father made him, though,
proportioned to what he 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[118].

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[119]; 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 publick with his political opinions; and it might be
naturally expected, as each faction then boasted its literary zeal, that
the great men, who on other occasions practised all the violence of
opposition, would emulate each other in their encouragement of a poet
who had delighted all, and by whom none had been offended.

With those hopes, he offered an English Iliad to subscribers, in six
volumes in quarto, for six guineas; a sum, according to the value of
money at that time, by no means inconsiderable, and greater than I
believe to have been ever asked before. His proposal, however, was very
favourably received; and the patrons of literature were busy to
recommend his undertaking, and promote his interest. Lord Oxford,
indeed, lamented that such a genius should be wasted upon a work not
original; but proposed no means by which he might live without it.
Addison recommended caution and moderation, and advised him not to be
content with the praise of half the nation, when he might be universally
favoured.

The greatness of the design, the popularity of the author, and the
attention of the literary world, naturally raised such expectations of
the future sale, that the booksellers made their offers with great
eagerness; but the highest bidder was Bernard Lintot, who became
proprietor on condition of supplying, at his own expense, all the copies
which were to be delivered to subscribers, or presented to friends, and
paying two hundred pounds for every volume.

Of the quartos it