The two most important elements in Alexander Pope's life were his being born a Catholic and his contracting, during his twelfth year, a severe tubercular infection from which he never fully recovered. Because of his Catholicism, Pope was compelled to live outside of London and was not allowed to enroll in a formal university program. Because of his illness, Pope attained a height of only four and a half ... where he was able to indulge his love of gardening and to escape from the contumacious atmosphere of literary London. Here, in the companionship of Swift, Gay, Bolingbroke, and Arbuthnot, ...

• Word Count: 590
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Graduate