Pox having appeared upon Mr. Pattison , he bequithed mia to Protesilaus , with some other Classical Translations , and Occasional Poems .
He earnestly sollicited a Friendship with Mr. Pope , of the Success of which I cannot say any thing, but I have often heard him acknowledge, with the greatest Satisfaction, the Happiness of the Acquaintance he had cultivated with that sincere young Gentleman Mr. Walter Harte , of St. Mary-Hall, Oxon , with whom he not only held a very amicable Correspondence, but was also obliged to him for many kind Offices of Relief under his Misfortunes.
The last Letter he ever received was from this Gentleman (being but two Days before his Death) he had wrote to him for his Advice concerning a new Version of Ovid's Epistles , and Mr. Harte , as he says himself, at a Moment's Summons, dealt plainly, and communicated his Sentiments in the following Manner.
S IR ,
The little I can say in Regard to Ovid , will be of small Service to your New Version of his Epistles . I must own, I have studied his Manner much, and have often endeavoured to make a mixed Sort of Writing from him and Statius . But to enter into a long Detail of Criticisms, would swell my Letter too much, or to speak more sincerely, I will never say a Word after Mr. Dryden .
Yet, methinks, I had better play the Fool, than be too Ill-natured; for you press me hard to speak my Thoughts impartially on the last Translation. I should be glad to equivocate in this Case, for of all Things I hate Detraction. You are sensible I do this very unwillingly, for the Gentlemen are dead, and may my own ill Poetry never meet with Favour, if I take any Pleasure in disturbing their Ashes. To translate after them is to do 'em no Injury. To imitate an Original is every Man's Property, and he may assume it when he pleases. All we can do, is to alleviate their Errors, and to avoid Reflection. 'Tis ungenerous to upbraid a Man for doing his best, either in Life or Writings.
The Epistles which I think to be capable of many Amendments, are these following. Phillis to Demophoon by Poley and Lloyd, Hypermnestra by Wright, Ariadne to Theseus, Hermione to Orestes, Leander , &c. by Tate , and Ænone by Mrs. Behn , (these are pretty good, but paraphrased) Laodamia, Paris to Helen, Penelope, Hypsipyle, Medea, Phaedra by Otway, Briseis by Caryl , (this has many fine Lines) Dejanira, Acontius , and my own Cydippe . On the contrary, I need not tell you, that no Man living can exceed Sapho to Phaon , by Mr. Pope , and if I were to Criticise on the Epistles , I would draw my Rules from his Version . The same may be said of Canace, Helen to Paris , and Dido to Æneas , by Dryden .
A Reason may be given, why those Gentlemen succeeded no better. They left out many Beauties, but seldom added or improved any. I shall just observe some general Failings which run thro' 'em all.
Ovid 's Character was Ease and Softness , here they all lost him. Nothing can be more stiff and prosaic than the modern Version. Ovid , methinks, is like some great Man placed on an Eminence.
Despicere unde potest illos, passimque videre
Errare, atque viam palantes quaerere —
In the next Place, they have nothing Pathetical , or if they had, the Lameness of the Verse would spoil it. 'Twere tedious to give you Directions to Copy, or rather to improve Ovid in this Case: 'Tis the very Soul of all the Epistles , nor can a Translator be supposed to be ignorant of so essential a Beauty. 'Tis all in all, and all in every Part , as Suarez and the School-men tell us. I think I have brought in this metaphysical Notion very dextrously. In Regard to the Pathos above-mentioned, I know not how to make you sensible of my own Conceptions, for we conceive many Things which cannot be defined. I never hear what Tully calls the dictum ardens in Poetry, but I tremble extremely, though at that instant I cannot give any exact Reason why I am pleased. All I mean, may be found in Eloisa to Abelard , the Fairy-Queen , and the most tender Tragedies . But beware of any Thing too subtile and abstruse in the Notions of Love and Honour (a Fault which Petrarch and Cowley mostly ran into) and on the other Hand, avoid too Womanish a Softness , such as we find in Romances ; for let the French say what they will, a Thing may be written too Cavalierement . In Regard to the mythological and historical Part, you cannot be too short and plain. Something like Sandys 's Translation of the Metamorphosis , and in the last Place, I would advise you to follow no Commentator whatsoever in the first Sketch of your Verses. For, by adhering too scrupulously to the Letter and Context, the whole must of Consequence be stiff , and the first Error will grow worse and worse, the more you strive to correct it. It puts me in mind of a Fault in most ill Poets , though I never saw the Observation before. They make the former Line of the Couplet first , and when they have taken the full Force and Extent of the Thought into this one , 'tis impossible for the other to have either Sense , or Sound . I have read a whole Poem, of which every other Line was an Anti-Clima .
Thus far, Sir, I have ventured to give my Opinion, and if my Letter should prove something of the longest, be pleased to take Cardinal du Perron 's Answer, who used to say, on the same Occasion, He had not Time to write a shorter . 'Twas begun and ended in one Morning, without reading, or thinking with any tolerable Exactness, and if you knew how ill I am, you would wonder I could say so much. Sickness excuses Impertinence, as well as ill Manners, so, without Ceremony, adieu!
Yours most affectionately ,
W. H ARTE .
He had begun his Version of Ovid , two Years ago, as appears by the following Letter.
Mr. C URLL ,
I Have now gone through with Four of Ovid 's Epistles , in such a Manner as I adjoin this Specimen ; you will see the Severity of the Latin has deterred me from a servile Metaphrase, and given me a Loose to a freer Version. I have always my Author so in my Eye, as never to tread upon his Heels, or I hope, lose, Sight of him; I flatter my self, my English Reader will not distaste some Turns of my own, when I declare I added them not out of any Self-Vanity, but Justice to my Original. For certainly a Translator ought to make Amends when it lies in his Way, for such Beauties, as, being often in Ovid couched under some Expressions that are incapable to shine in any Dress but their Own.
I desire you to receive what I send you here, with the same Candour you were wont to shew to,
Yours, in every Respect ,
W. P ATTISON .
P. S . You must remember the Ladies are the best Judges in Poetry, especially, of this Nature; and if by their Encouragement I can proceed with Hopes to please, I shall think it a greater Honour to lay my Labours, and my self, at their Feet, than to enjoy the Applauses of the most judicious Criticks.
His sincere Friend and School-fellow Florio , so often mentioned in Mr. Pattison 's Writings, declares in a Letter, That as to a New Translation of O VID'S Epistles , he knew none more equal to the Undertaking; and that even at School an early Fondness after that Book began to dawn in his Breast . He farther confirms his Opinion, by the Specimen Mr. Pattison sent him, in this Definitive Sentence of his Versification — Yours is That in English, which Ovid's is in Latin. It will be doubtless, thought very daring that He should re-attempt Sapho to Phaon after Mr. Pope , but it must be considered they are performed very differently in the Nature of the Versions; Mr. Pope 's being pretty close to the Original, and Mr. Pattison' s an extensive Paraphrase .
To put an End to these melancholy Memoirs, it must be declared that Mr. Pattison's Sufferings were inexpressible; and to sum up all in the Words of his Friend Mr. H ARTE — He was miserably unfortunute to my Knowledge . But what heightened even his greatest Distress was the unheard-of Barbarity of his Father Above a Fortnight before there was any Apprehension of his having the Small-Pox , his Father was acquainted, by Letter , with his Circumstances, and the drooping Indisposition he complained of. And so far was he from sending him any Relief, that he did not return an Answer . When he lay on his Death-Bed, he said, He would give all the World to obtain a Reconciliation between himself and his Father . — Upon this, a second Letter was sent, to acquaint him, that if ever he expected to see his Son any more Alive, he must forthwith come away. To this Letter he likewise remained silent, and staid where he was. After his Death a special Messenger was dispatched with a third Letter to acquaint him, that, Nothing now remained to be done but the last Office, his Son's Burial, which only waited for his Direction. Four Days was his body kept above Ground, but no Father either came or sent. After his Funeral, a fourth Letter was sent, to which no other Answer was returned, but one from an Attorney, to pay all the Expences of Two Month's Lodging, Board, Sickness, and Burial, &c. with a Spunge . This a Court of Judicature must decide, if it be not otherwise speedily discharged.
No Care was wanting to have saved him, and the greatest Hopes appeared of his Recovery; but, he had laid his Afflictions to Heart , and all Medicinal Prescriptions were ineffectual.
He had, without Doubt ( says one of his best Friends, more than once mentioned in the foregoing Pages ) an uncommon Genius for English Poetry, and he was so taken with it, as to be negligent of other Parts of Learning, even of such as must be necessary for the Composition of a good Poet.
It is too late now to say, I wish he had behaved so as to tarry longer where he was, given the World now and then a Specimen of what they might hope for from him in Time, and then have launch'd forth as his Judgment, when more mature, should direct him.
I know of no Severities from his Tutor, ( continues the same worthy Gentleman ) but what were necessary to make him sensible, of his Doings, and to know to whom he was indebted for his Favours, which I am sure he was to Mr. B — .
However, it is on all Hands allowed, that the Publick will be entertained with these Juvenile Productions , being most of them written, as well as his Friend 's, before the Author was Nineteen Years of Age. And I doubt not, but the Reverend Mr. Hildrop , Master of Marlborough School in Wiltshire , looks upon it as an Honour to have had a Harte for his Pupil, as Mr. Yates of Appleby expresses his generous Pleasure at having educated a Pattison .
The many Misrepresentations of his Case, both in Cambridge and London , have obliged me to draw up so long an Account of so short a Life . As I, at first, profess'd my self a Stranger to his Case, so have impartially laid before the Publick his Own and his Friends Vouchers in his behalf; nor shall I make any other Remark than this, — Whatever Offices of Friendship his Tutor might shew him, while under his Care , it was ungenerous to expose his private Affairs , after his Departure ; all Obligations being cancelled, when a publick Declaration is made of them.
Lastly , One of the Epistles promised by Mr. Pattison in his Proposals , he left unfinished; but the Fragment of it, which he had begun, hereafter follows. It is that of Yarico to Inkle .
Yarico to Inkle: an Epistle
Dear, faithless Man! if e'er that cruel Breast
Love's pleasing Toys, and soft Delights, confest;
Distress like mine, may sure thy Pity move,
For tender Pity is the Child of Love!
But can Compassion from thy Bosom flow?
Source of my Wrongs, and Fountain of my Woe!
Wilt thou, repentant, soften at my Grief,
Melt at my Tears, and lend a late Relief!
What have I done? ah! how deserv'd thy Hate?
Or was this Vengeance treasur'd up by Fate?
Then will I mourn my Fate's severe Decree,
Nor charge a Guilt so black, so base on Thee;
For O! I know, ah no! I knew, thy Mind
Soft as the Dove , and as the Turtle kind;
How have I seen thy gentle Bosom move,
And heave, contagious, to some Tale of Love !
How have I heard thee paint the faithfull'st Pair,
Describe their Bliss, and e'en their Raptures share!
Then have thy Lips, with sweet Transition swore
Thy Love more lasting, and thy Passion more!
And what, is Truth , if Signs like these deceive!
Signs! that might win the wariest to believe.
Mr. C URIL ,
Upon the News of the Death of my dear Friend and School-fellow Mr. Pattison , I writ these Verses, which is a Duty I obliged my self to pay him, in Case I survived him. I beg you would insert them as you think most proper.
Your most obedient Servant, &c .
Verses on the Death of Mr. W. Pattison
Oft have I sung to thee, my Friend, when living,
Oft have I sung, — and thou hast sung to me:
Oft the delightful Musick of thy Numbers,
Has sooth'd the Anguish of my anxious Mind.
I weep to think of all our youthful Actions,
I weep and wish, and weep and wish again,
That all these Actions could but be renew'd,
And we our once liv'd Life again live o'er,
And run the Stream of easy Innocence —
But now no more — I sigh to say no more,
How can I say that Word without a Tear,
The Tribute due from me to thy pale Ghost:
And since it is thy Due I will not wrong thee,
But pay thee all thy Due, and more than's Due,
If I can more than's Due — Accept them all
I pour the willing Stream upon thy Ashes.
When I reflect upon our Actions past,
The innocent Amusements of our Youth,
When I reflect upon the great Esteem
We always entertain'd for one another.
I pish at Life — and wish and seek for Death,
To give me those Regions where thou art:
Those Regions which before we but imagin'd,
And form'd a faint imperfect Vision of.
Oft have we when in Solitude retir'd
A faint imaginary Heav'n describ'd,
By Words proportion'd to our grosser Senses;
And what we fancy'd most delightful here,
Of such Materials we compos'd our Heaven.
" Heav'n's made of Gold, a golden vaulted Roof
" O'erhangs the Pavement of a Silver Floor,
" And Diamonds dart their sparkling Waters round,
" To light the Courts of Heav'n! — and thus we strove,
By sensible Resemblances to see
That unimagin'd State thou now enjoy'st.
Now heav'nly Bard thou know'st, — ay — well thou know'st
That Gold and Silver give but faint Ideas
Of that ineffable transcendent State,
Where all Ideas are abstract from Sense.
Gold has no Lustre to the Souls of Man,
Gold is but tempting to our worldly Eye:
But in the blessed Mansions of Above,
There is some other Thing, I cannot think of,
Whose faint Resemblance we describe by Gold,
Silver and Diamonds; yet are none of these,
Nor nothing like them. But by this we know
That it is great and truly valuable.
When we describ'd th' Inhabitants of Heaven,
We gave them human Shape, because most perfect
We yet have thought of, and we give 'em Wings,
As Emblems of their great Velocity.
But now, dear Bard, methinks I see thee living,
Not shap'd like Man, or wing'd as we imagine;
There's no Description that can soar to thee,
Tho' enliven'd with thy own poetick Genius:
Tho' thy Descriptions have been rich as Thought,
Yet far below thy self they fault'ring fall.
Thou hast no Shape as we imagine Shape,
Nor Substance palpable to Touch or Eye:
And when we say thou art an heav'nly Being,
By that we mean a Thing we know not what,
And paint a Being we know nothing of.
Whene'er we form an Image of a Being,
We give it Substance, and we give it Shape,
Or else we lose the Meaning of our selves
In Speculation. In this new State thou art
An insubstantial Essence, a beauteous Being
Too great to be compar'd to aught Below.
When we delineate the Joys above,
By Flowers, by Fruits, by Streams, by Groves we show them,
And fill those Groves with Innocence and Musick,
And ev'ry Colour that obliges Sense
Of mortal Man, abound in great Profusion.
But these are nothing like the Joys above,
These are not Joys incomprehensible;
But the Felicity thou now enjoy'st,
Are too, too big for human Comprehension,
Which soars no higher than the Bounds of Sense.
When we put off this mortal Body, then
We are divested of corporeal Senses,
And then the Joys above would be invalid,
If they address'd themselves, as those on Earth
To the five Organs of the Senses only.
The Joys, the Beings, or the Seats above,
Are only to be known by Metaphor ,
And are not Objects to our finite Senses.
What shall I say to thee, caelestial Bard,
Words are too feeble to express my Thoughts,
Sweet was thy Fancy, and exact thy Ear,
Thy Numbers easy, and thy Judgment fine,
Thy Conversation pleasing, and thy Mind
Enliv'n'd by the Wit of ev'ry Author,
And by thy own. Thy Memory was strong,
Rich with Variety of Observations;
Thy Correspondence friendly and sincere,
And every other good Accomplishment,
That is to be desir'd in a Friend,
Companion or Poet were in Thee.
Accept this Verse, the Tribute that is due
From me to thee, from one Friend to another:
Accept it, as an Instance of th' Affection
That has surviv'd thee, and can never die:
The Source of Friendship is Celestial,
And there will be a Time in future Days,
When this our Friendship shall exist again,
And be immortal as our Souls in Heaven.
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