the
publication of his letters, while so manipulating them as to enhance his
credit, were suspected to some extent in his own age, and have been
painfully laid bare in ours. It is an amazing story, which may be read
at large in Mr. Dilke's _Papers of a Critic_, or in the elaborate
narrative of Mr. Elwin in the first volume of his edition of _Pope_. It
will be there seen how the poet compiled fictitious letters, suppressed
passages, altered dates, manufactured letters out of other letters, and
secretly enabled the infamous bookseller Curll to publish his
correspondence surreptitiously in order that he might have the excuse
for printing it himself in a more carefully prepared form. The worst
feature of the miserable story is the poet's conduct with regard to
Swift, his oldest and most faithful friend. On this subject the writer
may be allowed to quote what he has said elsewhere.

'Years before, Swift, who cared little for literary reputation, and
never resorted to any artifice to promote it, had suspected Pope of a
desire to make literary capital out of their correspondence, and the
poet had excused himself according to his wonted fashion. After the
publication by Curll, he begged Swift to return him his letters lest
they should fall into the bookseller's hands. The Dean replied, no doubt
to Pope's infinite chagrin, that they were safe in his keeping, as he
had given strict orders in his will that his executors should burn every
letter he might leave behind him. Afterwards he promised that Pope
should eventually have them but declined giving them up during his
lifetime. Hereupon Pope changed his tactics and begged that he might
have the letters to print. The publication by Curll of two letters
(probably another _ruse_ of Pope's) formed an additional ground for
urging his request. All his efforts were unavailing until he obtained
the assistance of Lord Orrery, to whom Swift was at length induced to
deliver up the letters. There was a hiatus in the correspondence and
Pope took advantage of this and of a blunder made by Swift, whose memory
at the time was not to be trusted, to hint, what he dared not directly
assert, that the bulk of the collection remained with the Dean, and that
Swift's own letters had been returned to him. We have now irresistible
proof that the Dublin edition of the letters was taken from an
impression sent from England and sent by Pope. Nor was this all. The
poet acted with still greater meanness, for