had prudently asked for the return of his letters; but Curll had kept copies, and was prepared to swear to their fidelity.

Accordingly he soon advertised what was called the _Initial Correspondence_.

Pope was now caught in his own trap.

He had tried to avert suspicion by publicly offering a reward to Smythe and P.T., if they would "discover the whole affair." The letters, as he admitted, must have been procured either from his own library or from Lord Oxford's.

The correspondence to be published by Curll would help to identify the mysterious appropriators, and whatever excuses could be made ought now to be forthcoming.