Addison’s First Letter to Pope

Abstract An unpublished and uncollected letter from Addison to Pope in the Houghton Library predates the earliest contact hitherto recorded between the two men. This article examines the letter, assesses its authenticity by comparing handwriting samples to other items by Addison, and then interprets the letter, placing it into context for both men. The letter refines our understanding of the run-up to Cato's first performance, sharpens our sense of the already complex dynamics between Addison and Pope, gives a key piece of prehistory of their falling out, and allows us to falsify a principal source of information about the men's relationship, Spence's Anecdotes.