His Elegy on an Unfortunate Tronmn, which he wrote in 1711, has been reckoned one of his finest compositions. The story is a mysterious one; and though the author had already shown that he was not under the influence of a ro mantic passion for the other sex, it has been supposed, without any reason, to refer to some lady who had inspired him with a real passion. .
The publication of the Rape of the Lock, in 1712, stamp ed his reputation as an inventive poet. This mock heroic poem had its origin in the conduct of Lord Petre, who cut off a lock of Mrs. Fermor's hair; and, what seldom hap pens in such cases, it had the effect of reconciling the par ties which that incident had placed at variance.
About the same time, Pope published his Temple of Fame, altered from Chaucer, and written two years before. In 1713, he published his Windsor Forest, the first part of which had been composed in licit Pope now ventured on an undertaking of great difficul ty and boldness. In 1713, he circulated proposals for pub lishing by subscription a translation of the Iliad of Homer. 'Phis project succeeded beyond his most sanguine expec tations, and the rise of the subscription to 60001., besides 1200/., which he received from Lintot for the copyright, ensured to him an ample remuneration for the labour which such a great work necessarily entailed upon him. He therefore proceeded with his translation with equal ardour and diligence ; and he produced the first volume, contain ing the first four books, in the year 1715. Soon after the appearance of this volume, a rival translation by Tickell was published; and as Addison had now quarrelled with Pope, the public, who were not acquainted with the great ability of Tickell, with some reason,. ascribed the work to the pen of Addison. Enraged at this attempt to injure his commercial interests, which was in no respect an honour able one, Pope attacked his rival in a piece of keen satire, which extinguished all farther opposition, and left him in full possession of the Troad.
With the produce of his subscriptions, Pope purchased his house at Twickenham, which afterwards became so celebrated: and he removed to it in 1715, with his father and mother. His father lived only two years to enjoy the prosperity of his family ; but his mother long survived, cheered by the most affectionate kindness and attention of her son.
Thus elevated in society by the successful exercise of his own talents, Pope devoted himself to the improvement of his fortune; and having done much for his reputation, he began to do something to promote his comfort and estab blish his independence.
With this view, he published in 1717 a collection of his separate works, in one volume quarto, to which he prefix ed a well-written preface; and he began an edition of Shak speare, which was published in 1721, in a splendid form by Tonson, but which exposed him to much severity of criticism.
Having completed the Iliad in 1720, lie now undertook a translation of the Odyssey ; but feeling, no doubt, that in dependence had weakened his habits of hard labour, he en gaged Broome and Fenton to assist him in the undertak ing for the sum of 5001. This work was published in 1725, on the same condition as the Iliad, with this difference on ly, that Lintot gave him only 6001. for the copyright. Twelve books of the Odyssey were translated by Pope him self, and the translation is marked by his able hand ; but the other twelve, executed by his assistants, were, notwith standing all his corrections and amendments, of a very in ferior character.
In the year 1721, our author published a selection of the poems of his deceased friend Parnell, which he dedicated in a poetical effusion to the Earl of Oxford, who had retir ed from the disputes and cares of a statesman ; and some years previous to this he had composed his from Eloisa to Abelard ;" a poem of singular beauty, but more strongly marked with the licentiousness than with the ro mance of love.
Soon after our author had settled himself in his elegant residence at Twickenham, he became acquainted with La dy Mary Wortley Montague, whom he had induced to re side in the village of Twickenham, in the house of Sir Godfrey Kneller, a lease of which he had contrived to ne gociate for his friend. The poet ventured to address this eminent individual in the style of a lover; and this tone of intimacy was probably permitted by Lady 11/lary, on the ground that there was no risk of scandal with a poet, and especially with one of his personal disqualifications. The poet, therefore, carried on an intimate correspondence with her during her residence abroad; but on her return to Eng land, various circumstances, both of a personal and politi cal nature, of which we have given a detailed account in her life, excited between them the bitterest enmity.