Craggs during his brief tenure of office offered Pope a pension of 300_l._ a year (from the secret service money), which Pope declined, whilst saying that, if in want of money, he would apply to Craggs as a friend.

A negotiation of the same kind took place with Halifax, who aimed at the glory of being the great literary patron.

It seems that he was anxious to have the Homer dedicated to him, and Pope, being unwilling to gratify him, or, as Johnson says, being less eager for money than Halifax for praise, sent a cool answer, and the negotiation passed off.

Pope afterwards revenged himself for this offence by his bitter satire on _Bufo_ in the Prologue to his Satires, though he had not the courage to admit its obvious application.
Pope deserves the credit of preserving his independence.

He would not stoop low enough to take a pension at the price virtually demanded by the party in power.