subjoined at the conclusion which is now known not to be true. The
first copy of Pope's books, with those of Fenton, are to be seen in
the Museum. The parts of Pope are less interlined than the "Iliad,"
and the latter books of the "Iliad" less than the former. He grew
dexterous by practice, and every sheet enabled him to write the next
with more facility. The books of Fenton have very few alterations
by the hand of Pope. Those of Broome have not been found, but Pope
complained, as it is reported, that he had much trouble in
correcting them. His contract with Lintot was the same as for the
"Iliad," except that only one hundred pounds were to be paid him for
each volume. The number of subscribers were five hundred and
seventy-four, and of copies eight hundred and nineteen, so that his
profit, when he had paid his assistants, was still very
considerable. The work was finished in 1723; and from that time he
resolved to make no more translations. The sale did not answer
Lintot's expectation, and he then pretended to discover something of
a fraud in Pope, and commenced or threatened a suit in Chancery.

On the English "Odyssey" a criticism was published by Spence, at
that time Prelector of Poetry at Oxford, a man whose learning was
not very great, and whose mind was not very powerful. His
criticism, however, was commonly just; what he thought he thought
rightly, and his remarks were recommended by his coolness and
candour. In him Pope had the first experience of a critic without
malevolence, who thought it as much his duty to display beauties as
expose faults, who censured with respect, and praised with alacrity.
With this criticism Pope was so little offended, that he sought the
acquaintance of the writer, who lived with him from that time in
great familiarity, attended him in his last hours, and compiled
memorials of his conversation. The regard of Pope recommended him