Pope.—­It is not for me to draw a comparison between our works.  But, if I may believe the best critics who have talked to me on the subject, my “Rape of the Lock” is not inferior to your “Lutrin;” and my “Art of Criticism” may well be compared with your “Art of Poetry;” my “Ethic Epistles” are esteemed at least equal to yours; and my “Satires” much better.

Boileau.—­Hold, Mr. Pope.  If there is really such a sympathy in our natures as you have supposed, there may be reason to fear that, if we go on in this manner comparing our works, we shall not part in good friendship.

Pope.—­No, no; the mild air of the Elysian Fields has mitigated my temper, as I presume it has yours.  But, in truth, our reputations are nearly on a level.  Our writings are admired, almost equally (as I hear) for energy and justness of thought.  We both of us carried the beauty of our diction, and the harmony of our numbers, to the highest perfection that our languages would admit.  Our poems were polished to the utmost degree of correctness, yet without losing their fire, or the agreeable appearance of freedom and ease.  We borrowed much from the ancients, though you, I believe, more than I; but our imitations (to use an expression of your own) had still an original air.

Boileau.—­I will confess, sir (to show you that the Elysian climate has had its effects upon me), I will fairly confess, without the least ill humour, that in your “Eloisa to Abelard,” your “Verses to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady,” and some others you wrote in your youth, there is more fire of poetry than in any of mine.  You excelled in the pathetic, which I never approached.  I will also allow that you hit the manner of Horace and the sly delicacy of his wit more exactly than I, or than any other man who has written since his time.  Nor could I, nor did even Lucretius himself, make philosophy so poetical, and embellish it with such charms as you have given to that of Plato, or (to speak more properly) of some of his modern disciples, in your celebrated “Essay on Man.”

Pope.—­What do you think of my “Homer?”

Boileau.—­Your “Homer” is the most spirited, the most poetical, the most elegant, and the most pleasing translation that ever was made of any ancient poem, though not so much in the manner of the original, or so exactly agreeable to the sense in all places, as might perhaps be desired.  But when I consider the years you spent in this work, and how many excellent original poems you might, with less difficulty, have produced in that time, I can’t but regret that your talents were thus employed.  A great poet so tied down to a tedious translation is a Columbus chained to an oar.  What new regions of fancy, full of treasures yet untouched, might you have explored, if you had been at liberty to have boldly expanded your sails, and steered your own course, under the conduct and direction of your own genius!  But I am still more angry with you for your edition of Shakespeare.  The office of an editor was below you, and your mind was unfit for the drudgery it requires.  Would anybody think of employing a Raphael to clean an old picture?