authenticity. This very collection is now deposited
among Rawlinson's MSS. at the Bodleian.[210]

This single volume was successful; and when Pope, to do justice to the
memory of Wycherley, which had been injured by a posthumous volume,
printed some of their letters, Curll, who seemed now to consider that
all he could touch was his own property, and that his little volume
might serve as a foundation-stone, immediately announced _a new
edition_ of it, with _Additions_, meaning to include the letters of
Pope and Wycherley. Curll now became so fond of _Pope's Letters_, that
he advertised for any: "no questions to be asked." Curll was willing
to be credulous: having proved to the world he had some originals, he
imagined these would sanction even spurious one. A man who, for a
particular purpose, sought to be imposed on, easily obtained his wish:
they translated letters of Voiture to Mademoiselle Rambouillet, and
despatched them to the eager Bibliopolist to print, as Pope's to Miss
Blount. He went on increasing his collection; and, skilful in catering
for the literary taste of the town, now inflamed their appetite by
dignifying it with "Mr. Pope's Literary Correspondence!"

But what were the feelings of Pope during these successive surreptitious
editions? He had discovered that his genuine letters were liked; the
grand experiment with the public had been made for him, while he was
deprived of the profits; yet for he himself to publish his own
letters, which I shall prove he had prepared, was a thing unheard of in
the nation. All this was vexatious; and to stop the book-jobber and open
the market for himself, was a point to be obtained.

While Curll was proceeding, wind and tide in his favour, a new and
magnificent prospect burst upon him. A certain person, masked by the
initials P. T., understanding Curll was preparing _a Life of Pope_,
offered him "divers Memoirs gratuitously;" hinted that he was well
known to Pope; but the poet had lately "treated him as a stranger."
P. T. desires an answer from E. C. by the _Daily Advertiser_, which
was complied with. There are passages in this letter which, I think,
prove Pope to be the projector of it: his family is here said to be
allied to Lord Downe's; his father is called a merchant. Pope could
not bear the reproach of Lady Mary's line:--

Hard as thy heart, and as _thy birth obscure_.

He always hinted at noble relatives; but Tyers tells us, from the
information of a relativ