A.L.S. OF JOHN EVELYN TO SAMUEL PEPYS, DEPTFORD, SEPTEMBER 25, 1700.
(In the collection of Mr. Frank Sabin.)
Milton, to a certain extent, was a contemporary of both Pepys and Evelyn, but he had been dead sixteen years at the date of the letter now quoted. The value of Milton's autographs is fully discussed by Dr. Scott in the pages of The Archivist.[47] When the subject first attracted my attention early in 1904 much excitement was caused by the appearance in Sotheby's Salerooms of what was alleged to be 32 pp. of the MS. of "Paradise Lost." The value of the document was warmly discussed at the time and sensational bidding was anticipated. It was bought in, but I believe it was ultimately sold to an American collector for £5,000 or thereabouts. Mr. Quaritch now possesses a very fine Milton deed, which is priced at £420, and is dated November 27, 1623. It is signed by John Milton, as one of the witnesses to the Marriage Covenant between Edward Phillips of London and Anne, daughter of John Milton, Citizen and Scrivener of London.
EARLY SIGNATURE OF JOHN MILTON ON DOCUMENTS NOW IN POSSESSION OF MR. QUARITCH.
Letters of Dryden and Cowley have fetched very high prices,[48] and the autograph of Edmund Waller is also rare, but Alexander Pope's letters are abundant, although they are much less valuable than those of Swift. A good letter of Pope can be obtained for from £7 to £10. The late Mr. Frederick Barker told me he was once asked as an autographic expert to advise a well-known nobleman, Lord H., who said he had a bundle of letters written by one of the Popes in his possession and desired to ascertain their value, but as they were merely signed "A Pope" he did not know which of the Holy Fathers was responsible for them! Mr. Barker of course identified the "bard of Twickenham" as their author. They were bound up under his supervision, and fetched over £200, but still the owner was not quite satisfied! Of the four Pope letters in my collection, only one has ever been published, and that but partially. It is of such manifest historical interest that I do not apologise for reproducing it in its entirety:—
Alexander Pope at Twickenham to Ralph Allen, Esq., Widcombe, Bath.
(November 2. 1738.)
Dear Sir,—I trouble you with my answers to the Inclosed wch I beg you to give to Mr Lyttelton as I wd do him all ye Good I can, wh the Virtues I know him possest of, deserve; and therefore I wd Present him with so Honest a Man as you, and you with so Honest a man as he: The Matter concerning Urns I wd gladly leave in yr Care, and I desire four small ones with their Pedestals, may be made, and two of a size larger. I'l send those sizes to you and I send a Draft of ye two sorts, 4 of one and 2 of ye other. I am going to insert in the body of my Works, my two last Poems in Quarto. I always Profit myself of ye opinion of ye publick to correct myself on such occasions. And sometimes the Merits of particular Men, whose names I have made free with for examples either of Good or of Bad, determine me to alteration. I have found the Virtue in you more than I certainly knew before till I had made experiment of it, I mean Humility! I must therefore in justice to my own conscience of it bear testimony to it and change the epithet I first gave you of Low-born, to Humble. I shall take care to do you the justice to tell everybody this change was not made at yours, or at any friends request for you: but my own knowledge (of) you merited it. I receive daily fresh proofs of your kind remembrance of me. The Bristol waters, the Guinea Hens, the Oyl and Wine (two Scripture benedictions) all came safe except ye wine, wch was turned on one side, and spilt at ye Corks. However tis no loss to me for that sort I dare not drink on acct of ye Bile, but my friends may and that is the same thing as if I did. Adieu! Is Mr Hook with you? I wish I were, for a month at least; for less I wd not come. Pray advise him not to be so modest. I hope he sees Mr. Lyttelton. I must expect your good offices with Mrs. Allen, so let her know I honour a good woman much but a good Wife more.