DEAR SIR, MR. HUGHES TO ADDISON. October 6th, 1713. I do not doubt but you know by this time that Mr. Steele has abruptly dropped the Guardian.' He has published this day a paper called the Englishman, which begins with an answer to the Examiner, written with great boldness and spirit, and shows that his thoughts are at present entirely on politics. Some of his friends are in pain about him, and are concerned that a paper should be discontinued which might have been generally entertaining without engaging in party matters. I know not whether any such paper as the Guardian may hereafter be attempted by other hands. I remember you were once pleased to ask me what I thought would be a good plan; and this unexpected occasion has given me a thought, which I beg to offer to your consideration; and because I cannot, at this distance, so well explain it to you in the compass of a letter, I enclose a slight sketch I have just begun of it to-day, only I must acquaint you that what I send is a sequel of a Paper which is to open the plan, and which describes a Society of learned men of various characters, who meet together to carry on a conversation on all kinds of subjects, and who empower the Secretary to draw up any of their discourses, or publish any of their writings under the title of the Register. By this means, I think, the Town might be sometimes entertained with dialogue, which would be a new way of writing, either related or set down in form, under the names of different speakers; and sometimes with Essays, or with Discourses in the person of the writer of the paper. I choose to send you the second paper, though unfinished, because you will see an offer in it of a new invented character, with a cast of oddness in it, to draw attention, and to lay a foundation for a great variety of matter, and of adventures. I wish I could tempt you, by any slight thought of mine, to take something of this kind into consideration: I should, on such conditions, be willing to furnish one paper in a week, on this, or any plan you shall think more proper, but without you I shall make no further use of it. I shall only add, that it is my opinion, and I believe that of most others, that such a paper should be only three times a week: when it should begin, or whether at all, I submit to you, and shall be glad to be favoured with a few lines from you on this, directed to me in, &c. JOHN HUGHES. No 1 The last number of the Guardian was published, Oct. 1, 1713. sooner was the Guardian closed, than our author was solicited by his friend, Mr. John Hughes, to unite with him in conducting another periodical paper, under the title of The Register. The present letter and its answer particularly relate to this design, which, when declined by Addison, was in some degree carried into execution by Mr. Hughes and Sir Richard Blackmore, in a paper under the title of the "Lay Monastery." DEAR SIR, ADDISON TO MR. HUGHES. Bilton, Oct. 12th, 1713. I am very much obliged to you for your kind letter and the specimen, which I read over with great pleasure. I think the title of the Register would be less assuming than that of the Humanity Club; but to tell you truly, I have been so taken up with thoughts of that nature for these two or three years last past, that I must now take some time pour me délasser, and lay in fuel for future work. In the mean time I should be glad if you would set such a project on foot, for I know nobody else capable of succeeding in it, and turning it to the good of mankind, since my friend has laid it down. I am in a thousand troubles for poor Dick, and wish that his zeal for the public may not be ruinous to himself; but he has sent me word that he is determined to go on, and that any advice I can give him in this particular, will have no weight with him. I beg you will present my most sincere respects to Sir Richard Blackmore, and that you will add my sister's,3 who is now with me, and very much his humble servant. I wish I could see him and yourself in these parts, where I think of staying a month or two longer. I am always with the greatest truth and esteem, sir, Your most faithful and Most obedient servant, J. ADDISON. ADDISON TO POPE. Oct. 26th, 1713. I was extremely glad to receive a letter from you, but more so upon reading the contents of it. The work you 1 Near Rugby in Warwickshire. 2 Mr. Addison (as the event showed) was too true a prophet; his friend "poor Dick," who was then member for Stockbridge, being expelled the House of Commons, March 15, 1713-14, for some libellous paragraphs in the "Englishman," and in another paper called the "Crisis." Dorothy, first married to Dr. Sartre, (a Frenchman,) Prebendary of Westminster, and afterwards to Daniel Combes, Esq. Swift (after dining with this lady and her first husband at his prebendal house, Oct. 25, 1710) says of her, "Addison's sister is a sort of wit, very like him. I am not fond of her," &c. See letter vii of his Journal to Stella. Hughes. mention' will, I dare say, very sufficiently recommend itself when your name appears with the proposals: and if you think I can any way contribute to the forwarding them, you cannot lay a greater obligation upon me than by employing me in such an office. As I have an ambition in having it known that you are my friend, I shall be very proud of showing it by this or any other instance. I question not but your translation will enrich our tongue and do honour to our country; for I conclude of it already from those performances with which you have obliged the public. I would only have you consider how it may most turn to your advantage. Excuse my impertinence in this particular, which proceeds from my zeal for your ease and happiness. The work would cost you a great deal of time, and unless you undertake it, will, I am afraid, never be executed by any other; at least I know none of this age that is equal to it besides yourself. I am at present wholly immersed in country business, and begin to take delight in it. I wish I might hope to see you here some time, and will not despair of it, when you engage in a work that will require solitude and retirement. I am, sir, Your very humble and very obedient servant, J. ADDISON. ADDISON TO POPE. Nov. 2nd, 1713. I HAVE received your letter, and am glad to find that you have laid so good a scheme for your great undertaking. I question not but the prose 2 will require as much care as the poetry, but the variety will give yourself some relief, and more pleasure to your readers. You gave me leave once to take the liberty of a friend in advising you not to content yourself with one half of the nation for your admirers when you might command them all. If I might take the freedom to repeat it, I would on this occasion. I think you are very happy that you are out of the fray, and I hope all your undertakings will turn to the better account for it. 1 Alluding to his translation of the Iliad. You see how I presume on your friendship in taking all this freedom with you: but I already fancy that we have lived many years together in an unreserved conversation, and that we may do so many more is the sincere wish of Your, &c. MR. HUGHES TO ADDISON. Dec. 5th, 1713. DEAR SIR, I designed long ago to have acknowledged the_favour of your kind letter, and at the same time to have acquainted you, that I had laid aside all thoughts of the design mentioned to you in my last. I had indeed been prompted to it by our very worthy friend Sir Richard Blackmore, who is apt to think, as you do, much too partially of my poor abilities. But when I perceived you were tired with an entertainment you had so long given the town with much better success than I could ever propose, I could not persuade myself to engage as a principal in an undertaking in which I was only willing to be an assistant. Sir Richard was however of opinion, that such a design ought not to be dropped, and therefore determined to make the experiment, which he believed might turn to the public good; and, by his commission, I send you the papers1 which have been hitherto published, to which he adds his sincere respects to your sister. You may believe, when this design was once set on foot, I could not be wholly unconcerned: I must therefore desire your indulgence to the third, sixth, and ninth papers, and the rest I am sure will entertain you very well. I do not own my part but to yourself; having so much business to attend at present, besides my ordinary affairs, that I am never sure of a day's time. I should have been very glad if I could have accepted of your kind invitation, and have waited on you in the country. No one has more entire esteem for your friendship, nor more longs for your return to the town, than, &c. JOHN HUGHES. Ar this period, March 18th, 1714, Steele was brought to trial before the House for his libels in the last number of the Englishman, and in his paper called the Crisis, in which he abjured the Pretender, and boldly advocated the cause of the House of Hanover. Addison sat near him and prompted 1 These papers, which had now extended to 40 numbers, were collected into a volume, and published in 1714 under the title of "The Lay Monastery." The Friday's papers were by Mr. Hughes, the rest by Sir Richard Blackmore. and assisted him in his defence. Steele is said to have spoken for three hours with temper, eloquence, and unconcern, which gave entire satisfaction to all who were not prepossessed against him. See Rapin, vol. iv. 343. POPE TO THE HONOURABLE SIR, June 8th, 1714. The question you ask in relation to Mr. Addison and Philips, I shall answer in a few words. Mr. Philips did express himself with much indignation against me at Button's coffee-house, (as I was told,) saying, that I was entered into a cabal with Dean Swift and others, to write against the Whig interest, and in particular to undermine his own reputation, and that of his friends Steele and Addison: but Mr. Philips never opened his lips to my face on this or any like occasion, though I was almost every night in the same room with him, nor ever offered me any indecorum. Mr. Addison came to me a night or two after Philips had talked in this idle manner, and assured me of his disbelief of what had been said, of the friendship we should always maintain, and desired I would say nothing further of it. My Lord Halifax did me the honour to stir in this matter, by speaking to several people to obviate a false aspersion, which might have done me no small prejudice with one party. However, Philips did all he could secretly, to continue the report with the Hanover club; and kept in his hands the subscriptions paid for me to him, as secretary to that club. The heads of it have since given him to understand that they take it ill; but upon the terms I ought to be with such a man, I would not ask him for this money, but commissioned one of the players, his equals, to receive it. This is the whole matter; but as to the secret grounds of this malignity, they will make a very pleasant history when we meet. Mr. Congreve and some others have been much diverted with it, and most of the gentlemen of the Hanover club have made it the subject of their ridicule on their secretary. It is to the management of Philips that the world owes Mr. Gay's Pastorals. The ingenious author is extremely your servant, and would have complied with your kind invitation, but that he is just now appointed secretary to my Lord Clarendon, in his embassy to Hanover. I am sensible of the zeal and friendship with which, I am sure, you will always defend your friend in his absence, from all those little tales and calumnies which a man of any genius or merit is born to. I shall never complain, while I am happy in such noble defenders, and in such contemptible opponents. May their envy and ill-nature ever increase, to the glory and pleasure of those they |