Anecdotes, observations, and characters, of books and men. Collected from the conversation of Mr. Pope, and other eminent persons of his time / By the Rev. Joseph Spence. Now first pubublished from the original papers, with notes, and a life of the author. By Samuel Weller Singer.

Joseph Spence

Date:: 1820

Credit: Anecdotes, observations, and characters, of books and men. Collected from the conversation of Mr. Pope, and other eminent persons of his time / By the Rev. Joseph Spence. Now first pubublished from the original papers, with notes, and a life of the author. By Samuel Weller Singer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Iti another letter, he says, Mr. Spence is the very man you would like, and who would like you of all mankind. He took my Elegies with him into Scotland, and sent them back on his return, with a sheet or two of criti¬ cisms, and a handsome letter.—How much am I inte¬ rested in the preservation of his friendship!—and yet such is my destiny (for I can give it no other name), I have never wrote to him since. This impartiality of my neglect, you must accept yourself as some apology:—but to proceed; Mr. Spence chose himself an oak here for a seat, which I have inscribed to him * : EXIMIO. NOSTRO. CRITONI. CVI. DICARI. VELLET. MVSARVM. OMNIVM. ET. GRATIARVM. CHORVS. DICAT AMIC1TIA. This journey of Mr. Spence is agreeably described in a letter to Shenstone, printed in Hull's collection f. In the year 1764, Mr. James Ridley, the son of his old friend Gloster Ridley, gave an accurate and interest¬ ing delineation of his character and retreat, in his Tales of the Genii; Spence is meant by Phesoi Ecneps, the Dervise of the Groves. A panegyrical letter to Mr. Ridley, on the occasion, by Mr. Spence, is printed in the collection of letters above cited. The last of his literary labours was the agreeable task of preparing for the press “ Remarks and Dissertations on Virgil, with some other classical observations,” by his friend Holdsworth, to which were added, notes and addi- * I find this inscription among Mr. Spence’s Papers in rather a different form. JOSEPHO. SPENCE. CUI. SEDEM. HANC. DICARI. VELLET. MUSARUM. OMNIUM. ET GRATIARUM. CHORUS. DICAT. AMICITIA. f Vol. iy p. 278.

Anecdotes, observations, and characters, of books and men. Collected from the conversation of Mr. Pope, and other eminent persons of his time / By the Rev. Joseph Spence. Now first pubublished from the original papers, with notes, and a life of the author. By Samuel Weller Singer.

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