rom his private papers, and the
argument for divulging them was gone. A man who was eager to drag them
into day might use the incident as a pretext, but anybody who did not
court publicity would have left them in their obscurity upon the
discovery that they continued safe from prying eyes and transcribing
fingers. Pope's practice and professions were as usual at variance. He
raised a cry of distress at the publication of his letters by P. T., and
laid hold of the first hollow excuse for completing the obnoxious
design, and spreading before the world that portion of his
correspondence which P. T. had been unable to smuggle into print, in
consequence of Curll's unexpected revelation of the plot.

Pope stated in his advertisement, that along with his correspondence
with the Bishop of Rochester he should publish such of the letters as
were genuine from the surreptitious volume, and added, that the work
would be printed "with all convenient speed."[102] But speed was not
convenient. The project slept till March 26, 1736, when he writes to
Fortescue, "Your too partial mention of the book of letters, with all
its faults and follies, which Curll printed and spared not (nor yet will
spare, for he has published a fourth sham volume yesterday), makes me
think it may not be amiss to send you--what I know you will be much more
pleased with than I can be--a proposal for a correct edition of them,
which at last I find must be offered, since people have misunderstood an
advertisement I printed some time ago, merely to put some stop to that
rascal's books, as a promise that I would publish such a book." His
excuse for the delay in redeeming his pledge of supplying an authentic
edition, is a curious instance of the absurdity to which a man of genius
may be reduced, when, unable to divulge his true reasons, he has
recourse to invention. "People" could not have "_misunderstood_" the
advertisement as "a promise that he would publish such a book," for the
promise was distinct, and there was no room left for misunderstanding in
the matter. But if we allow that an advertisement in the newspapers,
asserting that he was under a necessity of putting out a genuine
edition, which would be printed with all convenient speed, was only
designed to be read as a threat for the purpose of stopping Curll's
trade, it is plain that Curll must have become acquainted with an
interpretation which was apparent to the rest of the world, and would
have paid no att