had, it might be liberal, could not be large; his religion hindered him, from the occupation of any civil employment; and he complained that he wanted even money to buy books[1].
He therefore resolved to try how far the favour of the publick extended, by soliciting a subscription to a version of the "Iliad," with large notes.
To print by subscription was, for some time, a practice peculiar to the English. The first considerable work, for which this expedient was employed, is said to have been Dryden's "Virgil[2];" and it had been tried again with great success when the "Tatlers" were collected into volumes.
There was reason to believe that Pope's attempt would be successful. He was in the full bloom of reputation, and was personally known to almost all whom dignity of employment or splendour of reputation had made eminent; he conversed indifferently with both parties, and never disturbed the
- ↑ Spence.
- ↑ Earlier than this, viz. in 1688, Milton's "Paradise Lost" had been published with great success by subscription, in folio, under the patronage of Mr. (afterwards Lord) Sommers.R.
