ruct the progress of rising
merit. The contest rose so high, that they parted at last without any
interchange of civility.

The first volume of Homer was, 1715, in time published; and a rival
version of the first Iliad, for rivals the time of their appearance
inevitably made them, was immediately printed, with the name of Tickell.
It was soon perceived that, among the followers of Addison, Tickell had
the preference, and the criticks and poets divided into factions. "I,"
says Pope, "have the town, that is, the mob, on my side; but it is not
uncommon for the smaller party to supply by industry what it wants in
numbers. I appeal to the people as my rightful judges, and while they
are not inclined to condemn me, shall not fear the highfliers at
Button's." This opposition he immediately imputed to Addison, and
complained of it in terms sufficiently resentful to Craggs, their common
friend.

When Addison's opinion was asked, he declared the versions to be both
good, but Tickell's the best that had ever been written; and sometimes
said, that they were both good, but that Tickell had more of Homer.

Pope was now sufficiently irritated; his reputation and his interest
were at hazard. He once intended to print together the four versions of
Dryden, Maynwaring, Pope, and Tickell, that they might be readily
compared, and fairly estimated. This design seems to have been defeated
by the refusal of Tonson, who was the proprietor of the other three
versions.

Pope intended, at another time, a rigorous criticism of Tickell's
translation, and had marked a copy, which I have seen, in all places
that appeared defective. But, while he was thus meditating defence or
revenge, his adversary sunk before him without a blow; the voice of the
publick was not long divided, and the preference was universally given
to Pope's performance.

He was convinced, by adding one circumstance to another, that the other
translation was the work of Addison himself; but, if he knew it in
Addison's lifetime, it does not appear that he told it. He left his
illustrious antagonist to be punished by what has been considered as
the most painful of all reflections, the remembrance of a crime
perpetrated in vain.

The other circumstances of their quarrel were thus related by Pope[125].

"Philips seemed to have been encouraged to abuse me in coffee-houses,
and conversations: and Gildon wrote a thing about Wycherley, in which he
had abused both me and my relations