_Pope's Translations or Imitations of Horace_ (Vol. i., p. 230.; Vol. iv., p. 58.).--Is your correspondent C. correct in attributing _A true Character of Mr. Pope and his Writings, in a Letter to a Friend_, printed for Popping, 1716, to Oldmixon? In the Testimonies of Authors, prefixed to the _Dunciad_, and the Appendix, and throughout the Notes, Dennis is uniformly quoted and attacked as the author. Oldmixon's feud with Pope was hardly, I think, so early.
Assuming your correspondent's quotation from the pamphlet to be correct, the terms made use of will surely refer to Pope's _Imitation of Horace_ (S. ii. L. i.), a fragment of which was published by Curll about this time (1716). It was afterwards republished in folio about 1734, printed for J. Boreman, under the title of _Sober Advice from Horace to the young Gentlemen about Town_, but in an enlarged state, and with some of the initials altered, and several new adaptations. Mrs. Oldfield and Lady Mary are not introduced in the first edition. I have both, but at present can only refer to the second one in folio. From this the _Imitation_ was transferred to the Supplement to Pope's Works, published by Cooper: London, 1757, 12mo., and from thence to the Supplementary Volumes to the later editions. The publication of it formed an article of impeachment against Dr. Jos. Warton, by the author of the _Pursuits of Literature_, as all who have read that satire will well remember.
_Brother Jonathan_ (Vol. iii., p. 495.).--The origin of this term, as applied to the United States, is given in a recent number of the _Norwich Courier_. The editor says it was communicated by a gentleman now upwards of eighty years of age, who was an active participator in the scenes of the revolution. The story is as follows:
"When General Washington, after being appointed commander of the army of the revolutionary war, came to Massachusetts to organize it, and make preparations for the defence of the country, he found a great want of ammunition and other means necessary to meet the powerful foe he had to contend with, and great difficulty to obtain them. If attacked in such condition, the cause at once might be hopeless. On one occasion at that anxious period a consultation of the officers and others was had, when it seemed no way could be devised to make such preparations as were necessary. His Excellency Jonathan Trumbull the elder was then governor of the State of Connecticut, on whose judgment and aid the general placed the greatest reliance, and remarked, 'We must consult Brother Jonathan on the subject.' The general did so, and the governor was successful in supplying many of the wants of the army. When difficulties afterwards arose, and the army was spread over the country, it became a by-word, 'We _must consult_ Brother Jonathan.' The term Yankee is still applied to a portion, but 'Brother Jonathan' has now become a designation of the whole country, as John Bull has for England."--_Dictionary of Americanisms_, by John Russell Bartlett, 1849.