dismission, with a pension of fifteen hundred pounds a year. His
friends palliated this relinquishment, of which both friends and
enemies knew the true reason, with an account of declining health,
and the necessity of recess and quiet. He now returned to his
vocation, and began to plan literary occupations for his future
life. He purposed a tragedy on the death of Socrates: a story of
which, as Tickell remarks, the basis is narrow, and to which I know
not how love could have been appended. There would, however, have
been no want either of virtue in the sentiments, or elegance in the
language. He engaged in a nobler work, a "Defence of the Christian
Religion," of which part was published after his death; and he
designed to have made a new poetical version of the Psalms.

These pious compositions Pope imputed to a selfish motive, upon the
credit, as he owns, of Tonson; who, having quarrelled with Addison,
and not loving him, said that when he laid down the Secretary's
office he intended to take orders and obtain a bishopric; "for,"
said he, "I always thought him a priest in his heart."

That Pope should have thought this conjecture of Tonson worth
remembrance, is a proof--but indeed, so far as I have found, the
only proof--that he retained some malignity from their ancient
rivalry. Tonson pretended to guess it; no other mortal ever
suspected it; and Pope might have reflected that a man who had been
Secretary of State in the Ministry of Sunderland knew a nearer way
to a bishopric than by defending religion or translating the Psalms.

It is related that he had once a design to make an English
dictionary, and that he considered Dr. Tillotson as the writer of
highest authority. There was formerly sent to me by Mr. Locker,