"Paper-sparing" Pope is the epithet bestowed upon him by Swift, and a great part of the Iliad is written upon the backs of letters.

The habit seems to have been regarded as illustrative of his economical habits; but it was also natural to a man who was on the watch to turn every fragment of time to account.

If anything was to be finished, he must snatch at the brief intervals allowed by his many infirmities.

Naturally, he fell into many of the self-indulgent and troublesome ways of the valetudinarian.

He was constantly wanting coffee, which seems to have soothed his headaches; and for this and his other wants he used to wear out the servants in his friends' houses, by "frequent and frivolous errands." Yet he was apparently a kind master.