On topics of a more miscellaneous nature, Dr. Berkeley has written but three numbers in the Guardian; N° 35, on the discovery of the pineal gland by Descartes, and on the author's imaginary residence in the glands of philosophers, poets, beaux, mathematicians, ladies, and statesmen; a paper of a humorous and satirical tendency. N° 49 is an essay of considerable merit on pleasures natural and fantastical, a subject of the first importance; as a taste for unsophisticated, for cheap, and easily procurable pleasures, forms one of the chief ingredients in the cup of human happiness. The bishop has presented us on this head with some just observations on the misery attendant upon excessive and artificial desires, and has painted in forcible language the permanent gratification resulting from the confinement of our wishes and enjoyments within the range of such rational and simple pleasures as we have the prospect of usually attaining. The last paper that we have to notice, as written by the worthy Bishop, is N° 69, containing a high but just character of Fenelon's "Demonstration of the Existence, Wisdom, and Omnipotence of God," and terminating with a translation of the prayer which closes that pious and impressive work.

We remarked, in enumerating the contributors to the Spectator, that POPE was amongst the number, but what share he had in that periodical work has never been positively ascertained; when the GUARDIAN, however, commenced, POPE became an early and valuable contributor to its support. The share which he took in this work has been ascertained upon good authority; which, after presenting our readers with an outline of the life of this celebrated author, we shall point out.

ALEXANDER POPE was born in London in 1688. His father's situation in life is unknown, but it appears that he acquired wealth by trade, and that he, as well as his wife, was a Papist. Their son has asserted that they were both "of gentle blood;" but as his fame and rank in society were entirely derived from himself, it is of little consequence to inquire into the particulars of their family connexions. Soon after the Revolution, and his son's birth, the father of Pope, who, with all the English Catholics of that time, was attached to the cause of the exiled King, retired from the scene of public affairs to Binfield in Windsor-forest, where he purchased a small house and a few acres of land; and not choosing to vest his money

in government securities, or to trust it in private hands, lived frugally upon the capital. Young Pope was from infancy of a delicate constitution and a feeble frame of body, and his early disposition, by its gentleness and docility, seemed conformable to his corporeal habit. He was taught to read and write at home, and about the age of eight was placed under the care of a Romish priest, named Taverner, in Hampshire, where he learned the rudiments both of Latin and Greek. Being naturally fond of books, he became at this period acquainted with English verse by Ogilby's translation of Homer, and Sandys's of Ovid's Metamorphoses; and from the perusal of these works he received so much delight, that they be said to have made him a poet. may He successively passed to two other schools, at Twyford, near Winchester, and at Hyde-parkcorner. The last situation gave him an opportunity of occasionally visiting the theatre; and dramatic composition made such an impression upon him, that he framed a kind of play from Ogilby's Homer, intermixed with verses of his own, and procured it to be acted by his schoolfellows. About his twelfth year he was taken home by his father, and for a time continued

his classical studies under another priest. This was nearly the date of his first printed poem, the "Ode on Solitude," which is nothing remarkable for that age: it shews a correct ear for versification, and a power of neat expression, but gives no indication of fancy or strong feeling.

From this time he seems to have been the director of his own studies, and the variety of them shews that he was by no means deficient in industry, though his reading was rather excursive than methodical. Poetry appears to have been adopted by him from his early years as a profession, for his poetical reading was always accompanied with attempts at imitation or translation. In the latter he particularly exercised himself, and soon practised it with singular excellence. If his translation of the first book of the "Thebais," and of "Sappho to Phaon," made at the age of fourteen, were not much improved in their publication, it may be affirmed that he rose at once almost to perfection in this walk; the latter piece especially has never been surpassed. His manners and conversation were probably as much above his years as his productions were; for, before he was sixteen, he attracted the notice of Sir William Trumball, a

retired statesman in advanced life, whose seat was in the neighbourhood, and their acquaintance terminated in a friendly correspondence. This was the period in which he composed his "Pastorals," which were shewn about in manuscript, and gained him many additional admirers. Among these was the old dramatic writer Wycherley, who lavished upon the young poet flattery which the latter already well knew how to return. He obtained a more useful friend and correspondent in Walsh, whom Dryden pronounced the best English critic of his time. He also formed an intimacy with Mr. Cromwell, a person who has been called a compound of a beau and a pedant. The lax morals and affected gallantry of this gentleman seem to have exerted an unfavourable influence on Pope, who early fell into a strain of frivolous and ironical compliment towards the female sex, mixed with coarseness and indelicacy. Indeed, if the simple, natural, ardent character be supposed congenial to the poet, no one of the tribe set out with a more unpoetical character than Pope. He does not appear to have cultivated friendship with any of his own age or condition; and in all his early connexions of this kind, some purpose