ll alter them in case of another edition: I will
make my enemy do me a kindness where he meant an injury, and so serve
instead of a friend."

An interesting paper might be drawn up from the instances, for they are
rather numerous, in which Pope followed out this very sensible rule. I do
not remember seeing the following one noted. One of the heroes of the
_Dunciad_, Thomas Cooke, the translator of Hesiod, was the editor of a
periodical published in monthly numbers, in 8vo., of which nine only
appeared, under the title of _The Comedian, or Philosophical Inquirer_, the
first number being for April, and the last for December, 1732. It contains
some curious matter, and amongst other papers is, in No. 2., "A Letter in
Prose to Mr. Alexander Pope, occasioned by his Epistle in Verse to the Earl
of Burlington." It is very abusive, and was most probably written either by
Cooke or Theobald. After quoting the following lines as they then stood:

"He buys for Topham drawings and designs,
For Fountain statues, and for Curio coins,
Rare monkish manuscripts for Hearne alone,
And books for Mead, and rarities for Sloane,"

the letter-writer thus unceremoniously addresses himself to the author:

"Rarities! how could'st thou be so silly as not to be particular in the
rarities of Sloane, as in those of the other five persons? What
knowledge, what meaning is conveyed in the word _rarities_? Are not
some drawings, some statues, some coins, all monkish manuscripts, and
some books, _rarities_? Could'st thou not find a trisyllable to express
some parts of nature for a collection of which that learned and worthy
physician is eminent? Fy, fy! correct and write--

'Rare monkish manuscripts for Hearne alone,
And books for Mead, and butterflies for Sloane.'

{542}

"Sir Hans Sloane is known to have the finest collection of butterflies
in England, and perhaps in the world; and if rare monkish manuscripts
are for Hearne only, how can rarities be for Sloane, unless thou
specifyest what sort of rarities? O thou numskull!"--No. 2., pp.
15--16.

The correction was evidently an improvement, and therefore Pope wisely
accepted the benefit, and was the channel through which it was conveyed;
and the passage accordingly now stands as altered by the letter-writer.

JAMES CROSSLEY.

* * * * *

NOTES ON SEVERAL MISUNDERSTOOD WORDS.

(_Conti