How did An Essay on Criticism help Alexander Pope gain new literary friends?

Published in 1711, An Essay on Criticism was a didactic poem that showcased Alexander Pope’s stylistic assurance and ambitious command of Neoclassical poetic rules. The work’s success brought Pope significant attention from the literary community, which helped him expand his social and professional circle.

Most notably, the poem’s reception facilitated new friendships with Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, who were then collaborating on the influential periodical The Spectator. This connection proved fruitful for Pope’s career, as he subsequently contributed his pastoral poem "The Messiah" and other prose papers to their journal.12