He said in this letter that he knew of Addison's behaviour--and that, unwilling to take a revenge of the same kind, he would rather tell Addison fairly of his faults in plain words.

If he had to take such a step, it would be in some such way as followed, and he subjoined the first sketch of the famous lines.

Addison, says Pope, used him very civilly ever afterwards.

Indeed, if the account be true, Addison showed his Christian spirit by paying a compliment in one of his _Freeholders_ (May 17th, 1716) to Pope's Homer.
Macaulay, taking the story for granted, praises Addison's magnanimity, which, I must confess, I should be hardly Christian enough to admire.

It was however asserted at the time that Pope had not written the verses which have made the quarrel memorable till after Addison's death.