In 1737, two years after Sober Advice, Pope published as a group three new Imitations of Horace. In March he brought out an Imitation of Horace's Ode IV.i., ‘To Venus’, in April an Imitation of Epistle II.ii., and in May an Imitation of Epistle II.i. These poems mark a whole new phase of Pope's relationship with Horace. There is a new seriousness in Pope's choice of Horatian models here, and a new depth in the Imitations themselves. After producing Imitations based on three early Horatian satires, he now presented Imitations modelled on Horace's very late poetry: the lyric which introduces Horace's last book of odes, and the two major works which together constitute Horace's last book of epistles.

We can account for this change partly in terms of the context in which the poems were written. It would seem that the period between 1736 and early 1737 was for Pope a time of contemplation and inward review. Between 1733 and 1735 Pope had published nine major poems, starting with the Epistle to Bathurst and ending with Of the Characters of Women and the second volume of his collected Works.