The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
In Days Of Addison and Pope
The Story of "Cynthia Wager Sheds Light Upon Them
--How Honest Love Triumphed.
FromT Temple Barr
(From Temple Barr

Tonson the publisher, Whlch stands
within Gray's Inn Gate, next to Gray's
Inn Lane.
When. after an irksome delay, ! was
ushered into Mr.. Tonson's private room,
that gentleman cut short my proposal to
road aloud some favorable specimens of
my muse
You have a good subscription list for
your volume, sir?'' he inquired.
| explained that this was needless; the
quality of my work could not fail to
commend itself to the public.
"Or perhaps you design to dedicate it
to some person of quality, whose name
YOU have permission to use, and whose
interest you may commando
MY muse needs no patron, SAID !.
eff you will but permit me to read you
n few passages and | began TO untle
my roll.
He stopped me with an Imperative
gesture. 1T were a needless trouble,
he said: Il am loath to seem discourte-
Gus. sir. but / cannot publish your poems.
And | have an appointment III a lew
minutes with Mr.. Addison"
Being not little vexed at this recep-
ton. | babe Mr.. Tonson an unceremonl-
Gus farewell, and returned to my lodg-
incs and my dinner. Wlhle | was about
it asked my landlady whether she had
ever heard of Jack Hardy, thinking TO
test the fellows saying that he was IA
nous throughout the town. To my sur
prise she said that she knew OF him
very well, adding with an odd sldelong
look that she hoped | was no friend OF
his as to which / treasured her very
sufficiently.
Having finished my dinner. | set off
once more, this time to the house of Mr..
Linton the rival of Mr.. Tonson. There
scarce could be two publishers, | mag
med. foolish enough to despise my poems.
Conceive of my dismay therefore, when
Mr.. Linton put the same questions to
me as Mr.. Tonson had done, and like
wise refused with the utmost emphasis
to give a single guinea for my verses!
Now. indeed, / was Mt a loss how to
act. but being wearied with my fruit
| less Journey, | betook myself to But
| toms coffee house, to which, as | knew,
the literary wits of the town were apt
| to resort Seating myself in corner
| with a dish Of coffee, / feigned to be
reading a news-sheet, while in truth
listening to the words and studying the
countenances of those who, as the even
| ing drew on, began to swarm into the
room.
The talk was indeed an odd contrast
| to that which engaged the rest OF the
town. Although public matters at this
| time were in troubled condition, and
the contention 'twixt wing and tory run
| ming very high, the company amongst
whom / now found myself scarce men
| toned matters of state. What converse
there was upon politics was very amiably
exchanged, the disputants vying in good
! humorcd raillery at each others expense.
| But when the talk was of letters the
debate waxed exceedingly warm, were
| it but over Il line of some German writer,
| that more than once ! looked for the
| rival factions to come to blows. 10
one person only did both parties pay
| Difference, nor was | surprised to hear
| this arbitor addressed as Mr.. Addison.
| AIethinkS it was the mention of line
| from Il Latin author which caused him
| to begin an ingenious dissertation on
the Immortality of the soul. But he was
cut short by gentleman of ruddy
| face and manner which seemed TO
betoken that he had supped. Twas easy
TO guess by his bearing that this was
| Sir Richard Steele.
"Oh. stop, stop" he cried. Your So
| iourn in Ireland, / perceive, has not
cured you of your fondness for preach
ing. You are full as duh as ever were
your Saturday Spectators"
| Mr.. Addison frowned 1T were well
| had you profited by their teaching, Dick.
| But You are to know, gentlemen" he
said, placing two volum& on the table
before him, that | would have ymr
| opinion concerning these two transla-
tons of Homer's First Had am
apt to think. though both are well DONE
that Mr.. Tickells has more of Homer
than Mr.. Pope's."
Mr. Pope has a pretty wit for the
writing of lampoons," sairanother but
am nightly surprised at his attempt
ing Homer"
..Methinks,' quoth a third with
sheer. ''that he is somewhat indebted to
these ancient heather, for they have
| furnished him with the pattern of his
morality and manner of life"
NAY" broke in Sir Richard, you
wrong Mr. Pope therein. And to me his
performance seems to excel Mr.. Tick
ellis: It's as just to the sense, and the
numbers, beyond question, have more
spirit"
Thereon arose general clamor, all the
rest abusing Mr.. Pope with the utmost
vehemence, but rather assailing his
| character as man than his merit as 4
| translator Mr.. Addison, indeed, made
some show of defense on his behalf, but
with little zeal / make no doubt that
| Sir Richard had borne his part In the
debate, but that, overcome by the effect
of his rotations, he speedily fell into
profound slumber.
As it was now become dark, | began
my return to my abode, not little ont
of humor with the spitefulness of the
critics whose Judgment | had heard
| had proceeded thus far in my specula-
ton when my thoughts were on sud
den diverted. Turning the corner of a
narrow and ill-lit street hard by Covent
garden, | heard sounds as of scuitle,
| mingled with loud appeals for aid. Hast
enng in the direction of the clamor, |
found small man endeavoring to es-
cape from the clutches of three rascals,
whom, from their violence, as well as
from their masked faces, | took to be
some of those footnadS who commonly