Addison had again praised Philips's Pastorals in the _Spectator_ (October 30, 1712), and amongst the early numbers of the _Guardian_ were a short series of papers upon pastoral poetry, in which the fortunate Ambrose was again held up as a model, whilst no notice was taken of Pope's rival performance.

Pope, one may believe, had a contempt for Philips, whose pastoral inanities, whether better or worse than his own, had not the excuse of being youthful productions.

Philips has bequeathed to our language the phrase "Namby-pamby," imposed upon him by Henry Carey (author of _Sally in our Alley_, and the clever farce _Chrononhotonthologos_), and years after this he wrote a poem to Miss Pulteney in the nursery, beginning,-- "Dimply damsel, sweetly smiling," which may sufficiently interpret the meaning of his nickname.

Pope's irritable vanity was vexed at the liberal praises bestowed on such a rival, and he revenged himself by an artifice more ingenious than scrupulous.

He sent an anonymous article to Steele for the _Guardian_.
It is a professed continuation of the previous papers on pastorals, and is ostensibly intended to remove the appearance of partiality arising from the omission of Pope's name.