LINES ON ADDISON From An Epistle To Dr. Arbuthnot - Alexander Pope

 About the Poet 

Alexander Pope ( Born May 12, 1688, London, England Died May 30, 1744, Twickenham, near London) is a poet and satirist of the English Augustan period or the age of Neoclassicism, best known for his poem An Essay on Criticism (1711), The Rape of the Lock (1712), The Duciad (1728) and An Essay on Man (1733-34). He is one of the most epigrammatic of all English authors. 

Overview of the Poem 

'Lines on Joseph Addison' is a part and parcel of a longer poem where Pope satirized him under the name of Atticus in An Epistle To Dr. Arbuthnot. It is Pope's most autobiographical poem. Dr. Arbuthnot was a leading medical man of Pope's time and was also his best friend. The poem is the form of a dialogue between Pope and Arbuthnot and celebrates the life and memory of the doctor, but Pope also uses the occasion to satirize his rivals.

Summary

In the opening lines of poem the poet prays to God that all such poets who think they have weaknesses and could not write good poetry they may be blessed with peace of mind but among all these poets there is one poet who has actual poetic power,which is the result of a true genius. He is so famous that he deserves the fame by which he is inspired. He is blessed with the talent and art of poetry to satisfy his readers. He has a natural gift of writing and conversating that he lives his life with comfort. 

The poet questions that a man with such qualities should he be so much passionate to rule the empire of poetry alone and become so deplorable. The poet wants to contemplate that this poet (of whom he was praising above) also cannot tolerate any other fellow poet in the literary field because of his fear of conspirancy. Here he compares his character with the Turkish monarch who do not allow even their brothers near the throne. The poet who looks at other poets hatefully and is jealous of thinking they might challenge his position. He hate the art or the work of other poets that made himself popular. He praises these poets with feeble tone half heartly and pretends to reviewing positively without positivity a kind of condescending about it. 

He doesn't openly contemplate the work of other poets rather he teaches other or his friends to mock at or laugh at them. He always wants to attack the repetition of other poets but hesitates to harm them openly by himself. He doesn't declare it freely he just give a hint to their mistakes and is afraid of telling if he dislike something. He does not have the courage to either blame anybody or to be generous to praise anyone freely. He is a timid enemy and as a friend he do not trust any of his fellows.

 He is even afraid of fools and surrounded by flatters. He does not do any favour or do good to anybody. The poet refers him like Cato (who is an ancient Roman Senator) as he makes his own little laws of poetry for the small circle of his poet fellows and sit attentively to listen the applause of his own appreciation. While the intelligence and students who applored every sentence that this man speaks and they all give a expression of wonder praising with foolish faces.

Such kind of traits a men have this absurd behaviour becomes a matter of mockery. Who would not laugh at such a character. But if these absurd traits were to be found in Addsion everyone would weep with sorrow. Here 'Atticus' he refers to 'Joseph Addsion'.