PIECES contained in this BOOK.

• The Publisher’s Advertisement.
• A Letter to the Publisher, occasioned by the present Edition of the Dunciad.
• The Prolegomena of Martinus Scriblerus.
• Testimonies of Authors concerning our Poet and his Works.
• A Dissertation of the Poem.
• Dunciados Periocha: Or, Arguments to the Books.
• The DUNCIAD, in three Books.
• Notes Variorum: Being the Scholia of the learned M. Scriblerus and Others, with the Adversaria of John Dennis, Lewis Theobald, Edmund Curl, the Journalists, &c.
• Index of Persons celebrated in this Poem.
• Index of Things (including Authors) to be found in the Notes.
• Appendix.

ADVERTISEMENT.

IT will be sufficient to say of this Edition, that the reader has here a much more correct and compleat copy of the Dunciad, than has hitherto ap­peared: I cannot answer but some mistakes may have slipt into it, but a vast number of others will be prevented, by the Names being now not only set at length, but justi­fied by the authorities and reasons given. I make no doubt, the Author’s own motive to use real rather than feign’d names, was his care to preserve the Innocent from any false Applications; whereas in the former editions which had no more than the Initial letters, he was made, by Keys printed here, to hurt the inoffensive; and (what was worse) to abuse his friends, by an impression at Dublin.

The Commentary which attends this Poem was sent me from several hands, and consequently must be unequally written; yet will it have one advantage over most Com­mentaries, that it is not made upon conjectures, or at a remote distance of time: and the reader cannot but derive one pleasure from the very Obscurity of the persons it treats of, that it partakes of the nature of a Secret, which most people love to be let into, tho’ the Men or the Things be ever so inconsiderable or trivial.

Of the Persons it was judg’d proper to give some ac­count: for since it is only in this monument that they must expect to survive, (and here survive they will, as long as the English tongue shall remain such as it was in the reigns of Queen Anne and King George)

it seem’d but humanity to bestow a word or two upon each, just to tell what he was, what he writ, when he liv’d, or when he dy’d.

If a word or two more are added upon the chief Offen­ders; ’tis only as a paper pinn’d upon the breast, to mark the Enormities for which they suffer’d; lest the Correction only should be remember’d, and the Crime forgotten.

In some Articles, it was thought sufficient barely to transcribe from Jacob, Curl, and other writers of their own rank, who were much better acquainted with them than any of the Authors of this Comment can pretend to be. Most of them had drawn each other’s Characters on certain occasions; but the few here inserted, are all that could be saved from the general destruction of such Works.

Of the part of Scriblerus I need say nothing: his Manner is well enough known, and approv’d by all but those who are too much concern’d to be judges.

The Imitations of the Ancients are added, to gratify those who either never read, or may have forgotten them; together with some of the Parodies, and Allusions to the most excellent of the Moderns. If any man from the frequency of the former, may think the Poem too much a Cento; our Poet will but appear to have done the same thing in jest, which Boileau did in earnest; and upon which Vida, Fracastorius, and many of the most eminent Latin Poets, professedly valued themselves.

A
LETTER
TO THE
PUBLISHER,
Occasioned by the present
Edition of the DUNCIAD.

IT is with pleasure I hear that you have procured a correct Copy of the Dunciad, which the many surreptitious ones have rendered so necessary; and it is yet with more, that I am informed it will be attended with a Commentary: a work so requisite, that I cannot think the Author himself would have omitted it, had he approv’d of the first appearance of this Poem.

Such Notes as have occurr’d to me I herewith send you: You will oblige me by inserting them amongst those which are, or will be, transmitted to you by others;

since not only the Author’s friends, but even strangers, appear ingag’d by huma­nity, to some care of an orphan of so much genius and spirit, which its parent seems to have abandoned from the very beginning, and suffered to step into the world naked, unguarded, and unattended.

It was upon reading some of the abusive papers lately publish’d, that my great re­gard to a person whose friendship I esteem as one of the chief honours of my life, and a much greater respect to Truth than to him or any man living, ingag’d me in Enquiries, of which the inclos’d Notes are the fruit.

I perceiv'd, that most of these authors had been (doubtless very wisely) the first Ag­gressors. They had try’d till they were weary, what was to be got by railing at each other: no body was either concern’d, or surpriz’d, if this or that scribler was prov’d a dunce; but every one was curious to read what could be said to prove Mr. Pope one, and was ready to pay some­thing for such a discovery: A stratagem, which wou'd they fairly own, might not only reconcile them to me, but screen them from the resentment of their lawful supe­superiors

riors, whom they daily abuse, only (as I charitably hope) to get that by them, which they cannot get from them.

I found this was not all: ill success in that had transported them to personal abuse, ei­ther of himself, or (what I think he could less forgive) of his friends. They had call’d men of virtue and honour Bad Men, long before he had either leisure or inclination to call them Bad Writers: and some had been such old offenders, that he had quite forgotten their persons, as well as their slan­ders, till they were pleas’d to revive them.

Now what had Mr. Pope done before, to incense them? He had publish’d those works which are in the hands of every body, in which not the least mention is made of any of them. And what has he done since? He has laugh’d and written the Dunciad. What has that said of them? a very serious truth which the publick had said be­fore, that they were dull: And what it had no sooner said, but they themselves were at great pains to procure, or even purchase room in the prints, to testify under their hands to the truth of it.

I should still have been silent, if either I had seen any inclination in my friend to be serious with such accusers, or if they had only meddled with his writings: since who­ever publishes puts himself on his tryal by his country. But when his Moral character was attack’d, and in a manner from which neither truth nor virtue can secure the most Innocent, in a manner which though it annihilates the credit of the accusation with the just and impartial, yet aggravates very much the guilt of the accuser, (I mean by authors without names:) then I thought, since the danger was common to all, the concern ought to be so; and that it was an act of justice to detect the Au­thors, not only on this account, but as many of them are the same who for se­veral years past, have made free with the greatest names in Church and State, ex­pos’d to the world the private misfor­unes of Families, abus’d all even to Wo­men, and whose prostituted papers (for one or other party in the unhappy divi­sions of their Country) have insulted the Fallen, the Friendless, the Exil’d, and the Dead.

Besides this, which I take to be a pub­lick concern, I have already confess’d I had a private one. I am one of that num­ber who have long lov’d and esteem’d Mr. Pope, and had often declared it was not his capacity or writings (which we ever thought the least valuable part of his cha­racter) but the honest, open, and beneficent man, that we most esteem’d and lov’d in him. Now if what these people say were believ’d, I must appear to all my friends either a fool or a knave, either impos’d on my self, or imposing on them: so that I am as much interested in the confutation of these calumnies, as he is himself.

I am no Author, and consequently not to be suspected either of jealousy or re­sentment against any of the men, of whom scarce one is known to me by sight; and as for their writings, I have sought them (on this one occasion) in vain, in the closets and libraries of all my acquaintance. I had still been in the dark, if a Gentleman had not procur’d me (I suppose from some of themselves, for they are generally much more dangerous friends than enemies) the passages I send you. I solemnly protest I have

added nothing to the malice or absurdity of them; which it behoves me to declare, since the vouchers themselves will be so soon and so irrecoverably lost. You may in some mea­sure prevent it, by preserving at least their *Which we have done in a List in the Appendix, No 2. Titles, and discovering (as far as you can depend on the truth of your information) the names of the conceal’d authors.

The first objection I have heard made to the Poem is, that the persons are too obscure for Satyre. The persons them­selves, rather than allow the objection, would forgive the satyre; and if one could be tempted to afford it a serious answer, were not all assassinates, popular insurrec­tions, the insolence of the rabble without doors, and of domesticks within, most wrong­fully chastised, if the Meanness of offen­ders indemnified them from punishment? On the contrary, Obscurity renders them more dangerous, as less thought of: Law can pronouce judgment only on open facts, Morality alone can pass censure on intenti­ons of mischief; so that for secret calumny, or the arrow flying in the dark, there is no

publick punishment left, but what a good writer inflicts.

The next objection is, that these sort of authors are Poor. That might be pleaded as an excuse at the Old Baily, for lesser crimes than defamation, (for ’tis the case of almost all who are try’d there) but sure it can here be none, for who will pretend that the robbing another of his reputation supplies the want of it in himself? I question not but such authors are poor, and heartily wish the objection were removed by any honest livelihood. But Poverty here is the acci­dent, not the subject: he who describes ma­lice and villany to be pale and meagre, ex­presses not the least anger against paleness or leanness, but against malice and villany. The apothecary in Romeo and Juliet is poor, but is he therefore justified in vend­ing poison? Not but poverty itself becomes a just subject of satyre, when it is the con­sequence of vice, prodigality, or neglect of one’s lawful calling; for then it increases the publick burden, fills the streets and highways with Robbers, and the garrets with Clippers, Coiners, and Weekly Jour­nalists.

But admitting that two or three of these offend less in their morals, than in their writings: must poverty make nonsense sa­cred? If so, the fame of bad authors would be much better taken care of than that of all the good ones in the world; and not one of a hundred had ever been call’d by his right name.

They mistake the whole matter: It is not charity to encourage them in the way they follow, but to get ’em out of it: For men are not bunglers because they are poor, but they are poor because they are bunglers.

Is it not pleasant enough, to hear our au­thors crying out on the one hand, as if their persons and characters were too sacred for Satyre; and the publick objecting on the other, that they are too mean even for Ri­dicule? But whether bread or fame be their end, it must be allow’d, our author by and in this poem, has mercifully given ’em a little of both.

There are two or three, who by their rank and fortune have no benefit from the former objections (supposing them good) and these I was sorry to see in such company. But if without any provocation, two or

three gentlemen will fall upon one, in an affair wherein his interest and reputation are equally embark’d, they cannot certainly, after they have been content to print them­selves his enemies, complain of being put into the number of them?

Others, I’m told, pretend to have been once his Friends. Surely they are their ene­mies who say so, since nothing can be more odious than to treat a friend as they have done: but of this I can’t persuade my self, when I consider the constant and eternal aversion of all bad writers to a good one.

Such as claim a merit from being his Ad­mirers, I wou’d gladly ask, if it lays him under a personal obligation? at that rate he would be the most oblig’d humble ser­vant in the world. I dare swear for these in particular, he never desir’d them to be his Admirers, nor promis’d in return to be theirs; that had truly been a sign he was of their acquaintance; but wou’d not the ma­licious world have suspected such an approbation of some motive worse than ignorance, in the Author of the Essay on Criti­Criticism

cism? Be it as it will, the reasons of their Admiration and of his Contempt are equally subsisting; for His Works and Theirs are the very same that they were.

One therefore of their assertions I be­lieve may be just, That he has a con­tempt for their writings. And there is another which would probably be sooner allow’d by himself, than by any good judge beside, That his own have found too much success with the publick. But as it cannot consist with his modesty to claim this as a justice, it lies not on him, but entirely on the publick, to defend its own judgment.

There remains what in my opinion might seem a better plea for these people, than any they have made use of. If Obscurity or Po­verty were to exempt a man from satyr, much more should Folly or Dulness, which are still more involuntary, nay as much so as personal deformity. But even this will not help them: Deformity becomes an object of ridicule when a man sets up for being handsome; and so must Dulness when he sets up for a Wit. They are not ridicul’d be­cause Ridicule in itself is, or ought to be, a pleasure; but because it is just, to unde­undeceive

ceive and vindicate the honest and unpretend­ing part of mankind from imposition, be­cause particular interest ought to yield to general, and a great number who are not naturally fools ought never to be made so in complaisance to a few who are. Accord­ingly we find that in all ages, all vain pre­tenders, were they ever so poor, or ever so dull, have been constantly the topicks of the most candid Satyrists, from the Codrus of Juvenal to the Damon of Boileau.

Having mention’d Boileau, the greatest Poet and most judicious Critic of his age and country, admirable for his ta­lents, and yet perhaps more admirable for his judgment in the proper application of them; I cannot help remarking the re­semblance betwixt Him and our Author in Qualities, Fame, and Fortune; in the di­stinctions shewn to them by their Superiors; in the general esteem of their Equals; and in their extended reputation amongst Fo­reigners; in the latter of which ours has met with the better fate, as he has had for his Translators persons of the most eminent rank and abilities in their respec­respective

tive nations. *Essay on Criticism in French Verse by General Ha­milton. The same in Verse also by Monsieur Roboton, Counsellor and Privy Secretary to King George I.
Rape of the Lock, in French, Paris 1728.
—In Italian Verse, by the Abbe Conti, a Noble Venetian. And by the Marquess Rangoni, Envoy Ex­traordinary from Modena to King George II.
Others of his works by Salvini of Florence, &c.
His Essays and Dissertations on Homer in French, Paris 1728. But the resemblance holds in nothing more, than in their being equally abus’d by the ignorant pretenders to Poetry of their times; of which not the least me­mory will remain but in their own writings, and in the notes made upon them. What Boileau has done in almost all his poems, our Author has only in this: I dare answer for him he will do it in no more; and on his principle of attacking few but who had slan­der’d him, he could not have done it at all, had he been confin’d from censuring obscure and worthless persons, for scarce any other were his enemies. However, as the parity is so remarkable, I hope it will continue to the last; and if ever he shall give us an edition of this Poem himself, I may see some of ’em treated as gently (on their repentance or better merit) as Perault and Quinault were at last by Boileau.

In one point I must be allow’d to think the character of our English Poet the more amiable. He has not been a follower of for­tune or success: He has liv’d with the Great without flattery, been a friend to Men in power without pensions, from whom as he ask’d, so he receiv’d no favour, but what was done Him in his friends. As his Satyres were the more just for being delay’d, so were his Panegyricks; bestow’d only on such persons as he had familiarly known, only for such virtues as he had long observ’d in them, and only at such times as others cease to praise, if not begin to calumniate them, I mean when out of power, or out of fashion. ✝As Mr. Wycherley, at the time the Town declaim’d against his book of Poems: Mr Walsh, after his death: Sir William Trumbull, when he had resign’d the office of Secretary of State: Lord Bolingbroke at his leaving England after the Queen’s death: Lord Oxford in his last decline of life: Mr. Secretary Craggs at the end of the South-Sea Year, and after his death: Others only in Epitaphs. A Satyr therefore on writers so notorious for the con­trary practise, became no man so well as him­self; as none (it is plain) was so little in their friendships, or so much in that of those whom they had most abus’d, namely the Greatest and Best of all Parties. Let me add a further

reason, that tho’ ingag’d in their Friendships, he never espous’d their Animosities; and can almost singly challenge this honour, not to have written a line of any man, which thro’ Guilt, thro’ Shame, or thro’ Fear, thro’ variety of Fortune, or change of Interests, he was ever unwilling to own.

I shall conclude with remarking what a pleasure it must be to every reader of humanity, to see all along that our Author, in his very laughter, is not indulging his own Ill nature, but only punishing that of others. To his Poem those alone are capable of doing justice, who, to use the words of a great Writer, know how hard it is (with regard both to his subject and his manner) Vetustis dare novitatem, obsoletis nitorem, obscuris lucem, fastiditis gratiam.Vetustis … gratiam: to give novelty to what is old, authority to what is novel, lustre to what is decayed, light to what is dark, esteem to what is despised. I am,

Dennis, Rem. on Pr. Arth.

I cannot but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to distinguish good wri­ters, by discouraging the bad. Nor is it an ill-natur’d thing, in relation even to the very persons upon whom the reflections are made: It is true, it may deprive them, a little the sooner, of a short Profit and a transitory Re­putation; but then it may have a good ef­fect, and oblige them (before it be too late) to decline that for which they are so very unfit, and to have recourse to something in which they may be more successful.

The Persons whom Boileau has attack’d in his writings, have been for the most part Au­thors, and most of those Authors, Poets: And the Censures he hath pass’d upon them have been confirm’d by all Europe [Charac­ter of Mr. P. 1716.]

Gildon, Pref. to his New Rehears.

IT is the common cry of the Poetasters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an Ill-natur’d thing to expose the Pretenders

to wit and poetry. The Judges and Ma­gistrates may with full as good reason be re­proach’d with Ill-nature, for putting the laws in execution against a Thief or Im­postor — The same will hold in the Re­publick of Letters, if the Criticks an Judges will let every Ignorant Pretender to scribling, pass on the world.

Theobald, Lett. to Mist, Jun. 22, 1728.

Attacks may be levelled, either a­gainst Failures in Genius, or against the Pretensions of writing without one.

Concanen, Ded. to the Auth. of the Dunc.Ded. to the Auth. of the Dunc.: in A compleat collection of all the verses, essays, letters and advertisements, which Have been occasioned by the Publication of Three Volumes of Miscellanies, by Pope and Company. To which is added an Exact List of the Lords, Ladies, Gentlemen and others, who have been abused in those Volumes. With a large Dedication to the Author of the Dunciad, containing some Animadversions upon that Extraordinary Performance, printed for A. Moore, near St. Paul’s, 1728, pp. iii–xv.

A Satyre upon Dulness, is a thing that has been used and allowed in All Ages.A Satyre … Ages: Ibid., p. xi.

Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribler!

MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS
HIS
PROLEGOMENA
TO THE
DUNCIAD.

TESTIMONIES
OF
AUTHORS

Concerning our Poet and his Works.

Martinus Scriblerus, Lectori S.

BEFORE we present thee with our Exer­citations on the most delectable Poem of the Dunciad (drawn from the many volumes of our Adversaria on modern Authors) we shall here, according to the laudable usage of Editors, collect the various judgments of the Learned concerning our Poet: Various indeed, not only of different authors, but of the same author at different seasons. Nor shall we ga­ther only the Testimonies of such eminent Wits as would of course descend to posterity, and consequently be read without our collection; but we shall likewise with incredible labour seek out for divers others, which but for this our diligence, could never at the distance of a few months appear to the eye of the most curi­ous. Hereby thou may’st not only receive the delecta­tion of Variety, but also arrive at a more certain judg­ment, by a grave and circumspect comparison of the Witnesses with each other, or of each with himself.

Hence also thou wilt be enabled to draw reflections, not only of a critical, but of a moral nature, by be­ing let into many particulars of the person as well as genius, and of the fortune as well as merit, of our Author: In which, if I relate some things of little concern peradventure to thee, and some of as little even to him; I entreat thee to consider how minutely all true Critics and commentators are wont to insist upon such, and how material they seem to themselves if to none other. Forgive me therefore gentle reader, if (following learned example) I ever and anon become tedious; allow me to take the same pain to find, whe­ther my author were good or bad, well or ill-natured, modest or arrogant; as another, whether his were fair or brown, short or tall, or whether he wore a coat or a cassock?

We purposed to begin with his Life, Parentage and Education: but as to these, even his Cotemporaries do exceedingly differ. One saith, he was educated at home; a.Giles Jacob’s Lives of Poets, vol. 2. in his Life. another that he was bred abroad at St. Omer’s by Jesuits; b.Dennis’s reflect. on the Essay on Crit. a third, not at St. Omer’s, but at Oxford; c.Dunciad dissected, p. 4. a fourth, that he had no University education at all. d.Guardian, No. 40. Those who allow him to be bred at home, differ as much concerning his Tutor: One saith, he was kept by his father on purpose; e.Jacob, ib. a se­cond that he was an itinerant priest; f.Dunc. diss. ibid. a third, that he was a Parson; g.Farmer P. and his son, ibid. verse 32. one calleth him a secular Clergyman of the church of Rome; h.Dunc. dissect. another, a Monk. i.Characters of the Times, p. 45. As little agree they about his Father; whom one suppo­seth, like the father of Hesiod, a tradesman or mer­chant, k.Female Dunciad, pag. ult. another a husbandsman, &c. l.Dunc. dissect. Nor has an author been wanting to give our Poet such a Father, as Apuleius hath to Plato, Iamblicus to Pythagoras, and

divers to Homer; namely, a Daemon. For thus Mr. Gildon. m.Whom Mr. Curl (Key to the Dunc. 1st. edit.) de­clares to be the author of the Character of Mr. Pope and his writings, in a letter to a friend, printed for S. Popping, 1716. where this passage is to be found, p. 10. Certain it is, that his Original is not from Adam but the Devil, and that he wanteth nothing but horns and tail to be the exact resemblance of his infernal father. Finding therefore such con­trariety of opinions, and (whatever be ours of this sort of generation) not being fond to enter into contro­versy; we shall defer writing the life of our Poet, till authors can determine among themselves what pa­rents or education he had, or whether he had any education or parents at all?

Proceed we to what is more certain, his Works, tho’ not less uncertain the judgments concerning them: beginning with his Essay on Criticism, of which hear first the most Ancient of Critics,

Mr. John Dennis.

His precepts are false, or trivial, or both: his thoughts are crude, and abortive, his expressions absurd, his numbers harsh and unmusical, without cadence or variety, his rhymes trivial, and com­mon ――― instead of majesty, we have something that is very mean; instead of gravity, something that is very boyish: and instead of perspicuity, and lucid order, we have but too often obscurity and confusion. And in another place. ――― What rare Numbers are here? would not one swear this youngster had espoused some antiquated muse, who had sued out a divorce from some superannuated sinner, upon account of impotence, and who being poxt by her former spouse, has got the gout in her decrepit age, which makes her hobble so dam­nably. n.Reflections critical and satyrical on a rhapsody call’d, An Essay on Criticism Printed for B. Lintot. No less peremptory is the censure of our hypercritical Historian,

Mr. Oldmixon.

I dare not say any thing of the Essay on Criti­cism in verse; but if any more curious reader has discover’d in it something new, which is not in Dryden’s prefaces, dedications, and his essay on dra­matick poetry, not to mention the French criticks, I should be very glad to have the benefit of the discovery. o.Essay on Criticism in Prose, 8vo. 1728. by the author of the Critical History of England.

He is followed (as in fame, so in judgment) by the modest and simple-minded

Mr. Leonard Welsted;

Who, out of great respect to our poet not naming him, doth yet glance at his Essay (together with the Duke of Buckingham’s, and the Criticisms of Dryden and of Horace, which he more openly taxeth.) p.Preface to his poems, p. 18, 53. As to the numerous treatises, essays, arts, &c. both in verse and prose, that have been written by the mo­derns on this ground-work, they do but hackney the same thoughts over again, making them still more trite. Most of their pieces are nothing but a pert, insipid heap of common-place. Horace has even in his Art of poetry thrown out several things which plainly shew, he thought an art of poetry was of no use, even while he was writing one. To all which great authorities, we can only oppose that of

Mr. Addison.

q.Spectator, No. 253. The Art of Criticism (saith he) which was published some months since, is a master-piece in its kind. The observations follow one another, like those in Horace’s art of poetry, without that metho­dical regularity which would have been requisite in a prose-writer. They are some of them uncommon, but such as the reader must assent to, when he sees them explain’d with that ease and perspicuity in which they are delivered. As for those which are the most known and the most receiv’d, they are placed in so beautiful a light, and illustrated with such apt

allusions, that they have in them all the graces of novelty; and make the reader, who was before ac­quainted with them, still more convinc’d of their truth, and solidity. And here give me leave to mention what Monsieur Boileau has so well enlarged upon in the preface to his works: That wit, and fine writing, doth not consist so much in advancing things that are new, as in giving things that are known an agreeable turn. It is impossible for us who live in the latter ages of the world, to make observations in criticism, morality, or any art or science, which have not been touch’d upon by others; we have little else left us, but to represent the common sense of mankind in more strong, more beautiful, or more uncommon lights. If a reader examines Horace’s art of poetry, he will find but few precepts in it, which he may not meet with in Aristotle, and which were not commonly known by all the poets of the Augustan age. His way of ex­pressing, and applying them, not his invention of them, is what we are chiefly to admire.

Longinus in his reflections has given us the same kind of Sublime, which he observes in the several passages that occasioned them. I cannot but take notice that our English Author, has after the same manner exemplify’d several of the precepts in the very precepts themselves. He then produces some instances of a particular beauty in the Numbers, and concludes with saying, that there are three poems in our tongue of the same nature, and each a master-piece in its kind; The Essay on translated Verse,The Essay on Translated Verse: first published in 1684, was included in The Works of Alexander Pope (1727). The Essay on the Art of Poetry;The Essay on the Art of Poetry: by John Sheffield, published in The Works of John Sheffield (1723). and the Essay on Criticism.

Of Windsor Forest, positive is the judgment of the affirmative

Mr. John Dennis,

r.Letter to B. B. at the end of the remarks on Pope’s Homer, 1717. That it is a wretched rhapsody, impudently writ in emulation of the Cooper’s Hill of Sir John

Denham: The Author of it is obscure, is ambigu­ous, is affected, is temerarious, is barbarous. But the Author of the Dispensary

Dr. Garth

In the preface to his poem of Claremont, differs from this opinion: Those who have seen those two ex­cellent poems of Cooper’s Hill, and Windsor-Forest, the one writ by Sir John Denham, the other by Mr. Pope, will shew a great deal of candour, if they approve of this.

Of his Epistle of Eloisa, we are told, by the obscure writer of a poem called Sawney, s.Printed 1728. pag. 12. That because Prior’s Henry and EmmaHenry and Emma: a poem published in Matthew Prior’s Poems on Several Occasions (1718). charm’d the finest tastes, our author writ his Eloise, in opposition to it; but forgot innocence and virtue: If you take away her tender thoughts, and her fierce desires, all the rest is of no value. In which, methinks, his judg­ment resembleth that of a French taylor on a Villa and gardens by the Thames: All this is very fine, but take away the river, and it is good for nothing. But very contrary hereunto was the opinion of

Mr. Prior

himself, saying in his Alma, t.Alma, Cant. 2.

O Abelard! ill-fated youth, Thy tale will justify this truth. But well I weet thy cruel wrong Adorns a nobler Poet’s song: Dan Pope, for thy misfortune griev’d, With kind concern and skill has weav’d A silken web; and ne’er shall fade Its colours: gently has he laid The mantle o’er thy sad distress, And Venus shall the texture bless, &c.

Come we now to his Translation of the Iliad, celebrated by numerous pens, yet shall it suffice to mention the indefatigable

Sir Richard Blackmore, Kt.

Who (tho’ otherwise a severe censurer of our au­thor) yet stileth this a laudable translation. u.In his Essays, vol. 1. printed for E. Curl. That ready writer

Mr. Oldmixon,

In his fore-mentioned Essay, frequently commends the same. And the painful

Mr. Lewis Theobald

thus extols it, x.Censor, vol. 2. No. 33. The spirit of Homer breathes all through this translation. ――― I am in doubt, whe­ther I should most admire the justness to the original, or the force, and beauty of the language, or the sounding variety of the numbers? But when I find all these meet, it puts me in mind of what the poet says of one of his heroes: That he alone rais’d and flung with ease, a weighty stone, that two common men could not lift from the ground; just so, one single person has performed in this translation, what I once despaired to have seen done by the force of several masterly hands. Indeed the same gentleman appears to have chang’d his senti­ment, in his Essay on the Art of sinking in reputation, where he says thus: In order to sink in reputation. let him take it into his head to descend into Homer (let the world wonder, as it will, how the devil he got there) and pretend to do him into English, so his version denote his neglect of the manner how. Strange Variation! We are told in

Mist’s Journal, June 8.

That this translation of the Iliad was not in all respects conformable to the fine taste of his friend Mr. Addison: Insomuch, that he employed a younger muse, in an undertaking of this kind, which he su­pervis’d himself. Whether Mr. Addison did find it conformable to his taste, or not, best appears from his own testimony the year following its publication, in these words.

Mr. Addison, Freeholder.

y.No. 40. May 7. When I consider my self as a British free­holder, I am in a particular manner pleased with the labours of those who have improved our language, with the translation of old Greek and Latin authors: ――― We have already most of their Histo­rians in our own tongue, and what is more for the honour of our language, it has been taught to ex­press with elegance the greatest of their Poets in each nation. The illiterate among our own coun­trymen may learn to judge from Dryden’s Virgil, of the most perfect Epic performance. And those parts of Homer which have been publish’d already by Mr. Pope, give us reason to think that the Iliad will appear in English with as little disadvantage to that immortal poem.

As to the rest, there is a slight mistake, for this younger Muse was elder: Nor was the gentleman (who is a friend of our author) employ’d by Mr. Ad­dison to translate it after him, since he saith himself that he did it before. z.Vid. Pref. to Mr. Tickel’s Translation of the first Book of the Iliad, 4to. Contrariwise, that Mr. Ad­dison ingaged our author in this work, appeareth by dec­laration thereof in the preface to the Iliad, printed some years before his death, and by his own letters of Oct. 26. and Nov. 2. 1713. where he declares it is his opinion that no other person was equal to it.

Next comes his Shakespear on the stage. Let him (quoth one, whom I take to be

Mr. Theobald) Mist, March 30. 1728.

publish such an author as he has least studied, and forget to discharge even the dull duty of an editor. In this project let him lend the bookseller his name (for a competent sum of money tho’) to promote the credit of an exorbitant subscription. Gentle reader, be pleas’d to cast thine eye on the Proposal below quoted, and on what follows (some months after the former assertion) in the same Journalist of June 8. The bookseller propos’d the book by sub­

scriptionsubscription, and rais’d some thousands of pounds for the same: I believe the gentleman did not share in the profits of this extravagant Subscription.

After the Iliad, he undertook (saith

Mist’s Journal, June 8.)

the sequel of that work, the Odyssey: and having se­cur’d the success by a numerous subscription, he imployed some Underlings to perform what, acc­ording to his proposals, should come from his own hands. To which heavy charge we can in truth oppose nothing but the words of

Mr. Pope’s Proposal for the Odyssey,

(printed by J. Watts, Jan. 10, 1724.) I take this occasion to declare that the Subscription for Shakespear belongs wholly to Mr. Tonson: And that the Benefit of This Proposal is not solely for my own use, but for that of Two of my friends, who have assisted me in this work. But these very gentlemen are extolled above our Poet himself, by another of Mist’s Journals, March 30, 1728, saying, That he would not advise Mr. Pope to try the experiment again, of getting a great part of a book done by Assistants, lest those extraneous parts should unhappily ascend to the sublime, and retard the declension of the whole.another of Mist’s Journals: “An Essay on the Arts of a Poet’s Sinking in Reputation; being a Supplement to the Art of Sinking in Poetry” in Mist’s Journal March 30, 1728, attributed to Theobald, reads: Now as Gain, or Profit, is to be the main Object of his Studies, it might be no bad Expedient, if he should undertake a Book in his own Name by Subscription, and get a great Part of it done by Assistants. Tho’ I should not advise this Experiment too often, least any of the extraneous Parts should unhappily ascend to the Sublime, and retard the Declension of the whole Mass. Behold! these Underlings are become good writers!

If any say, that before the said proposals were printed, the subscription was begun without dec­laration of such Assistance; verily those who set it on foot, or (as their term is) secur’d it, to wit the right Honourable the Lord Viscount Harcourt, were he living would testify, and the right Honourable the Lord Bathurst now living doth testify, the same is a Falshood.

Sorry I am, that persons professing to be learned, or of whatever rank of Authors, should either falsely tax, or be falsely taxed. Yet let us, who are only reporters, be impartial in our citations and proceed.

Mist’s Journal, June 8.

Mr. Addison rais’d this Author from obscurity, obtain’d him the acquaintance and friendship of the

whole body of our nobility, and transferr’d his pow­erful interests with those great men to this rising Bard, who frequently levied by that means unusual contributions on the publick. Which surely cannot be, if, as the author of Dunciad dissected reporteth, Mr. Wycherley had before introduced him into a familiar acquaintance with the greatest Peers and brightest Wits then living.

No sooner (saith the same Journalist) was his body lifeless, but this author, reviving his resent­ment, libell’d the memory of his departed friend, and what was still more heinous, made the scandal publick. Grievous the accusation! unknown the accuser! the person accused no witness in his own cause, the person in whose regard accus’d, dead! But if there be living any one nobleman whose friendship, yea any one gentleman whose subscription Mr. Addison procur’d to our author; let him stand forth, that truth may appear! Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, sed magis amica veritas. In verity the whole story of the libel is a Lye; Witness those persons of integrity, who several years before Mr. Addison’s decease, did see and approve of the said verses, in no wise a libel but a friendly rebuke, sent privately in our author’s own hand to Mr Addison himself, and never made publick till by Curl their own bookseller in his miscellanies, 12^o. 1727. One name alone which I am authorized here to declare, will sufficiently evince this truth, that of the right Honourable the Earl of Burlington.

Next is he taxed with a crime, (with some authors I doubt, more heinous than any in morality) to wit Plagiarism, from the inventive and quaint-conceited

James Moore Smith, Gent.

a. Daily Journal, March 18. 1728. Upon reading the third volume of Pope’s Mis­cellanies, I found five lines which I thought excel­lent, and happening to praise them, a gentleman produced a modern comedy (the Rival Modes) pub­lished last year, where were the same verses to a tit­tle, (speaking of women.)

See how the world its pretty slaves rewards! A youth of frolicks, an old age of cards: Fair to no purpose; artful to no end; Young without lovers; old without a friend; A fop their passion, but their prize a sot; Alive, ridiculous; and dead, forgot.

These gentlemen are undoubtedly the first pla­giaries that pretend to make a reputation by stealing from a man’s works in his own life-time, and out of a publick print. Let us join to this what is writ­ten by the author of the Rival Modes, the said Mr. James Moore Smith, in a letter to our author himself, (who had informed him, a month before that play was acted, Jan. 27. 1726–7., that these verses which he had before given him leave to insert in it, would be known for his, some copies being got abroad) He desires nevertheless, that since the Lines had been read in his Comedy to several, Mr. P. would not deprive it of them, &c. Surely if we add the testimonies of the Lord Bolingbroke, of the Lady to whom the said verses were originally addrest, of Hugh Bethel, Esq; and others who knew them as our author’s long before the said gentleman composed his play; It is hoped, the ingenuous that affect not error, will rectify their opinion by the suffrage of so honourable personages.

And yet followeth another charge, insinuating no less than his enmity both to church and state, which could come from no other Informer than the said

Mr. James Moore Smith.

b.Daily Journal, April 3. 1728. The Memoirs of a Parish clark was a very dull and unjust abuse of a person who wrote in defence of our Religion and Constitution; and who has been dead many years. Verily this also seemeth most untrue; it being known to divers that these memoirs were written at the seat of the Lord Harcourt in Oxfordshire before that excellent person (Bishop Burnet’s) death, and many years before the appearance of that History of which they are pretended to be an abuse.

Most true it is, that Mr. Moore had such a design, and was himself the man who prest Dr. Arbuthnot and Mr. Pope to assist him therein: and that he borrow’d those memoirs of our author when that history came forth, with intent to turn them to such abuse. But being able to obtain from our author but one single Hint, and either changing his mind or having more mind than ability, he contented himself to keep the said me­moirs and read them as his own to all his acquaintance. A noble person there is, into whose company Mr. Pope once chanced to introduce him, who well remem­breth the conversation of Mr. Moore to have turned upon the contempt he had for the work of that re­verend prelate, and how full he was of a design he declared himself to have, of exposing it. This no­ble person is the Earl of Peterborough.

Here in truth should we crave pardon of all the foresaid right honourable and worthy personages, for having mention’d them in the same page with such weekly riff-raff railers and rhymers; but that we had their ever-honour’d commands for the same, and that they are introduc’d not as witnesses in the con­troversy, but as witnesses that cannot be controverted; not to dispute, but to decide.

Certain it is, that dividing our writers into two classes, of such who were acquaintance, and of such who were strangers to our author; the former are those who speak well, and the other those who speak evil of him. Of the first class, the most noble

John Duke of Buckingham

sums up his personal character in these lines,

c.Verses to Mr. P. on his translation of Homer. And yet so wond’rous, so sublime a thing, As the great Iliad, scarce should make me sing, Unless I justly could at once commend A good companion, and as firm a friend; One moral, or a meer well-natur’d deed, Can all desert in sciences exceed.

So also is he decypher’d by the honourable

Simon Harcourt.

d.Poem prefix’d to his works. Say, wond’rous youth, what column wilt thou chuse? What laurel’d arch, for thy triumphant Muse? Tho’ each great Ancient court thee to his shrine, Tho’ ev’ry laurel thro’ the dome be thine, Go to the good and just, an awful train! Thy soul’s delight ―――――――

Recorded in like manner for his virtuous disposition, and gentle bearing, by the ingenious

Mr. Walter Hart,

in this Apostrophe.

e.In his poems, printed for B. Lintot. O! ever worthy, ever crown’d with praise! Blest in thy life, and blest in all thy lays. Add, that the Sisters ev’ry thought refine, And ev’n the life be faultless as thy line. Yet envy still with fiercer rage pursues, Obscures the virtue, and defames the Muse: A soul like thine, in pain, in grief resign’d, Views with just scorn the malice of mankind.

The witty and moral Satyrist

Dr. Edward Young,

wishing some check to the corruption and evil man­ners of the times, calleth out upon our poet, to under­take a task so worthy of his virtue.

f.Universal Passion, Satyr 1. Why slumbers Pope, who leads the Muses’ train,Muses’ train: Young's work has “tuneful Train.” Nor hears that Virtue, which he loves, complain?

To the same tune also singeth that learned Clerk of Suffolk.

Mr. William Broome:

g.In his poems, and at the end of the Odyssey. Thus, nobly rising in fair virtue’s cause, From thy own life transcribe th’ unerring laws.

And divers more, with which we will not tire the reader.

Let us rather recreate thee by turning to the other side, and shewing his character drawn by those with whom he never convers’d, and whose countenances he could not know, tho’ turned against him: First again commencing with the high-voiced, and never-enough-quoted

John Dennis;

Who in his reflections on the Essay on Criticism thus describeth him. A little affected hypocrite, who has nothing in his mouth but candour, truth, friendship, good nature, humanity, and magnanity. He is so great a lover of falshood, that whenever he has a mind to calumniate his cotemporaries, he up­braids them with some defect which is just contrary to some good quality, for which all their friends and their acquaintance commend them. He seems to have a particular pique to People of Quality, and authors of that rank ――― He must derive his religion from St. Omer’s.—But in the character of Mr. P. and his writings, (printed by S. Popping 1716,) he saith, tho’ he is a Professor of the worst religion, yet he laughs at it; but that, nevertheless, he is a viru­lent Papist; and yet a Pillar for the Church of England. Of both which opinions

Mr. Theobald

seems also to be; declaring in Mist’s Journal of June 22. 1728: That if he is not shrewdly abus’d, he hath made it his practice to cackle to both parties in their own sentiments. But, as to his Pique against people of quality, the same Journalist doth not agree, but saith (May 8, 1728.May 8: Actually, June 8. See Appendix, A List of Books, Papers, and Verses, in which our Author was abused ... After the Dunciad, 1728, p. 190.) he had by some means or other the acquaintance and friendship of the whole body of our nobility.

However contradictory this may appear, Mr. Dennis and Gildon in the character last cited, make it all plain, by assuring us: That he is a creature that reconciles all contradictions: he is a beast, and a man: a Whig, and a Tory: a writer (at one and the same time) of Guardians and Examiners; an assertor of liberty, and of the dispensing power of kings: a jesuitical professor of truth, a base and a foul pre­

tender to candour. So that, upon the whole ac­count, we must conclude him either to have been a great hypocrite, or a very honest man; a terrible imposer upon both parties, or very moderate to either?

Be it, as to the judicious reader shall seem good; Sure it is, he is little favour’d of certain authors; whose wrath is perilous: For one declares he ought to have a price set on his head and to be hunted down as a wild beast. h.Theobald, Letter in Mist’s Journal, June 22, 1728. Another protests that he does not know what may happen, advises him to in­sure his person, says he has bitter enemies, and expresly declares it will be well if he escape with his life. i.Smedley, Pref. to Gulliveriana, p. 14, 16. One desires he wou’d cut his own throat or hang himself: k.Gulliveriana, pag. 332. But Pasquin seem’d rather inclined it shou’d be done by the government, representing him in­gag’d in grievous designs with a Lord of Parliament, then under prosecution. l.Anno 1723. Mr. Dennis himself hath written to a Minister, that he is one of the most dangerous persons in this kingdom; m.This present year. and assureth the pub­lick, that he is an open and mortal enemy to his Coun­try; a monster, that will, one day, show as daring a soul as a mad Indian who runs a muck (to kill the first Christian he meets) n.Preface to Rem. on Rape of the Lock, pag. 12, and in the last page of that Treatise. Another gives information of Treason discover’d in his poem: o.Pag. 6, 7. of the Preface, to a Book intitled, A Collection of all the Letters, Essays, Verses, and Advertisements, occa­sion’d by Pope and Swift’s Miscellanies, printed for A. Moore, 8vo. 1728. Mr. Curl boldly supplies an imperfect verse with Kings and Princesses; p.Key to the Dunc. 3d edit. p. 18. and another yet more impudent publishes at length the Two most Sacred NamesSacred Names: those of King George and Queen Caroline. The line in 1728, which had used blanks (“Thy dragons ★★ and ✱✱”) was controversial and Pope experimented with other combinations to fill in the blanks. Here he uses “Magistrates and Peers” (Book III, l. 299). In B2 he had experimented with Un— & L— (Valerie Rumbold suggests this might be meant to read as “Universities and Lords” in The Poems of Alexander Pope volume 3, p. 104) and “Peers & Potentates.” in this Nation as members of the Dunciad! q.A List of persons, &c. at the end of the foremention’d Collection of all the Letters, Essays, &c.

This is prodigious! yet is it almost as strange, that in the midst of these invectives his enemies have (I know not how) born testimony to some merit in him:

M.Theobald,

in censuring his Shakespear declares, he has so great an esteem for Mr. Pope, and so high an opinion of his genius, and excellencies; That notwithstanding he professes a veneration almost rising to Idolatry for the writings of this inimitable poet, he would be very loth even to do him justice, at the expence of that other gentleman’s character. r.Introduction to his Shakespear restor’d, in quarto, p. 3.

Mr. Charles Gildon,

after having violently attack’d him in many pieces, at last came to wish from his heart, That Mr. Pope would be prevail’d upon to give us Ovid’s Epistles by his hand: for it is certain we see the original of Sapho to Phaon with much more life and likeness in his version, than in that of Sir Car. Scrope. And this (he adds) is the more to be wish’d, because in the English tongue we have scarce any thing truly and naturally written upon Love. s.Commentary on the Duke of Buckingham’s Essay, 8vo. 1721. p. 97, 98. He also, in taxing Sir Richard Blackmore for his heterodox opi­nions of Homer, challengeth him to answer what Mr. Pope hath said in his preface to that poet.

M. Oldmixon

declares, the Purity and Perfection of the English language to be found in his Homer; and saying there are more good Verses in Dryden’s Virgil than in any other work, excepts this of our author only. In his Prose Essay on Criticism. One who takes the name of

H. Stanhope,

the maker of certain verses to Duncan Campbell, Printed under the Title of the Progress of Dulness, 12°. 1728. in that poem which is wholly a satyr on Mr. Pope, confesseth,

’Tis true, if finest notes alone cou’d show (Tun’d justly high, or regularly low) That we should fame to these mere vocals give; Pope, more than we can offer, should receive: For when some gliding river is his theme, His lines run smoother than the smoothest stream, &c.

M. Thomas Cooke,

after much blemishing our author’s Homer, crieth out,

But in his other works what beauties shine? While sweetest Music dwells in ev’ry line. These he admir’d, on these he stamp’d his praise, And bade them live to brighten future days. x.Battle of Poets, fol. pag. 15.

Mist’s Journal, June 8, 1728.

Altho’ he says, the smooth Numbers of the Dun­ciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit, Yet that same paper hath these words: The author is allowed to be a perfect master of an easy, and elegant versification: In all his works, we find the most happy turns, and natural similies, wonderfully short and thick sown. The Essay on the Dunciad also owns, pag. 25. it is very full of beautiful Images.

Mr. Gildon and Dennis

in the most furious of all their works, (the forecited Character, p. 5.) do jointly confess, That he has got, like Mr. Bayes in the Rehearsal, (That is, like Mr. Dry­den) a notable knack of rhyming and writing smooth verse.

To the Success of all his pieces, they do unanimously give testimony: But it is sufficient, instar omnium, to behold this last great Critick sorely lamenting it, even from the Essay on Criticism to this Day of the Dun­ciad! A most notorious instance! (quoth he) of the depravity of genius and taste, the Approbation this Essay meets with! Dennis Pref. to the Reflect. on the Essay on Crit. y. ――― I can safely affirm, that I never attack’d any of these writings, unless

they had Success, infinitely beyond their merit. z.Pref to his Rem. on Homer. — This, tho’ an empty, has been a popular scribler: The Epidemic madness of the times has given him reputation. a.Ibid. ――― If after the cruel treatment so many extraordinary men (Spencer, Lord Bacon, Ben. Johnson, Milton, Butler, Otway, and others) have re­ceived from this country, for these last hundred years; I shou’d shift the scene, and shew all that pe­nury chang’d at once to riot and profuseness: and b.What this vast sum was, Mr. DENNIS himself in another place informs us (pref. to his Remarks on the Rape of the Lock, p. 15.) to wit, a hundred a year. Whereby we see how great he supposed the moderation of those extraordinary men; even greater than that of his friend Mr. Giles Jacob, who said of himself One hundred pounds a year, I think wou’d do For me, if single ――― Or if marry’d, two. more squander’d away upon one object, than would have satisfy’d the greater part of those extraordi­nary men: The reader to whom this one creature should be unknown, would fancy him a prodigy of art and nature, would believe that all the great qua­lities of these persons were centred in him alone — But if I should venture to assure him, that the People of England had made such a choice — the reader would either believe me a malicious enemy, and slanderer or that the reign of the last (Queen Ann’s) Ministry, was design’d by fate to en­courage Fools. c.Rem. on Hom. pag. 8, 9. However, lest we imagine our Author’s Success was constant and universal, they acquaint us of certain works in a less degree of repute, whereof (altho’ own’d by others) yet do they assure us he is the writer. Of this sort Mr. Dennis ascribes to him d.Rem. on Hom. p. 8. Two Farces,Two Farces: John Gay's The What D'ye Call It: a Tragi-Comi-Pastoral Farce and Three Hours After Marriage. Pope and John Arbuthnot had collaborated on the latter. whose names he does not tell, but assures us there is not one jest in them; and an Imitation of Horace, whose title he does not mention, but assures us, it is much

more execrable than all his works. e.Charact. of Mr. P. p. 7 The Daily Journal, May 11, 1728. assures us, he is be­low Tom Durfey in the Drama because (as that writer thinks) the Marriage Hater match’d and the Boarding School are better than the What d’ye call it; Which is not Mr. P.’s but Mr. Gay’s. Mr. Gildon assures us, in his New Rehearsal, pag. 48, f.12°. printed 1714 that he was writing a Play of the Lady Jane Gray; But it afterwards prov’d to be Mr. Rowe’s. The same Mr. Gildon and Dennis assure us, he wrote a pamphlet called Dr. Andrew Tripe; g.Charact. of Mr. P. p. 6. which prov’d to be one Dr. Wagstaff’s. Mr. Theo­bald assures us, in Mist of the 27th of April, That the treatise of the Profundtreatise of the Profund: Pope's Peri Bathous: or, ... the Art of Sinking in Poetry, published in the third volume of the Pope-Swift Miscellanies, 1728. is very dull, and that Mr. Pope is the author of it: The writer of Gul­liveriana is of another opinion, and says the whole or greatest part of the merit of this treatise must and can only be ascribed to Gulliver. h.Gulliveriana, p. 336. [Here gentle reader cannot I but smile at the strange blind­ness and positiveness of men, knowing the said trea­tise to appertain to none other but to me, Martinus Scriblerus.]

Lastly we are assured, in Mist of June 8. That his own Plays and Farces wou’d better have adorn’d the Dunciad, than those of Mr. Theobald: for he had neither genius for Tragedy, or Comedy: Which whether true or not, is not easy to judge; in as much as he hath attempted neither.

But from all that hath been said, the discerning rea­der will collect, that it little avail’d our author to have any Candour, since when he declar’d he did not write for others, it was not credited: As little to have any Modesty, since when he declin’d writing in any way himself, the presumption of others was imputed to him. If he singly enterpriz’d one great work, he was tax’d of Boldness and Madness to a prodigy: i.Burnet Homerides, pag. 1, of his Translation of the Iliad. if he

took assistants in another, it was complain’d of and represented as a great injury to the publick. k.The London and Mist’s Journals, on his Undertaking of the Odyssey. The loftiest Heroicks, the lowest ballads, treatises against the state or church, satyr on lords and ladies, raillery on wits and authors, squabbles with booksellers, or even full and true accounts of monsters, poysons, and murders: of any hereof was there nothing so good, nothing so bad, which hath not at one or other season been to him ascribed. If it bore no author’s name, then lay he concealed; if it did, he father’d it on that author to be yet better concealed. If it resembled any of his styles, then was it evident; if it did not, then disguis’d he it on set purpose. Yea, even direct op­positions in religion, principles, and politicks, have equally been supposed in him inherent. Surely a most rare and singular character! of which let the reader make what he can.

Doubtless most Commentators would hence take oc­casion to turn all to their author’s advantage; and from the testimony of his very enemies wou’d affirm, That his Capacity was boundless, as well as his Imagina­tion; that he was a perfect master of all Styles, and all Arguments; And that there was in those times no other Writer, in any kind, of any degree of excellence save he himself. But as this is not our own sentiment, we shall determine on nothing; but leave thee, gentle reader! to steer thy judgment equally between various opinions, and to chuse whether thou wilt incline to the Testimonies of Authors known, or of Authors un­known? of those who knew him, or of those who knew him not?

Martinus Scriblerus
of the Poem.

THIS Poem, as it celebrateth the most grave and antient of things, Chaos, Night and Dulness, so is it of the most grave and antient kind. Homer (saith Aristotle) was the first who gave the Form, and (saith Horace) who adapted the Measure, to heroic poesy. But even before this, may be ra­tionally presumed from what the antients have left written, was a piece by Homer composed, of like na­ture and matter with this of our Poet. For of Epic sort it appeareth to have been, yet of matter surely not unpleasant, witness what is reported of it by the learned Archbishop Eustathius, in Odyss. k. And ac­cordingly Aristotle in his poetic, chap. 4. doth further set forth, that as the Iliad and Odyssey gave example to Tragedy, so did this poem to Comedy its first Idaea.

From these authors also it shou’d seem, that the He­ro or chief personage of it was no less obscure, and his understanding and sentiments no less quaint and strange (if indeed not more so) than any of the actors in our poem. Margites was the name of this personage,

whom Antiquity recordeth to have been Dunce the First; and surely from what we hear of him, not un­worthy to be the root of so spreading a tree, and so numerous a posterity. The poem therefore celebrating him, was properly and absolutely a Dunciad; which tho’ now unhappily lost, yet is its nature sufficiently known by the infallible tokens aforesaid. And thus it doth appear, that the first Dunciad was the first Epic poem, written by Homer himself, and anterior even to the Iliad or Odyssey.

Now forasmuch as our Poet had translated those two famous works of Homer which are yet left; he did conceive it in some sort his duty to imitate that also which was lost: And was therefore induced to bestow on it the same Form which Homer’s is reported to have had, namely that of Epic poem, with a title al­so framed after the antient Greek manner, to wit, that of Dunciad.

Wonderful it is, that so few of the moderns have been stimulated to attempt some Dunciad! Since in the opinion of the multitude, it might cost less pain and oil, than an imitation of the greater Epic. But possible it is also that on due reflection, the maker might find it easier to paint a Charlemagne, a Brute or a God­fry, with just pomp and dignity heroic, than a Mar­gites, a Codrus, a Fleckno, or a Tibbald.

We shall next declare the occasion and the cause which moved our Poet to this particular work. He lived in those days, when (after providence had per­mitted the Invention of Printing as a scourge for the Sins of the learned) Paper also became so cheap, and printers so numerous, that a deluge of authors cover’d the land: Whereby not only the peace of the honest unwriting subject was daily molested, but unmerciful demands were made of his applause, yea of his money, by such as would neither earn the one, or deserve the other: At the same time, the Liberty of the Press was so unlimited, that it grew dangerous to refuse them either; For they would forthwith publish slan­ders unpunish’d, the authors being anonymous; nay the immediate publishers thereof lay sculking under

the wings of an Act of Parliament, assuredly intended for better purposes.

a.Vid. Bossu, du poeme Epique, ch. 8. Now our author living in those times, did con­ceive it an endeavour well worthy an honest satyrist, to dissuade the dull, and punish the malicious, the only way that was left. In that public-spirited view he laid the plan of this Poem, as the greatest service he was capable (without much hurt or being slain) to render his dear country. First, taking things from their ori­ginal, he considereth the Causes creative of such au­thors, namely Dulness and Poverty; the one born with them, the other contracted, by neglect of their pro­per talent thro’ self-conceit of great abilities This truth he wrappeth in an Allegory, b.Ibid. ch. 7. (as the con­struction of Epic poesy requireth) and feigns, that one of these Goddesses had taken up her abode with the other, and that they jointly inspir’d all such writers and such works. c.Book 1. Verse 32, &c. He proceedeth to shew the qua­lities they bestow on these authors, and the effects they produce: d.Ver. 45 to 52. Then the materials or stock with which they furnish them, e.Verse 57 to 75. and (above all) that self-opinion f.Verse 80. which causeth it to seem to themselves vastly greater than it is, and is the prime motive of their setting up in this sad and sorry merchandize. The great power of these Goddesses acting in alliance (whereof as the one is the mother of Industry, so is the other of Plod­ding) was to be exemplify’d in some one, great and re­markable action. g.Bossu, ch. 7, 8. And none cou’d be more so than that which our poet hath chosen, the introduction of the lowest diversions of the rabble in Smithfield to be the entertainment of the court and town; or in other words, the Action of the Dunciad is the h.Verse 1, 2. Removal of the Imperial seat of Dulness from the City to the polite world,the polite world: Court and Parliament as that of the Aen. is the Removal of the Empire of Troy to Latium. But as Homer sing­

ing only the Wrath of Achilles, yet includes in his poem the whole history of the Trojan war, in like manner our author hath drawn into this single action the whole history of Dulness and her children. To this end she is represented at the very i.Verse 95 to 104. Opening of the poem, taking a view of her forces, which are di­stinguish’d into these three kinds, Party writers, dull Poets, and wild Criticks.

A Person must next be fix’d upon to support this Action, who (to agree with the said design) must be such an one as is capable of being all three. This Phantom in the poet’s mind, must have a Name: k.Bossu ch. 8. Vide Aristot. Poetic. c. 9. He seeks for one who hath been concerned in the Jour­nals, written bad Plays or Poems, and publish’d low Criticisms: He finds his name to be Tibbald, and he becomes of course the hero of the poem.

The Fable being thus according to best example one and entire, as contain’d in the proposition; the Machinery is a continued chain of Allegories, setting forth the whole power, ministry, and empire of Dul­ness, extended thro’ her subordinate instruments, in all her various operations.

This is branched into Episodes, each of which hath its Moral a part, tho’ all conducive to the main end. The crowd assembled in the second book demonstrates the design to be more extensive than to bad Poets only, and that we may expect other Episodes, of the Patrons, Encouragers, or Paymasters of such authors, as occa­sion shall bring them forth: And the third book, if well consider’d, seemeth to embrace the whole world. Each of the Games relateth to some or other vile class of writers: The first concerneth the Plagiary, to whom he giveth the name of More; the second the libellous Novellist, whom he styleth Eliza; the third the flat­tering Dedicator, the fourth the bawling Critic or noisy Poet, the fifth the dark and dirty Party-writer, and so of the rest; assigning to each some proper name or other, such as he could find.

As for the Characters, the publick hath already ac­knowledged how justly they are drawn: The manners are so depicted, and the sentiments so peculiar to those to whom applied, that surely to transfer them to any other, or wiser, personages, wou’d be exceeding dif­ficult: And certain it is, that every person concern­ed being consulted apart, will readily owned the resem­blance of every portrait, his own excepted.

The Descriptions are singular; the Comparisons ve­ry quaint, the Narration various, yet of one colour. The purity and chastity of Diction is so preserved, that in the places most suspicious, not the words but only the images have been censured, and yet are those images no other than have been sanctified by Antient and Classical Authority, tho’ (as was the manner of those good times, not so curiously wrapped up) yea and commented upon by most grave doctors, and approved criticks.

As it beareth the name of Epic, it is thereby sub­jected to such severe indispensable rules as are laid on all Neotericks, a strict imitation of the Antient; in­somuch that any deviation, accompanied with whatever poetic beauties, hath always been censured by the sound critick. How exact that Imitation hath been in this piece, appeareth not only by its general struc­ture, but by particular allusions infinite, many where­of have escaped both the commentator and poet him­self; yea divers by his exceeding diligence are so al­ter’d and interwoven with the rest, that several have already been and more will be, by the ignorant ab­used, as altogether and originally his own.

In a word, the whole poem proveth itself to be the work of our Author when his faculties were in full vigour and perfection: at that exact time when years have ripened the judgment, without di­minishing the imagination; which by good criticks is held to be punctually at forty. For, at that season it was that Virgil finish’d his Georgics; and Sir Richard Blackmore at the like age composing his Arthurs, de­clared the same to be the very Acme and pitch of life

for Epic poesy: tho’ since he hath alter’d it to sixty, the year in which he published his Alfred. l.See his Essays. True it is, that the talents for Criticism, namely smartness, quick censure, vivacity of remark, certainty of as­severation , indeed all but acerbity, seem rather the gifts of Youth than of riper age: But it is far otherwise in Poetry; witness the works of Mr. Rymer and Mr. Dennis, who beginning with Criticism, became after­wards such Poets as no age hath parallel’d. With good reason therefore did our author chuse to write his Essay on that subject at twenty, and reserve for his maturer years this great and wonderful work of the Dunciad.

DUNCIADOS PERIOCHA: OR, ARGUMENTS to the BOOKS.

BOOK the FIRST.

THE Proposition of the subject. The Invo­cation, and the Inscription. Then the Ori­ginal of the great Empire of Dulness, and cause of the continuance thereof. The beloved seat of the Goddess is described, with her chief attendants and officers, her functions, operations, and effects. Then the poem hastes into the midst of things, pre­senting her on the evening of a Lord Mayor’s day, re­volving the long succession of her sons, and the glo­ries past, and to come. She fixes her eye on Tibbald to be the instrument of that great event which is the subject of the poem. He is described pensive in his study, giving up the cause, and apprehending the period of her empire from the old age of the pre­sent monarch Settle: Wherefore debating whether to betake himself to law or politicks, he raises an altar of proper books, and (making first his solemn prayer and declaration) purposes thereon to sacrifice all his unsuc­cessful writings. As the pile is kindled, the Goddess beholding the flame from her seat, flies in person and puts it out, by casting upon it the poem of Thule. She forthwith reveals her self to him, transports him to her Temple, unfolds her arts, and initiates him in­to her mysteries; then announcing the death of Settle that night, anoints, and proclaims him Successor.

BOOK the SECOND.

THE King being proclaimed, the solemnity is graced with publick Games and sports of va­rious kinds; (not instituted by the Hero, as by Aeneas in Virgil, but for greater honour by the Goddess in per­son in like manner as the games Pythia, Isthmia, &c. were anciently said to be by the Gods, and as Thetis berself appearing according to Homer Odyss, 24. pro­posed the prizes in honour of her son Achilles. Hi­ther flock the Poets and Criticks, attended (as is but just) with their Patrons and Booksellers. The God­dess is first pleased for her disport to propose games to the Booksellers, and setteth up the phantom of a Poet which they contend to overtake. The races de­scribed, with their divers accidents: and next, the game for a Poetess: then follow the exercises for the Poets, of Tickling, Vociferating, Diving: the first holds forth the arts and practices of Dedicators, the second of Disputants and fustian poets, the third of profund, dark, and dirty authors. Lastly, for the Criticks, the Goddess proposes (with great propriety) an exercise not of their parts but their patience; in hearing the works of two voluminous authors, one in verse and the other in prose, deliberately read, without sleeping: The various effects of which, with the several degrees and manners of their operation, are here most lively set forth: Till the whole number, not of criticks only, but of spectators, actors, and all present fall fast asleep, which naturally and necessarily ends the games.

BOOK the THIRD.

AFter the other persons are disposed in their pro­per places of rest, the Goddess transports the King to her Temple, and there lays him to slumber with his head on her lap; a position of marvellous virtue, which causes all the visions of wild enthusiasts, projectors, politicians, inamorato’s, castle-builders, chymists and poets. He is immediately carry’d on

the wings of Fancy to the Elizian shade, where on the banks of Lethe the souls of the dull are dipp’d by Bavius, before their entrance into this world. There he is met by the ghost of Settle, and by him made acquainted with the wonders of the place, and with those which he is himself destin’d to perform. He takes him to a Mount of Vision, from whence he shews him the past triumphs of the Empire of Dulness, then the present, and lastly the future: How small a part of the world was ever conquered by Science, how soon those con­quests were stop’d, and those very nations again re­duced to her dominion: Then distinguishing the Island of Great Britain, shews by what aids, and by what persons, it shall be forthwith brought to her empire. These he causes to pass in review before his eyes, de­scribing each by his proper figure, character, and qua­lifications. On a sudden the Scene shifts, and a vast number of Miracles and prodigies appear, utterly sur­prizing and unknown to the King himself, till they are explained to be the wonders of his own reign now commencing. On this subject Settle breaks into a congratulation, yet not unmix’d with concern, that his own times were but the types of these; He pro­phecies how first the nation shall be over-run with farces, opera’s, and shows; and the throne of Dulness advanced over both the Theatres; Then how her sons shall preside in the seats of arts and sciences, till in conclusion all shall return to their original Chaos: A scene, of which the present Action of the Dunciad is but a Type or Foretaste, giving a Glimpse or Pisgah­sight of the promis’d Fulness of her Glory; the Ac­complishment whereof will, in all probability, here­after be the Theme of many other and greater Dunciads.

THE
DUNCIAD,
IN
THREE BOOKS,
WITH
Notes Variorum.

THE DUNCIAD.

BOOK the FIRST.

REMARKS on BOOK the FIRST.

The Dunciad, Sic M. S. It may be well dis­puted whether this be a right Reading? Ought it not rather to be spelled Dunceiad, as the Etymology evi­dently demands? Dunce with an e, therefore Dun­ceiad with an e. That accurate and punctual Man of Letters, the Restorer of Shakespeare, constantly ob­serves the preservation of this very letter e, in spel­ling the name of his beloved Author, and not like his common careless Editors, with the omission of one, nay sometimes of two ee’s [as Shak’spear] which is utterly unpardonable. Nor is the neglect of a Sin­gle Letter so trivial as to some it may appear; the al­teration whereof in a learned language is an Atchive­ment that brings honour to the Critick who advances

Remarks.

it; and Dr. B. will be remembered to posterity for his performances of this sort, as long as the world shall have any esteem for the Remains of Menander and Philemon. Theobald.

I have a just value for the letter E, and the same affection for the name of this poem, as the forecited Critic for that of his Author; yet cannot it induce me to agree with those who would add yet another e to it, and call it the Dunceiade; which being a French and foreign Termination, is no way proper to a word entirely English, and vernacular. One e therefore in this case is right, and two e’s wrong; yet upon the whole I shall follow the Manuscript, and print it with­out any e at all; mov’d thereto by Authority, at all times with Criticks equal if not superior to Reason. In which method of proceeding, I can never enough praise my very good Friend, the exact Mr. Tho. Hearne; who, if any word occur which to him and all mankind is evidently wrong, yet keeps he it in the Text with due reverence, and only remarks in the Margin, sic M. S. In like manner we shall not amend this error in the Title itself, but only note it obiter, to evince to the learned that it was not our fault, nor any effect of our ignorance or inattention. Scriblerus.

V. 1. Books and the Man I sing, the first who brings The Smithfield Muses to the Ear of Kings.]

Wonderful is the stupidity of all the former Criticks and Commentators on this work! It breaks forth at the very first line. The author of the Critique prefix’d to Sawney, a Poem, p. 5. hath been so dull as to explain The Man who brings, &c. not of the Hero of

Remarks.

the piece, but of our Poet himself, as if he vaunted that Kings were to be his readers (an Honour which tho’ this Poem hath had, yet knoweth he how to receive it with more modesty.)

We remit this Ignorant to the first lines of the Aeneid; assuring him, that Virgil there speaketh not of himself, but of Aeneas.

Arma virumq; cano, Trojae qui primus ab oris, Italiam fato profugus, Latinaq; venit Litora: multum ille & terris jactatus & alto, &c.

I cite the whole three verses, that I may by the way offer a Conjectural Emendation, purely my own, upon each: First, oris should be read aris, it being as we see Aen. 2. 513, from the altar of Jupiter Hercaeus that Aeneas fled as soon as he saw Priam slain. In the second line I would read flatu for fato, since it is most clear it was by Winds that he arrived at the shore of Italy. Jactatus in the third, is surely as improper apply’d to terris, as proper to alto: to say a man is tost on land, is much at one with saying he walks at sea. Risum teneatis amici? Correct it, as I doubt not it ought to be, Vexatus. Scriblerus.

V. 2. The Smithfield Muses.] Smithfield is the place where Bartholomew Fair was kept, whose shews, ma­chines, and Dramatical entertainments, formerly agree­able only to the taste of the Rabble, were, by the Hero of this Poem and others of equal genius, brought to the Theatres of Covent-Garden, Lincolns-Inn-­Fields, and the Hay-Market, to be the reigning Plea­sures of the Court and Town. This happened in the year 1725, and continued to the year 1728. See Book 3. Verse 235, &c.

Remarks.

V. 10. Daughter of Chaos, &c.] The beauty of this whole Allegory being purely of the Poetical kind, we think it not our proper business as a Scholiast to meddle with it; but leave it (as we shall in general all such) to the reader: remarking only, that Chaos (according to Hesiod’s ) was the Progenitor of all the Gods. Scribl.

V. 21. Or praise the Court, or magnify Mankind.] Ironicè, alluding to Gulliver’s representations of both — The next line relates to the papers of the Drapier against the currency of Wood’s Copper Coin in Ireland, which upon the great discontent of the people, his Majesty was graciously pleased to recal.

V. 23. From thy Baeotia.] Baeotia of old lay un­der the raillery of the neighbouring Wits, as Ireland does now; tho’ each of those nations produced one

Remarks.

of the greatest Wits, and greatest Generals, of their age.

V. 24. Grieve not, my Swift! at ought our realm ac­quires.] Ironicè iterum. The Politicks of England and Ireland were at this time by some thought to be opposite, or interfering with each other: Dr. Swift of course was of the interest of the latter, our Author of the former.

V. 26. A new Saturnian Age, of Lead.] The an­cient golden Age is by Poets stiled Saturnian; but in the chymical language, Saturn is Lead.

V. 27. Where wave the tatter’d Ensigns of Rag-Fair.] Rag-Fair is a place near the Tower of London, where old cloaths and frippery are sold.

V. 28, 31. A yawning ruin hangs and nods in air.— Here in one Bed two shiv’ring Sisters lie, The Cave of Poverty and Poetry.]

Hear upon this place the forecited Critick on the Dun­ciad. These lines (saith he) have no construction, or are nonsense. The two shivering Sisters must be the sister caves of Poverty and Poetry, or the bed and cave of Poverty and Poetry must be the same, (questionless, if they lie in one bed) and the two Sisters the lord knows who? O the Construc­tion of grammatical heads! Virgil writeth thus: Aen. 1.

Fronte sub adversa scopulis pendentibus antrum: Intus aquae dulces, vivoq; sedilia saxo; Nympharum domus.――――

May we not say in like manner, The Nymphs must be the waters and the stones, or the waters and the stones must be the houses of the Nymphs? In­sulse! The second line, Intus aquae, &c. is in a pa­renthesis (as are the two lines of our Author, Keen

Remarks.

hollow Winds, &c.) and it is the Antrum, and the yawning Ruin, in the line before that parenthesis, which are the Domus and the Cave.

Let me again, I beseech thee Reader, present thee with another Conjectural Emendation on Virgil’s Sco­pulis pendentibus: He is here describing a place, whi­ther the weary Mariners of Aeneas repaired to dress their dinner.—Fessi—frugesq; receptas Et torrere par­ant flammis: What has scopulis pendentibus here to do? indeed the aquae dulces and sedilia are some­thing; sweet waters to drink, and seats to rest on: the other is surely an error of the Copyists. Restore it, without the least scruple, Populis prandentibus.

But for this and a thousand more, expect our Virgil Restor’d, some Specimen whereof see in the Appendix. Scriblerus.

V. 33. The Great Mother.] Magna mater, here apply’d to Dulness. The Quidnuncs was a name given to the ancient members of certain political Clubs, who were constantly enquiring, Quid nunc? what news?

Remarks.

V. 38. Curl’s chaste press, and Lintot’s rubric post.] Two Booksellers, of whom see Book 2. The former was fined by the Court of King’s-Bench for publish­ing obscene books; the latter usually adorn’d his shop with Titles in red letters.

V. 39. Hence hymning Tyburn’s elegiac lay.] It is an ancient English custom for the Malefactors to sing a Psalm at their execution at Tyburn; and no less cu­stomary to print Elegies on their deaths, at the same time, or before.

V. 40. and 42. allude to the annual Songs com­posed to music on St. Cecilia’s Feast, and those made by the Poet-Laureat for the time being, to be sung at Court on every New-years-day, the words of which are happily drown’d in the voices and instruments.

V. 41. Is a just satyr on the Flatteries and False­hoods admitted to be inscribed on the walls of Churches in Epitaphs.

Remarks.

I must not here omit a Reflection, which will occur perpetually through this poem, and cannot but greatly endear the Author to every attentive observer of it: I mean that Candour and Humanity, which every where appears in him to those unhappy Objects of the ridicule of all mankind, the bad Poets. He here imputes all scandalous rhimes, scurrilous weekly papers, lying news, base flatteries, wretched elegies songs and verses (even from those sung at Court, to ballads in the streets) not so much to Malice or Servi­lity, as to Dulness; and not so much to Dulness, as to Necessity; And thus at the very commencement of his satyr, makes an apology for all that are to be satyrized.

V. 48. Who hunger, and who thirst.] This is an allusion to a Text in Scripture, which shews in Mr. Pope a delight in prophaneness, (said Curl upon this place.) But ’tis very familiar with Shakespeare to al­lude to passages of Scripture: Out of a great num­ber I’ll select a few, in which he not only alludes to, but quotes the very Texts from holy Writ. In All’s well that ends well, I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, I have not much skill in grass. Ibid. They are for the flowry way that leads to the broad gate and the great fire. Mat. 7. 13. In Much ado about nothing: All, all, and moreover God saw him when he was hid in the garden, Gen. 3. 8. (in a very jocose scene.) In Love’s labour lost, he talks of Sampson’s carrying the gates on

Remarks.

his back; in the Merry Wives of Windsor, of Goliah and the Weaver’s beam; and in Henry 4. Falstaff’s Soldiers are compared to Lazarus and the Prodigal Son. The first part of this Note is Mr. Curl’s, The rest is Mr. Theobald’s Appendix to Shake­speare restor’d. p. 144.

Remarks.

V. 61. Here one poor Word a hundred clenches makes.] It may not be amiss to give an instance or two of these operations of Dulness out of the Authors celebrated in the Poem. A great Critick for­merly held these clenches in such abhorrence, that he declared, he that would pun, would pick a pocket. Yet Mr. Dennis’s works afford us not­able examples in this kind. Alexander Pope hath sent abroad into the world as many Bulls as his name­sake Pope Alexander. ―― Let us take the initial and final letters of his Name, viz. A. P—E, and they give you the idea of an Ape. ―― Pope comes from the Latin word Popa, which signi­fies a little Wart; or from Poppysma, because he was continually popping out squibs of wit, or rather Po­pysmata, or Po-pisms. Dennis. Daily Journal June 11. 1728.

V. 68. How Farce and Epic ―― How Time him­self, &c.] allude to the transgressions of the Unities, in the Plays of such Poets. For the miracles wrought upon Time and Place, and the mixture of Tragedy, Comedy, Farce and Epic, see Pluto and Proserpine, Penelope, &c. as yet extant.

Remarks.

V. 71. Aegypt glads with show’rs.] In the lower Aegypt Rain is of no use, the overflowing of the Nile being sufficient to impregnate the soil. ―― These six verses represent the inconsistencies in the description of Poets, who heap together all glittering and gawdy images, tho’ incompatible in one season, or in one scene. ―― See the Guardian, No. 40. parag. 7. prin­ted in the Appendix. See also Eusden’s whole Works if to be found.

V. 83. ’Twas on the day, when Thorold, rich and grave.] Sir George Thorold Lord Mayor of London, in the year 1720. The procession of a Lord Mayor

Remarks.

is made partly by land and partly by water. ―― Ci­mon the famous Athenian General obtained a victory by sea, and another by land on the same day, over the Persians and Barbarians.

V. 86. Glad Chains.] The ignorance of these Mo­derns! This was alter’d in one edition to Gold chains, shewing more regard to the metal of which the chains of Aldermen are made, than to the beauty of the La­tinism and Grecism, nay of figurative speech itself. ―― Laetas segetes, glad, for making glad, &c. Scriblerus.

V. 88. But liv’d, in Settle’s numbers, one day more.] A beautiful manner of speaking, usual with Poets in praise of Poetry, in which kind nothing is finer than those lines of Mr. Addison.

Sometimes misguided by the tuneful throng, I look for streams immortaliz’d in song, That lost in silence and oblivion lye, Dumb are their fountains, and their channels dry, Yet run for ever by the Muses skill, And in the smooth description murmur still.

V. 88. But liv’d in Settle’s numbers one day more.] Settle was alive at this time, and poet to the City of London. His office was to compose yearly panegyricks upon the Lord Mayors, and verses to be spoken in the Pageants: but that part of the shows being frugally at length abolished, the employment of City Poet ceas’d; so that upon Settle’s demise, there was no suc­cessor to that place. This important point of time our Poet has chosen as the Crisis of the Kingdom of Dulness, who thereupon decrees to remove her Impe­rial Seat: To which great enterprize, all things being now ripe, she calls the Hero of this Poem.

Remarks.

Mr. Settle was once a writer in some vogue, particu­larly with his party; for he was the author or pub­lisher of many noted pamphlets in the time of King Charles the second. He answer’d all Dryden’s poli­tical Poems; and being cry’d up on one side, succeed­ed not a little in his Tragedy of the Empress of Mo­rocco (the first that was ever printed with cuts.) Upon this he grew insolent, the Wits writ against his Play, he replied, and the Town judged he had the better. In short Settle was then thought a for­midable rival to Mr. Dryden; and not only the Town, but the University of Cambridge was di­vided which to prefer; and in both places the younger sort inclined to Elkanah. Dennis, Pref. to Rem. on Hom.

For the latter part of his history, see the third Book toward the end.

V. 96. John Heywood.] Whose Enterludes were printed in the time of Henry the eighth.

V. 101. Old Pryn in restless Daniel.] The first ed­ition had it, She saw in Norton all his father shine; a

Remarks.

great mistake! for Daniel de Foe had parts, but Norton de Foe was a wretched writer, and never attempted Poetry. Much more justly is Daniel himself made successor to W. Pryn, both of whom wrote Verses as well as Politicks; as appears by the poem De jure di­vino, &c. of De Foe, and by these lines in Cowley’s Mis­cellanies of the other.

―― One lately did not fear (Without the Muses leave) to plant verse here. But it produc’d such base, rough, crabbed, hedge- Rhymes, as e’en set the hearers ears on edge: Written by William Prynn Esqui-re, the Year of our Lord, six hundred thirty-three. Brave Jersey Muse! and he’s for his high stile Call’d to this day the Homer of the Isle.

And both these authors had a resemblance in their fates as well as writings, having been alike sentenc’d to the Pillory.

V. 102. And Eusden eke out, &c.] Laurence Eusden, Poet Laureate: Mr. Jacob gives a catalogue of some few only of his works, which were very numerous. Mr. Cook in his Battle of Poets saith of him,

Eusden, a laurel’d Bard, by fortune rais’d, By very few was read, by fewer prais’d.

Mr. Oldmixon in his Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, p. 413, 414. affirms, That of all the Galimatia’s he ever met with, none comes up to some verses of this Poet, which have as much of the Ridiculum and the Fustian in ’em as can well be jumbled to­gether, and are of that sort of nonsense which so per­fectly confounds all Ideas, that there is no distinct one left in the mind. Further he says of him, that he hath prophecy’d his own poetry shall be sweeter than Catullus, Ovid, and Tibullus, but we have little hope of the accomplishment of it from what he hath lately publish’d. Upon which Mr. Oldmixon

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has not spar’d a reflection, That the putting the Laurel on the head of one who writ such verses, will give futurity a very lively idea of the Judg­ment and Justice of those who bestow’d it. Ibid. p. 417. But the well-known learning of that Noble Person who was then Lord Chamberlain, might have screen’d him from this unmannerly reflection. Mr. Eusden was made Laureate for the same reason that Mr. Tibbald was made Hero of This Poem, because there was no better to be had. Nor ought Mr. Old­mixon to complain, so long after, that the Laurel would better have become his own brows, or any other’s: It were more decent to acquiesce in the opinion of the Duke of Buckingham upon this matter.

— In rush’d Eusden, and cry’d, Who shall have it, But I the true Laureate to whom the King gave it? Apollo begg’d pardon, and granted his claim, But vow’d, that till then he ne’er heard of his name. Session of Poets.

Of Blackmore, see book 2. verse 256. Of Philips, book 3. verse 322.

Nahum Tate was Poet-Laureate, a cold writer, of no invention, but sometimes translated tolerably when befriended by Mr. Dryden. In his second part of Absalom and Achitophel are above two hundred admirable lines together of that great hand, which strongly shine through the insipidity of the rest. Something parallel may be observed of another Author here mention’d.

V. 104. And all the Mighty Mad.] This is by no means to be understood literally, as if Mr. D. were really mad: No — it is spoken of that Excellent and Divine Madness, so often mentioned by Plato, that

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poetical rage an enthusiasm, with which Mr. D. hath, in his time, been highly possessed; and of those ex­traordinary hints and motions whereof he himself so feelingly treats in his preface to the Rem. on Pr. Arth. [See notes on book 2. verse 258.] Scribl.

V. 104. And all the Mighty Mad in Dennis rage.] This verse in the surreptitious editions stood thus, And furious D ―― foam, &c. which, in that printed in Ireland, was unaccountably fill’d up with the great name of Dryden. Mr. Theobald in the Censor, vol. 2. No. 33. also calls Mr. Dennis by the name of Furius. The modern Furius is to be look’d on as more the object of pity, than of that which he daily provokes, laughter and contempt. Did we really know how much this poor man (I wish that reflection on poverty had been spar’d) suffers by being contradicted, or which is the same thing in effect, by hearing ano­ther praised; we should in compassion sometimes at­tend to him with a silent nod, and let him go away with the triumphs of his ill nature. ―― Poor Fu­rius (again) when any of his cotemporaries are spoken well of, quitting the ground of the present dispute, steps back a thousand years to call in the succour of the Ancients. His very panegyrick is spiteful, and he uses it for the same reason as some Ladies do their commendations of a dead beauty, who never would have had their good word, but that a living one happened to be mentioned in their company. His applause is not the tribute of his Heart, but the sacrifice of his Revenge, &c. In­deed his pieces against our Poet are somewhat of an angry character, and as they are now scarce extant, a taste of his stile may be satisfactory to the curious. A young squab, short gentleman, whose outward form though it should be that of downright mon­monkey

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key, would not differ so much from human shape, as his unthinking immaterial part does from human understanding. ―― He is as stupid and as venomous as a hunchbacked toad. ―― A book through which folly and ignorance, those brethren so lame and im­potent, do ridiculously look very big, and very dull, and strut, and hobble cheek by jowl, with their arms on kimbo, being led and supported, and bully-backed by that blind Hector, Impudence. Reflect. on the Essay on Crit. pag. 26, 29, 30.

It would be unjust not to add his reasons for this Fury, they are so strong and so coercive. I regard him (saith he) as an Enemy, not so much to me, as to my King, to my Country, to my Religion, and to that Liberty which has been the sole felicity of my life. A vagary of fortune, who is sometimes pleased to be frolicksome, and the epidemick Mad­ness of the times, have given him Reputation, and Reputation (as Hobbs says) is Power, and that has made him dangerous. Therefore I look on it as my duty to King George, whose faithful subject I am; to my Country, of which I have appeared a con­stant lover; to the Laws, under whose protection I have so long lived; and to the Liberty of my Country, more dear than life to me, of which I have now for forty years been a constant asserter, &c. I look upon it as my duty, I say, to do ―― you shall see what ―― to pull the lion’s skin from this little Ass, which popular error has thrown round him; and to shew, that this Author who has been lately so much in vogue, has neither sense in his thoughts, nor english in his expressions. Dennis. Rem. on Hom. Pref. p. 2. and p. 91, &c.

Besides these publick-spirited reasons, Mr. D. had

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a private one; which by his manner of expressing it in page 92, appears to have been equally strong. He was even in bodily fear of his life, from the machina­tions of the said Mr. P. The story (says he) is too long to be told, but who would be acquainted with it, may hear it from Mr. Curl my Bookseller. ―― However, what my reason has suggested to me, that I have with a just confidence said, in defi­ance of his two clandestine weapons, his Slander and his Poyson. Which last words of his book plainly discover, Mr. D. his suspicion was that of being poysoned, in like manner as Mr. Curl had been before him. Of which fact, see A full and true account of a horrid and barbarous revenge by poyson on the body of Edmund Curl; printed in 1716, the year antecedent to that wherein these Remarks of Mr. Dennis were published. But what puts it beyond all question, is a passage in a very warm treatise in which Mr. D. was also concerned, price two-pence, called, A true character of Mr. Pope and his writings, printed for S. Popping, 1716. in the tenth page whereof he is said, to have insulted people on those calamities and diseases, which he himself gave them by admini­string Poyson to them; and is called (p. 4.) a lurk­ing way-laying coward, and a stabber in the dark. Which (with many other things most lively set forth in that piece) must have render’d him a terror, not to Mr. Dennis only, but to all christian people.

For the rest, Mr. John Dennis was the son of a Sadler in London, born in 1657. He paid court to Mr. Dryden; and having obtained some correspon­dence with Mr. Wycherly and Mr. Congreve, he imme­diately obliged the publick with their Letters. He made himself known to the Government by many admirable schemes and projects; which the Ministry,

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for reasons best known to themselves, constantly kept private. For his character as a writer, it is given us as follows. Mr. Dennis is excellent at pindarick writings, perfectly regular in all his performances, and a person of sound Learning. That he is master of a great deal of Penetration and Judgment, his criticisms (particularly on Prince Arthur) do suffi­ciently demonstrate. From the same account it also appears, that he writ Plays more to get Repu­tation than Money. Dennis of himself. See Giles Jacob’s Lives of Dram. Poets, page 68, 69. com­pared with page 286.

V. 106. But chief in Tibbald.] Lewis Tibbald (as pronounced) or Theobald (as written) was bred an At­torney, and son to an Attorney (says Mr. Jacob) of Sittenburn in Kent. He was Author of many forgotten Plays, Poems, and other pieces, and of several ano­nymous Letters in praise of them in Mist’s Journal. He was concerned in a Paper call’d the Censor, and a translation of Ovid, as we find from Dennis’s re­marks on Pope’s Homer, p. 9, 10. There is a notorious Idiot, one hight Whachum, who from an under-spur-leather to the Law, is become an under­strapper to the Play-house, who has lately burlesqu’d the Metamorphoses of Ovid by a vile translation, &c. This fellow is concern’d in an impertinent Paper called the Censor. But notwithstanding this severe character, another Critick says of him, That he has given us some pieces which met with approbation: and that the Cave of Poverty is an excellent Poem. Jacob Lives of the Poets, vol. 2. p. 211. He had once a mind to translate the Odyssey, the first book whereof was printed in 1717 by B. Lintot, and probably may yet be seen at his shop. What is still in memory is a piece now almost two years old; it had

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the title of Shakespear Restored: Of this he was so proud himself, as to say in one of Mist’s Jour­nals, June 8. That to expose any errors in it was impracticable. And in another, April 27. That whatever care might for the future be taken either by Mr. P. or any other assistants, he would still give above 500 emendations that shall escape them all. During two whole years while Mr. Pope was preparing his edition, he publish’d Advertisements, re­questing assistance, and promising satisfaction to any who could contribute to its greater perfection. But this Restorer, who was at that time solliciting favours of him by letters, did wholly conceal his design, till after its publication: (which he was since not asham’d to own, in a Daily Journal of Nov. 26. 1728.) And then an outcry was made in the Prints, that our Author had joined with the Bookseller to raise an extravagant sub­scription; in which he had no share, of which he had no knowledge, and against which he had publickly advertised in his own Proposals for Homer. Probably that Proceeding elevated Tibbald to the dignity he holds in this Poem, which he seems to deserve no other way better than his brethren; unless we impute it to the share he had in the Journals, cited among the Testimonies of Authors prefix’d to this work.

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V. 106. ―― monster-breeding breast.] This alludes to the extravagancy of the Farces of that author; in which he alone could properly be represented as successor to Settle, who had written Pope Joan, St. George for England, and other pieces for Bartlemew Fair. See book 3.

V. 109. ―― supperless he sate.] It is amazing how the sense of this has been mistaken by all the for­mer Commentators, who most idly suppose it to imply that the Hero of the Poem wanted a supper. In truth a great absurdity! Not that we are ignorant that the Hero of Homer’s Odyssey is frequently in that cir­cumstance, and therefore it can no way derogate from the grandeur of Epic Poem to represent such Hero under a calamity, to which the greatest not only of Criticks and Poets, but of Kings and Warriors, have been subject. But much more refin’d, I will venture to say, is the meaning of our author: It was to give us obliquely a curious precept, or what Bossu calls a disguised sentence, that Temperance is the life of Study. The language of Poesy brings all into action; and to represent a Critick encompass’d with books but without a supper, is a picture which lively expresseth how much the true Critic prefers the diet of the mind to that of the body, one of which he always castigates

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and often totally neglects, for the greater improve­ment of the other. Scriblerus.

V. 117. Volumes, whose size, &c.] This library is divided into two parts; the one (his polite learning) consists of those books which seem to be the models of his poetry, and are preferr’d for one of these three reasons (usual with collectors of Libraries) that they fitted the shelves, or were gilded for shew, or ad­dorned with pictures: The other class our author calls so­lid Learning; old bodies of Philosophy, old Commen­tators, old english Printers, or old english Transla­tions; all very voluminous, and fit to erect Altars to Dulness.

V. 121. ―― Ogilby the great.] John Ogilby was one, who from a late initiation into literature, made such a progress as might well stile him the Prodigy of his time! sending into the world so many large Vo­lumes! His translations of Homer and Virgil, done to the life, and with such excellent sculptures! and (what added great grace to his works) he printed them all on special good paper, and in a very good letter. Winstanly, Lives of Poets.

V. 122. There, stamp’d with arms, Newcastle shines compleat.] The Dutchess of Newcastle was one who bu­sied her self in the ravishing delights of Poetry; leaving to posterity in print three ample Volumes of her studi­ous endeavours. Winstanly, ibid. Langbaine reckons up eight Folio’s of her Grace’s; which were usually adorned with gilded covers, and had her coat of arms upon them.

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V. 126. ―― worthy Withers, Quarles, and Blome.] It was printed in the surreptitious editions, W ―― y, W ―― s, who were persons eminent for good life. the one write the Life of Christ in verse, the other some valuable pieces in the lyrick kind on pious sub­jects. The line is here restor’d according to its ori­ginal.

George Withers was a great pretender to poetical zeal against the vices of the times, and abused the greatest personages in power, which brought upon him frequent correction. The Marshalsea and Newgate were no strangers to him. Winstanly. Quarles was as dull a writer, but an honester man. Blome’s books are remarkable for their cuts.

V. 129. Caxton.] A Printer in the time of Edw. 4. Rich. 3. Hen. 7. Wynkin de Word, his suc­cessor, in that of Hen. 7. and 8. The former translated into prose Virgil’s Aeneis as a history; of which he speaks in his Proeme in a very singular man­ner, as of a book hardly known. Vid. Append. No 3. Tibbald quotes a rare passage from him in Mist’s Jour­nal of March 16, 1728. concerning a straunge and mervayllouse beaste called Sagittarye, which he would have Shakespear to mean rather than Teucer, the archer celebrated by Homer.

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V. 133. Nich. de Lyra, or Harpsfeld, a very volu­minous commentator, whose works in five vast folio’s were printed in 1472.

V. 134. Philemon Holland, Doctor in Physick. He translated so many books, that a man would think he had done nothing else, insomuch that he might be call’d Translator general of his age. The books alone of his turning into English, are sufficient to make a Country Gentleman a compleat Library. Winstanly.

V. 142. A little Ajax.] In duodecimo, translated from Sophocles by Tibbald.

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V. 162. Nor sleeps one error ―― Old puns restore, lost blunders, &c.] As where he laboured to prove Shakespear guilty of terrible Anachronisms, or low Co­nundrums, which Time had cover’d; and conversant in such authors as Caxton and Wynkin, rather than in Homer or Chaucer. Nay, so far had he lost his reve­rence to this incomparable author, as to say in print, He deserv’d to be whipt. An insolence which nothing sure can parallel! but that of Dennis, who can be proved to have declared before company, that Shake­spear was a Rascal. O tempora! O mores. Scriblerus.

V. 164. And crucify poor Shakespear once a week.] For some time, once a week or fortnight, he printed

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in Mist’s Journal a single remark or poor conjecture on some word or pointing of Shakespear.

V. 166. With all such reading as was never read.] Such as Caxton above-mention’d, the three destruc­tions of Troy by Wynkin, and other like classicks.

V. 168. Notes to dull books, and prologues to dull plays.] As to Cook’s Hesiod, where sometimes a note, and sometimes even half a note, are carefully owned by him: And to Moore’s Comedy of the Rival Modes, and other authors of the same rank: These were peo­ple who writ about the year 1726.

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V. 189. My Flaccus.] A familiar manner of speak­king used by modern Criticks of a favourite author. Mr. T. might as justly speak thus of Horace, as a French wit did of Tully, seeing his works in a library. Ah! mon cher Ciceron! Je le connois bien: c’est le meme que Marc Tulle.

V. 190. Take up th’ Attorney’s Guide.] In allusion to his first profession of an Attorney.

V. 191. Or rob the Roman geese, &c.] Relates to the well-known story of the geese that saved the Capi­tol, of which Virgil, Aen. 8.

Atq; hic auratis volitans argenteus anser Porticibus, Gallos in limine adesse canebat.

a passage I have always suspected. Who sees not the

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antithesis of auratis and argenteus to be unworthy the Virgilian majesty? and what absurdity to say a goose sings? canebat. Virgil gives a contrary cha­racter of the voice of this silly bird in Ecl. 9.

―― argutos interstrepere anser olores.

Read it therefore adesse strepebat. And why auratis porticibus? does not the very verse preceding this inform us,

Romuleo recens horrebat regia culmo.

Is this thatch in one line, and gold in another, con­sistent? I scruple not (repugnantibus omnibus manu­scriptis) to correct it, auritis. Horace uses the same epithet in the same sense,

―― Auritas fidibus canoris Ducere quercus.

And to say that walls have ears is common even to a proverb. Scribl.

V. 194. Mighty Mist!] Nathaniel Mist was pub­lisher of a famous Tory paper (see notes on l. 3.) in which this Author was sometimes permitted to have a part.

V. 197. Adieu my children!] This is a tender and passionate apostrophe to his own works which he is

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going to sacrifice, agreeable to the nature of man in great affliction, and reflecting like a parent on the many miserable fates to which they would otherwise be subject.

V. 200. Or shipp’d with Ward to ape and monkey land.] Edward Ward, a very voluminous poet in hu­dibrastick verse, but best known by the London Spy, in prose. He has of late years kept a publick house in the City (but in a genteel way) and with his wit, hu­mour, and good liquor (Ale) afforded his guests a pleasurable entertainment, especially those of the high­church party. Jacob Lives of Poets, vol. 2. p. 225. Great numbers of his works were yearly sold into the Plantations.

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V. 208. Now flames old Memnon, now Rodrigo burns, In one quick flash see Proserpine expire.]

Memnon, a hero in the Persian Princess, very apt to take fire, as appears by these lines with which he be­gins the play.

By heav’n it fires my frozen blood with rage, And makes it scald my aged trunk. ――

Rodrigo, the chief personage of the Perfidious Brother (a play written between T. and a Watchmaker.) The Rape of Proserpine, one of the Farces of this author, in which Ceres setting fire to a corn-field, endangered the burning of the Play-house.

V. 210. And last, his own cold Aeschylus took fire.] He had been (to use an expression of our Poet) about Aeschylus for ten years, and had received subscriptions for the same, but then went about other books. The character of this tragic Poet is Fire and Boldness in a high degree, but our author supposes it very much cooled by the translation: upon sight of a specimen of which was made this Epigram,

Alas! poor Aeschylus! unlucky Dog! Whom once a Lobster kill’d, and now a Log.

But this is a grievous error, for Aeschylus was not slain by the fall of a Lobster on his head, but of a Tortoise. teste Val. Max. l. 9. cap. 12. Scribl.

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V. 212. When the last blaze sent Ilion to the skies.] See Virgil Aen. 2. where I would advise the reader to peruse the story of Troy’s destruction, rather than in Wynkin. But I caution him alike in both, to beware of a most grievous error, that of thinking it was brought about by I know not what Trojan Horse; there never having been any such thing. For first it was not Trojan, being made by the Greeks, and secondly it was not a Horse, but a Mare. This is clear from many verses in Virgil,

Uterum armato milite complent ―― Inclusos Utero Danaos ――

Can a horse be said Utero gerere? Again,

Uteroq; recusso Insonuere cavae ―― Atq; utero sonitum quater arma dedere.

Nay is it not expresly said,

Scandit fatalis machina muros Foeta armis ―――

How is it possible the word foeta can agree with a horse? and indeed can it be conceived, that the chaste and Virgin Goddess Pallas would employ her self in forming and fashioning the Male of that species? But this shall be proved to a demonstration in our Virgil Restored. Scribler.

V. 214. Thulè] An unfinished poem of that name, of which one sheet was printed fifteen years ago; by A. Ph., a northern author. It is an usual method of putting out a fire, to cast wet sheets upon it: Some critics have been of opinion, that this sheet was of the nature of the Asbestos, which cannot be consumed by fire; but I rather think it only an allegorical allu­sion to the coldness and heaviness of the writing.

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V. 221.―― the sacred Dome.] The Cave of Po­verty above-mention’d; where he no sooner enters, but he reconnoitres the place of his original; as Plato says the Spirits shall do, at their entrance into the ce­lestial regions. His dialogue of the Immortality of the soul was translated by T. in the familiar modern stile of Prithee Phaedo, and For God’s sake Socrates: printed for B. Lintot, 1713.

V. 226. And in sweet numbers celebrates the seat.] He writ a poem call’d the Cave of Poverty, which concludes with a very extraordinary wish, That some great genius, or man of distinguish’d merit may be starved, in order to celebrate her power, and describe her Cave. It was printed in octavo, 1715.

Remarks.

V. 240. Can make a Cibber.] Mr. Colly Cibber, an author and actor, of a good share of wit, and uncom­common vivacity, which are much improved by the con­versation he enjoys, which is of the best. Jacob Lives of Dram. Poets, p. 38. Besides two volumes of plays in 4to, he has made up and translated several others. Mr. Jacob omitted to remark, that he is par­ticularly admirable in Tragedy.

V. 240. ―― Johnson.] Charles Johnson, famous for writing a play every season, and for being at But­ton’s every day: he had probably thriven better in his vocation, had he been a small matter leaner: he may justly be called a martyr to obesity, and to have fallen a victim to the rotundity of his parts. Cha­ract. of the Times, p. 19. Some of his Plays are, Love in a Forest (Shakespear’s As you like it) Wife’s Relief (Shirley’s Gamester) The Victim (Racine’s Iphi­genia) The Sultaness (Racine’s Bajazet, the prologue

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to which abused Dr. Arbuthnot, Mr. Pope, and Mr. Gay) The The Cobler of Preston, his own.

V. 240. ―― Or Ozell.] Mr. John Ozell, if we credit Mr. Jacob, did go to school in Leicestershire, where somebody left him something to live on, when he shall retire from business. He was designed to be sent to Cambridge in order for Priesthood; but he chose rather to be placed in an office of accounts in the City, being qualified for the same by his skill in Arithmetick, and writing the necessary hands. He has oblig’d the world with many translations of French Plays. Jacob Lives of Dram. Poets, p. 198.

V. 244. A H***r.] A strange bird from Swit­zerland. — Here, in the Dublin edition, was absurdly inserted the name of an eminent Lawyer and Member of Parliament, who was a man of wit, and a friend of the author.

V. 250. Where Gildon, Banks, and high-born Howard rest.] Charles Gildon, a writer of criticisms and libels of the last age, bred at St. Omer’s with the Jesuits, but renonuncing Popery, he publish’d Blount’s books against the Divinity of Christ, the Oracles of reason, &c. He signaliz’d himself as a cri­tic, having written some very bad plays; abused

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Mr. P. very scandalously in an anonymous pamphlet of the Life of Mr. Wycherley printed by Curl, in an­other called the New Rehearsal printed in 1714, in a third entitled the Compleat Art of English Poetry in 2 volumes, and others.

V. 350. Banks.] Was author of the play of the Earl of Essex, Ann Boleyn, &c. He followed the law as a Solicitor, like Tibbald.

V. 250 ――Howard.] Hon. Edward Howard, author of the British Princes, and a great number of wonderful pieces, celebrated by the late Earls of Dorset and Rochester, Duke of Buckingham, Mr. Wal­ler, &c.

V. 258. As sings thy great forefather, Ogilby.] See his Aesop Fab. where this excellent hemystic is to be found. Our author manifests here, and elsewhere, a prodigious Tenderness for the bad writers. We see he selects the only good passage perhaps in all that ever Ogilby writ; which shows how candid and pati­ent a reader he must have been. What can be more kind and affectionate than these words in the preface to his Poems, 4°. 1717. where he labours to call up all our humanity and forgiveness toward these unlucky men, by the most moderate representation of their case that has ever been given by any author? Much may be said to extenuate the fault of bad Poets: What we call a Genius is hard to be distinguished, by a man himself, from a prevalent inclination: And if it be

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never so great, he can at first discover it no other way than by that strong propensity, which renders him the more liable to be mistaken. He has no other method but to make the experiment by wri­ting and so appealing to the judgment of others: And if he happens to write ill (which is certainly no sin in itself) he is immediately made the object of ridicule! I wish we had the humanity to reflect, that even the worst authors might endeavour to please us, and in that endeavour, deserve something at our hands. We have no cause to quarrel with them, but for their Obstinacy in persisting, and even that may admit of alleviating circumstances: For their particular friends may be either ignorant, or unsincere; and the rest of the world too well-bred, to shock them with a truth which generally their booksellers are the first that inform them of.

THE DUNCIAD.

BOOK the SECOND

REMARKS on BOOK the SECOND.

Two things there are, upon the supposition of which the very basis of all Verbal criticism is found­ed and supported: The first, that the Author could never fail to use the very best word, on every occa­sion: The second, that a Critic cannot chuse but

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know, which that is? This being granted, whenever any word doth not fully content us, we take upon us to con­clude, first that the author could never have us’d it, and secondly, that he must have used that very one which we conjecture, in its stead.

We cannot therefore enough admire the learned Scriblerus, for his alteration of the text in the two last verses of the preceding book, which in all the former editions stood thus,

Hoarse thunder to the bottom shook the bog, And the loud nation croak’d, God save King Log!

He has with great judgment tranposed these two epi­thet, putting hoarse to the nation, and loud to the thunder: and this being evidently the true reading, he vouchsafed not so much as to mention the former; for which assertion of the just right of a Critic, he merits the acknowledgment of all sound commentators.

V. 2. Henley’s gilt Tub.] The pulpit of a Dissen­ter is usually called a Tub; but that of Mr. Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had also a fair altar, and over it this ex­traordinary inscription, The Primitive Eucharist. See the history of this person, book 3. verse 195.

V. 2. Or Fleckno’s Irish Throne.] Richard Fleckno was an Irish priest, but had laid aside (as himself ex­pressed it) the mechanick part of Priesthood. He printed some Plays, Poems, Letters and Travels. I doubt not our author took occasion to mention him in respect to the Poem of Mr. Dryden, to which this bears some resemblance; tho’ of a character more different from it than that of the Aen. from the Iliad, or the Lutrin of Boileau from the Defaits des Bouts rimeès of Sarazin.

V. 3. Or that, where on her Curls the public pours.] Edm. Curl stood in the pillory at Charing-Cross, in March, 1727-8.

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V. 11. Rome in her capitol saw Querno sit.] Ca­millo Querno was of Apulia, who hearing the great encouragement which Leo the tenth gave to Poets, tra­vell’d to Rome with a harp in his hand, and sung to it twenty thousand verses of a Poem call’d Alexias. He was introduc’d as a buffoon to Leo, and promoted to the honour of the Laurel; a jest, which the Court of Rome and the Pope himself entred into so far, as to cause him to ride on an Elephant to the Capitol, and to hold a solemn Festival on his Coronation; at which it is recorded the Poet himself was so transported, as to weep for joy. He was ever after a constant fre­quenter of the Pope’s table, drank abundantly, and poured forth verses without number. Paulus Jovius, Elog. Virg. doct. ch. 82. Some idea of his poetry is given by Fam. Strada in his Prolusions.

Remarks.

V. 43. Never was dash’d out, at one lucky hit.] Our author here seems willing to give some account of the possibility of Dulness making a Wit, (which could be done no other way than by chance.) The fiction is the more reconcil’d to probability by the known story of Apelles, who being at a loss to express the foam of Alexander’s horse, dash’d his pencil in despair at the picture, and happen’d to do it by that fortunate stroke.

V. 46. And call’d the phantom, More.] Curl in his Key to the Dunciad affirm’d this to be James Moore Smith, Esq; and it is probable (considering what is said of him in the Testimonies) that some might fancy our author obliged to represent this gentleman as a Plagiary, or to pass for one himself. His case indeed was like that of a Man I have heard of, who as he was sitting in company, perceived his next neighbour had stolen his handkerchief. Sir (said the Thief, finding himself detected) do not expose me, I did it for mere want: be so good but to take it privately out of my pocket again, and say no­thing. The honest man did so, but the other cry’d out, See Gentlemen! what a Thief we have among us! look, he is stealing my handkerchief.

Some time before, he had borrowed of Dr. Arbuthnot a paper call’d an Historico-physical account of the South-Sea; and of Mr. Pope the Memoirs of a Parish Clark, which for two years he kept, and read to the

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Rev. Dr. Young, — Billers, Esq; and many others, as his own. Being apply’d to for them, he pretended they were lost; but there happening to be another copy of the latter, it came out in Swift and Pope’s Miscellanies. Upon this, it seems he was so far mis­taken as to confess his proceeding by an endeavour to hide: unguardedly printing (in the Daily Journal of Apr. 3. 1728.) That the contempt which he and others had for those pieces (which only him­self had shown, and handed about as his own) oc­casion’d their being lost, and for that cause only not return’d. A fact, of which as none but he could be conscious, none but he could be the publisher of it.

This young Gentleman’s whole misfortune was too inordinate a passion to be thought a Wit. Here is a very strong instance, attested by Mr. Savage son of the late Earl Rivers; who having shown some verses of his in manuscript to Mr. Moore, wherein Mr. Pope was call’d first of the tuneful train, Mr. Moore the next morning sent to Mr. Savage to desire him to give those verses another turn, to wit, That Pope might now be the first, because Moore had left him unrival’d in turning his style to Comedy. This was during the rehearsal of the Rival Modes; the Town condemn’d it in the action, but he printed it in 1726–7 with this modest Motto,

Hic caestus, artemque repono,

The smaller pieces which we have heard attributed to this author, are, An Epigram on the Bridge at Blenheim, by Dr. Evans: Cosmelia, by Mr. Pit, Mr. Jones, &c. The Mock-marriage of a mad Divine, with a Cl— for a Parson, by Dr. W. The Saw-pit, a Simile, by a Friend. Certain Physical works on Sir James Baker; and some unown’d Letters, Advertisements and Epi­grams against our author in the Daily Journal.

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Notwithstanding what is here collected of the Per­son imagin’d by Curl to be meant in this place, we cannot be of that opinion; since our Poet had certainly no need of vindicating half a dozen verses to himself which every reader had done for him; since the name itself is not spell’d Moore but More; and lastly, since the learned Scriblerus has so well prov’d the contrary.

V. 46. The phantom, More.] It appears from hence that this is not the name of a real person, but fictitious. More from , stultus, , stultitia, to re­present the folly of a plagiary. Thus Erasmus: Admo­nuit me Mori cognomen tibi, quod tam ad Moriae voca­bulum accedit quam es ipse a re alienus. Dedication of Moriae Encomion to Sir Tho. More; the Farewel of which may be our Author’s to his Plagiary, Vale More! & Moriam tuam gnaviter defende. Adieu More, and be sure strongly to defend thy own folly. Scriblerus.

V. 49. But lofty Lintot.] We enter here upon the episode of the Booksellers: persons, whose names being more known and famous in the learned world than those of the authors in this poem, do therefore need less explanation. The action of Mr. Lintot here imitates that of Dares in Virgil, rising just in this manner to lay hold on a Bull. This eminent Bookseller printed the Rival Modes above-mentioned.

V. 54. Stood dauntless Curl, &c.] We come now to a character of much respect, that of Mr. Edmond Curl. As a plain repetition of great actions is the best praise of them, we shall only say of this eminent man, that he carried the Trade many lengths beyond what

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it ever before had arrived at, and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profession. He possest himself of a command over all authors whatever; he caus’d them to write what he pleas’d; they could not call their very names their own. He was not only fa­mous among these; he was taken notice of by the State, the Church, and the Law, and received par­ticular marks of distinction from each.

It will be own’d that he is here introduc’d with all possible dignity; he speaks like the intrepid Diomed; he runs like the swift-footed Achilles; if he falls, ’tis like the beloved Nisus; and (what Homer makes to be the chief of all praises) he is favour’d of the Gods: He says but three words, and his prayer is heard; a Goddess conveys it to the seat of Jupiter: tho’ he loses the prize, he gains the victory; the great Mo­ther her self comfort him, she inspires him with ex­pedients, she honours him with an immortal present (such as Achilles receives from Thetis and Aeneas from Venus) at once instructive and prophetical: After this, he is unrival’d and triumphant.

The tribute our author here pays him, is a grateful return for several unmerited obligations: Many weigh­ty

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animadversions on the publick affairs, and many excellent and diverting pieces on Private persons, has he given to his name. If ever he ow’d two verses to any other, he ow’d Mr. Curl some thousands. He was every day extending his fame, and inlarging his writings: witness innumerable instances! but it shall suffice only to mention the Court-Poems, which he meant to publish as the work of the true writer, a Lady of quality; but being first threaten’d, and after­wards punish’d for it by Mr. Pope, he generously trans­ferr’d it from her to him, and ever since printed it in his name. The single time that ever he spoke to C. was on that affair, and to that happy incident he owes all the favours since received from him: So true is the saying of Dr. Sydenham, that any one shall be, at some time or other, the better or the worse, for having but seen or spoken to a good, or a bad man.

Remarks.

V. 66. Curl’s Corinna.] This name it seems was taken by one Mrs. T ――, who procur’d some private letters of Mr. Pope’s, while almost a boy, to Mr. Crom­well, and sold them without the consent of either of those gentlemen to Curl, who printed them in 12°. 1727. He has discover’d her to be the publisher in his Key, p. 11. But our Poet had no thought of re­flecting on her in this passage; on the contrary, he has been inform’d she is a decent woman and in mis­fortunes. We only take this opportunity of mention­ing the manner in which those letters got abroad, which the author was asham’d of as very trivial things, full not only of levities, but of wrong judg­ments of men and books, and only excusable from the youth and inexperience of the writer.

V. 71. Obscene with filth, &c.] Tho’ this incident may seem too low and base for the dignity of an Epic

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Poem, the learned very well know it to be but a copy of Homer and Virgil; the very words and Fimus are used by them, tho’ our Poet (in compliance to modern nicety) has remarkably enrich’d and co­lour’d his language, as well as rais’d the versication, in these two Episodes. Mr. Dryden in Mack-Fleckno, has not scrupled to mention the Morning Toast at which the fishes bite in the Thames, Pissing-Alley, Reliques of the Bum, Whipstich, Kiss my ――, &c. but our author is more grave, and (as a fine writer says of Virgil in his Georgics) tosses about his Dung with an air of Majesty. If we consider that the Exercises of his Authors could with justice be higher than Tickling, Chatt’ring, Braying, or Diving, it was no easy matter to invent such Games as were proportion’d to the meaner degree of Booksellers. In Homer and Virgil, Ajax and Nisus, the persons drawn in this plight are Heroes; whereas here they are such, with whom it had been great impropriety to have join’d any but vile ideas; besides the natural connection there is between Libellers and common Nusances. Neverthe­less I have often heard our author own, that this part of his poem was (as it frequently happens) what cost him most trouble and pleas’d him least: but that he hoped ’twas excusable, since levell’d at such as under­stand no delicate satire: Thus the politest men are sometimes obliged to swear, when they happen to have to do with Porters and Oyster-wenches.

V. 78. Down with the Bible, up with the Pope’s Arms.] The Bible, Curl’s sign, the Cross-keys, Lin­tot’s.

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V. 210. An unpaid Taylor.] This line has been loudly complain’d of in Mist, June 8. Dedic. to Saw­ney, and others, as a most inhuman satire on the Po­verty of Poets: but it is thought our author would be acquited by a jury of Taylors. To me this in­stance seems unluckily chosen; if it be a satire on any body, it must be on a bad Paymaster, since the person to whom they have here apply’d it was a man of Fortune. Not but Poets may well be jealous of so great a prerogative as Non-payment: which Mr. Dennis so far asserts: as boldly to pronounce, that if Homer himself was not in debt, it was because no body would trust him. (Pref. to Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, p. 15.)

V. 116. Like Congreve, Addison, and Prior.] These Authors being such whose names will reach po­sterity, we shall not give any account of them, but proceed to those of whom it is necessary. ―― Besaleel Morris was author of some Satyrs on the Translators of Homer, with many other things printed in News-papers. ―― Bond writ a saty against Mr. P. ―― Capt. Breval was author of The Confederates, an ingenious dramatic performance to expose Mr. P. Mr. Gay, Dr. Arb. and some La­dies of quality. Curl, Key, p. 11.

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V. 117. Mears, Warner, Wilkins.] Booksellers and Printers of much anonymous stuff.

V. 118. Breval, Besaleel, Bond.] I foresee it will be objected from this line, that we were in an error in our assertion on verse 46. of this Book, that More was a fictitious name, since these persons are equally represented by the poet as Phantoms. So at first sight it may seem; but be not deceived, Reader! these also are not real persons. ’Tis true Curl declares Breval, a Captain, author of a piece call’d The Confederates: But the same Curl first said it was written by Joseph Gay Is his second assertion to be credited any more than his first? He likewise affirms Bond to be one who writ a satire on our Poet; but where is such a satire to be found? where was such a writer ever heard of? As for Besaleel, it carries Forgery in the very name, nor is it, as the others are, a surname. Thou may’st depend on it no such authors ever lived: all phantoms! Scriblerus.

V. 120. Joseph Gay, a fictitious name put by Curl before several pamphlets, which made them pass with many for Mr. Gay’s.

V. 124. And turn this whole illusion on the town.] It was a common practice of this Bookseller,

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to publish vile pieces of obscure hands under the names of emi­nent authors.

V. 130. Cook shall be Prior.] The man here spe­dify’d was the son of a Muggletonian, who kept a Publick-house at Braintree in Essex. He writ a thing call’d The Battle of Poets, of which Philips and Welsted were the heroes, and wherein our author was attack’d in his moral character, in relation to his Homer and Shakespear: He writ moreover a farce of Penelope, in the preface of which also he was squinted at: and some malevolent things in the British, London and Daily Journal. His chief work was a translation of Hesiod, to which Theobald writ notes, and half­notes, as hath already been said.

V. ibid. And Concanen, Swift.] Matthew Concanen, an Irishman, an anonymous slanderer and publisher of other men’s slanders, particularly on Dr. Swift, to whom he had obligations and from whom he had re­ceived both in a collection of Poems for his benefit and otherwise, no small assistance; To which Smedley (one of his brethren in enmity to Swift) alludes in his Metam. of Scriblerus, p. 7. accusing him of ha­ving boasted of what he had not written, but others had revis’d and done for him. He was also author of several scurrilities in the British and London Journals; and of a pamphlet call’d a Supplement to the Profund, wherein he deals very unfairly with our Poet, not only frequently blaming Mr. Broome’s verses as his, (for which he might indeed seem in some degree ac­countable, having corrected what that gentleman did) but those of the Duke of Buckingham, and others. To this rare piece, some-body humourously caus’d him to take for his motto, De profundis clamavi.

Remarks.

V. 132. And we too boast our Garth and Addison.] Nothing is more remarkable than our author’s love of praising good writers. He has celebrated Sir Isaac Newton, Mr. Dryden, Mr. Congreve, Mr. Wycherley, Dr. Garth, Mr. Walsh, Duke of Buckingham, Mr. Ad­dison, Lord Lansdown; in a word, almost every man of his time that deserv’d it. It was very difficult to have that pleasure in a poem on This subject, yet he found means to insert their panegyrick, and has made even Dulness out of her own mouth pronounce it. It must have been particularly agreeable to him to celebrate Dr. Garth; both as his constant friend thro’ life, and as he was his predecessor in this kind of Satire. The Dispensary attack’d the whole Body of Apothecaries, a much more useful one undoubtedly than that of the bad Poets (if in truth this can be call’d a Body, of which no two members ever agreed.) It also did what Mr. Theobald says is unpardonable, drew in parts of private character, and introduced per­sons independent of his Subject. Much more would Boileau have incurr’d his censure, who left all subjects whatever on all occasions, to fall upon the bad Poets; which it is to be fear’d would have been more immedi­ately his concern.

V. 134 Ruful length of face.] The decrepid person or figure of a man are no reflections upon

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his Genius: An honest mind will love and esteem a man of worth, tho’ he be deform’d or poor. Yet the author of the Dunciad hath libell’d a person for his ruful length of face! Mist’s Journ. June 8. This Genius and man of worth whom an honest mind should love, is Mr. Curl. True it is, he stood in the Pillory; an incident which will lengthen the face of any man tho’ it were ever so comely, therefore is no reflection on the natural beauty of Mr. Curl. But as to reflections on any man’s Face, or Figure, Mr. Den­nis saith excellently; Natural deformity comes not by our fault, ’tis often occasion’d by calamities and diseases, which a man can no more help, than a monster can his deformity. There is no one mis­fortune, and no one disease, but what all the rest of mankind are subject to. ――― But the deformity of this Author is visible, present, lasting, unalterable, and peculiar to himself. ’Tis the mark of God and Nature upon him, to give us warning that we should hold no society with him, as a creature not of our original, nor of our species: And they who have refused to take this warning which God and Nature have given them, and have in spite of it by a senseless presumption ventur’d to be familiar with him, have severely suffer’d, &c. ’Tis certain his original is not from Adam, but from the De­vil, &c. Dennis and Gildon Charact. of Mr. P. 8°. 1716.

Admirably is it observ’d by Mr. Dennis against Mr. Law, p. 33. That the language of Billingsgate can never be the language of Charity, nor consequently of Christianity. I should else be tempted to use the language of a Critick: For what is more pro­voking to a Commentator, than to behold his author thus portrayed? Yet I consider it really hurts not Him; whereas maliciously to call some others dull, might

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do them prejudice with a world too apt to believe it: Therefore tho’ Mr. D. may call another a little ass or a young toad, far be it from us to call him a tooth­less lion, or an old serpent. Indeed, had I written these Notes (as was once my intent) in the learned language, I might have given him the appellations of Balatro, Calceatum caput, or Scurra in triviis, being phrases in good esteem and frequent usage among the best learned: But in our mother-tongue were I to tax any Gentle­man of the Dunciad, surely it should be in words not to the vulgar intelligible, whereby christian charity, decency, and good accord among authors, might be preserved. Scriblerus.

V. 135. A shaggy Tap’stry.] A sorry kind of Ta­pestry frequent in old Inns, made of worsted or some coarser stuff: like that which is spoken of by Doctor Donne ―― Faces as frightful as theirs who whip Christ in old hangings. The imagery woven in it alludes to the mantle of Cloanthus, in Aen. 5.

V. 136 On Codrus’ old, or Dunton’s modern bed.] Of Codrus the Poet’s bed see Juvenal, describing his poverty very copiously. Sat. 3. v. 203, &c.

Lectus erat Codro, &c.

Codrus had but one bed, so short to boot, That his short Wife’s short legs hung dangling out: His cupboard’s head six earthen pitchers grac’d, Beneath them was his trusty tankard plac’d; And to support this noble Plate, there lay A bending Chiron, cast from honest clay. His few Greek books a rotten chest contain’d, Whose covers much of mouldiness complain’d, Where mice and rats devour’d poetic bread, And on Heroic Verse luxuriously were fed. ’Tis true, poor Codrus nothing had to boast, And yet poor Codrus all that nothing lost. Dryd.

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But Mr. C. in his dedication of the Letters, Adver­tisements, &c. to the author of the Dunciad, assures us, that Juvenal never satirized the poverty of Codrus.

John Dunton was a broken Bookseller and abusive scribler: he writ Neck or Nothing, a violent satyr on some Ministers of State; The danger of a death­bed repentance, a libel on the Duke of Devonshire and on the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Peterborough, &c.

V. 140. And Tutchin flagrant from the scourge.] John Tutchin, author of some vile verses, and of a weekly paper call’d the Observator: He was sentenc’d to be whipped thro’ several towns in the west of Eng­land, upon which he petition’d King James II. to be hanged. When that Prince died in exile, he wrote an invective against his memory, occasion’d by some hu­mane Elegies on his death. He lived to the time of Queen Anne.

V. 141. There Ridpath, Roper.] Authors of the Flying-Post and Post-Boy, two scandalous papers on different sides, for which they equally and alternately were cudgell’d, and deserv’d it.

V. 143. Himself among the storied chiefs he spies, &c.] The history of Curl’s being tossed in a blanket, and

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whipp’d by the scholars of Westminster, is ingeniously and pathetically related in a poen entituled, Neck or Nothing. Of his purging and vomiting, see A full and true account of a horrid revenge on the body of Edm. Curl &c.,

V. 149. See in the circle next, Eliza plac’d.] In this game is expos’d in the most contemptuous manner the profligate licentiousness of those shameless scrib­lers (for the most part of That sex, which ought least to be capable of such malice or impudence) who in li­bellous Memoirs and Novels, reveal the faults or misfortunes of both sexes, to the ruin of publick fame or disturbance of private happiness. Our good Poet, (by the whole cast of his work being obliged not to take off the Irony) where he cou’d not show his indignation, hath shewn his contempt, as much as possi­ble: having here drawn as vile a picture, as could be represented in the colours of Epic poesy. Scriblerus.

V. 149. Eliza Haywood.] This woman was autho­ress of those most scandalous books, call’d The Court of Carimania

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Carimania, and The new Utopia. For the two Babes of Love, See Curl, Key, p. 22p. 22: p. 12 in the second and third editions of 1728, and p. 10 in the first edition.: But whatever reflec­tion he is pleas’d to throw upon this Lady, surely ’twas what from him she little deserv’d, who had celebrated his undertakings for Reformation of Manners, and de­clared her self to be so perfectly acquainted with the sweetness of his disposition, and that tenderness with which he consider’d the errors of his fellow-crea­tures; that tho’ she should find the little inadver­tencies of her own life recorded in his papers, she was certain it would be done in such a manner as she could not but approve. Mrs. Haywood, Hist. of Clar. printed in the Female Dunciad, p. 18.

Remarks.

V. 152. Kirkall, the name of a Graver. This Lady’s Works were printed in four Volumes duod. with her picture thus dress’d up, before them.

V. 159. Chetwood the name of a Bookseller, whose Wife was said to have as great an influence over her husband, as Boileau’s Perruquiere. See Lutrin. Cant. 2. — Henry Curl, the worthy son of his father Edmund.

Remarks.

V. 175. Thro’ half the heav'ns he pours th’ exalted urn.] In a manuscript Dunciad (where are some mar­ginal corrections of some gentlemen some time de­ceas’d) I have found another reading of these lines, thus,

And lifts his urn, thro’ half the heav'ns to flow; His rapid waters in their passage glow.

This I cannot but think the right: For first, tho’ the difference between burn and glow may seem not very material to others, to me I confess the latter has an elegance, a Jenescay quoy, which is much easier to be conceiv’d than explain’d. Secondly, every reader of our Poet must have observ’d how frequently he uses

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this word glow in other parts of his works: To in­stance only in his Homer,

Iliad 9. v. 726.—With one resentment glows.

Iliad 11. v. 626.—There the battle glows.

Ibid. 985.—The closing flesh that instant ceas’d to glow.

Il. 12. v. 55.—Encompass’d Hector glows.

Ibid. 475.—His beating breast with gen’rous ar­dour glows.

Iliad 18. v. 591.—Another part glow’d with refulgent arms.

Ibid. v. 654.—And curl’d on silver props in or­der glow.

I am afraid of growing too luxuriant in examples, or I could stretch this catalogue to a great extent, but these are enough to prove his fondness for this beauti­ful word, which therefore, let all future Editions re­place here.

I am aware after all, that burn is the proper word to convey an idea of what was said to be Mr. Curl’s condition at that time. But from that very reason I infer the direct contrary. For surely every lover of our author will conclude he had more humanity, than to insult a man on such a misfortune or calamity which could never befal him purely by his own fault, but from an unhappy communication with another. This Note is partly Mr. Theobald, partly Scrib­lerus.

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V. 195. Paolo Antonio Rolli, an Italian Poet, and writer of many Operas in that language, which, partly by the help of his genius, prevail’d in England near ten years.

V. 197. Welsted.] See Note on verse 295 of this Book.

V. 199. But Oldmixon, &c.] Mr. John Oldmixon (next to Mr. Dennis the most ancient Critick of our Nation) not so happy as laborious in poetry, and therefore perhaps characteriz’d by the Tatler No. 62 by the name of Omicron the unborn Poet. Curl, Key to the D. p. 13. An unjust censurer of Mr. Ad­dison in his Prose Essay on Criticism, whom also in his imitation of Bouhours (call’d the Arts of Logic and Rhe­toric) he misrepresents in plain matter of fact: for in p. 45, he cites the Spectator as abusing Dr. Swift by name, where there is not the least hint of it; And

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in p. 304, is so injurious as to suggest, that Mr. Ad­dison himself writ that Tatler, No. 43, which says of his own Simile, that 'tis as great as ever enter’d in­to the mind of man. This person wrote numbers of books which are not come to our knowledge. Dramatick works, and a volume of Poetry, con­sisting of heroic Epistles, &c. some whereof are very well done, saith that great Judge Mr. Jacob, in his Lives of Poets, Vol. 2. p. 303.

I remember a Pastoral of his on the Battle of Blen­heim; a Critical History of England; Essay on Criti­cism, in prose, The Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, in which he frequently reflects on our Author. We find in the Flying-Post of Apr. 13. 1728 some very flat verses of his against him and Dr. Sw. He was all his life a hired writer for a Party, and received his re­ward in a small place which he yet enjoys.

V. 205. A youth unknown to Phoebus, &c.] The satire of this Episode being levelled at the base flatte­ries of authors to worthless wealth or greatness, concludes here with an excellent lesson to such men; That altho’ their pens and praises were as exquisite as they conceit of themselves, yet (even in their own mercenary views) a creature unlettered, who serveth the passions, or pimpeth to the pleasures, of such vain, braggart, puft Nobility, shall with those patrons be much more inward, and of them much higher rewarded. Scriblerus.

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V. 218. With Thunder rumbling from the mustard-bowl.] The old way of making Thunder and Mustard were the same; but since, it is more advantageously perform’d by troughs of wood with stops in them. Whether Mr. Dennis was the inventor of that im­provement, I know not; but it is certain, that being once at a Tragedy of a new Author, he fell into a great passion at hearing some, and cry’d, S’death! that is my Thunder.

V. 220. With a tolling Bell.] A mechanical help to the Pathetic, not unuseful to the modern writers of Tragedy.

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V. 223. Three Catcalls.] Certain musical in­struments used by one sort of Criticks to confound the Poets of the Theatre. They are of great antiquity, if we may credit Florent. Christ. on Aristophanes, Act 1. Parabasis Chori.

V. 230. Norton,] See verse 383 —J. Durant Bre­val, Author of a very extraordinary Book of Travels, and some Poems. See before, V. 118.

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V. 251. Long Chanc’ry-lane.] The place where the offices of Chancery are kept: The long detention of Clients in that Court, and the difficulty of getting out, is humourously allegoriz’d in these lines.

V. 256. Who sings so loudly, and who sings so long.] A just character of Sir Richard Blackmore, Knt, who (as Mr. Dryden express’d it.) Writ to the rumbling of his Coach’s wheels, and whose indefatigable Muse pro­duced no less than six Epic poems: Prince and King Arthur, 20 Books; Eliza, 10; Alfred, 12; The Re­deemer, 6: besides Job in folio, the whole Book of Psalms, The Creation, 7 Books, Nature of Man, 3 Books, and many more. ’Tis in this sense he is stiled afterwards, the Everlasting Blackmore. Notwithstanding all which, Mr. Gildon seems assured, that this admirable author did not think himself upon the same foot with Homer. Comp. Art of Poetry, Vol. 1. p. 108.

But how different is the judgment of the author of Characters of the Times? p. 25. who says, Sir Ri­chard is unfortunate in happening to mistake his proper talents, and that he has not for many years been so much as named, or even thought of among

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writers. Even Mr. Dennis differs greatly from his friend Mr. Gilden: Blackmore’s Action (saith he) has neither unity, nor integrity, nor morality, nor universality; and consequently he can have no Fable, and no Heroic Poem: His Narration is nei­ther probable, delightful, nor wonderful: His Cha­racters have none of the necessary qualifications.―― The things contain’d in his Narration are neither in their own nature delightful, nor numerous enough, nor rightly disposed, nor surprising, nor pathetic.―― Nay he proceeds so far as to say Sir Richard has no Genius; first laying down, that Genius is caused by a furious joy and pride of soul, on the conception of an extraordinary Hint. Many Men (says he) have their Hints, without these motions of fury and pride of soul, because they want fire enough to agitate their spirits; and these we call cold writers: Others who have a great deal of fire, but have not excel­lent organs, feel the foremention’d motions, without the extraordinary hints; And these we call fustian writers. But he declares that Sir Richard had neither the Hints, nor the Motions. Remarks on Pr. Arth. 8vo. 1696. Preface.

This gentleman in his first works abused the cha­racter of Mr. Dryden, and in his last of Mr. Pope, accusing him in very high and sober terms of pro­phaneness and immorality (Essay on polite writing, Vol. 2. p. 270.) on a meer report from Edm. Curl, that he was author of a Travestie on the first Psalm. Mr. Dennis took up the same report, but with the ad­dition of what Sir Richard had neglected, an Argument to prove it; which being very curious, we shall here transcribe. (Remarks on Homer, 8vo. p. 27.) It was he who burlesqu’d the Psalm of David. It is apparent to me that Psalm was burlesqu’d by a Popish

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rhymester. Let rhyming persons who have been brought up Protestants be otherwise what they will, let them be Rakes, let ’em be Scoundrels, let ’em be Atheists, yet education has made an invincible impression on them in behalf of the sacred writings. But a Popish rhymester has been brought up with a contempt for those sacred writings, Now show me another Popish rhymester but he. This manner of argumentation is usual with Mr. Dennis; he has employ’d the same against Sir Richard himself in a like charge of Impiety and Irreligion. All Mr. Black­more’s celestial Machines, as they cannot be defended so much as by common receiv’d opinion, so are directly contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England: For the visible descent of an Angel must be a miracle. Now it is the doctrine of the Church of England that miracles had ceas’d a long time before Prince Arthur came into the world. Now if the doctrine of the Church of England be true, as we are obliged to believe, then are all the cele­stial machines in Prince Arthur unsufferable, as wanting not only human but divine probability. But if the machines are sufferable, that is if they have so much as divine probability, then it follows of necessity that the doctrine of the Church is false: So I leave it to every impartial Clergyman to con­sider, &c. Preface to the Remarks on Prince Ar­thur.

It has been suggested in the Character of Mr. P. that he had Obligations to Sir R. B. He never had any, and never saw him but twice in his Life.

V. 258. As morning-pray’r and flagellation end.] It is between eleven and twelve in the morning, after church service, that the criminals are whipp’d in Bridewell.――This is to mark punctually the Time of

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the day: Homer does it by the circumstance of the Judges rising from court, or of the Labourer’s dinner; our author by one very proper both to the Persons and the Scene of his Poem; which we may remember commenc’d in the evening of the Lord-mayor’s day: The first book passed in that night; the next morning the games begin in the Strand, thence along Fleet­street (places inhabited by Booksellers) then they pro­ceed by Bridewell toward Fleetditch, and lastly thro’ Ludgate to the City and the Temple of the Goddess.

V. 261. The Diving.] This I fancy (says a great Enemy to the Poem) is a Game which no body could ever think of but the Author: however, it is work’d up admirably well, especially in those lines where he describes Eusden (he should say Smedley) rising up again. Essay on the Dunciad, p. 19.

V 264, 265, 266.] The three chief qualifications of Party-writers; to stick at nothing, to delight in flinging dirt, and to slander in the dark by guess.

V. 268. The Weekly Journals.] Papers of news and scandal intermix’d, on different sides and parties

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and frequently shifting from one side to the other, call’d the London Journal, Mist’s Journal, British Journal, Daily Journal, &c. the conceal’d writers of which for some time were Welsted, Roome, Molloy, Concanen, and others; persons never seen by our author.

V. 270. A peck of coals a-piece.] Our indulgent Poet, whenever he has spoken of any dirty or low work, constantly puts us in mind of the Poverty of the offenders, as the only extenuation of such prac­tices. Let any one but remark, when a Thief, a Pick­pocket, a Highwayman, or a Knight of the Post is spoken of, how much our hatred to those characters is lessen’d, if they add a needy Thief, a poor Pick­pocket, a hungry Highwayman, a starving Knight of the Post, &c.

V. 271. In naked majesty great Dennis stands.] The reader, who hath seen in the course of these notes, what a constant attendance Mr. Dennes paid to our author, might here expect a particular regard to be shewn him; and consequently may be surprized at his sinking at once, in so few lines, never to rise again! But in truth he looked upon him with some esteem, for having more generously than the rest, set his name to such works. He was not only a formidable Critick who for many years had written against every thing that had success, (the Antagonist of Sir Richard Black­more, Sir Richard Steele, Mr. Addison, and Mr. Pope) but a zealous Politician: (not only appearing in his works, where Poetry and the State are always equally concerned, but in many secret hints and sage advices given to the Ministers of all reigns.) He is here likened to Milo, in allusion to that verse of Ovid.

――Fletque Milon senior, cum spectat inanes Herculeis similes, fluidos pendere lacertos;

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either with regard to his great Age, or because he was undone by trying to pull to pieces an Oak that was too strong for him.

――――――Remember Milo’s end, Wedg’d in that timber which he strove to rend.

Lord Rose.

V. 273. ―――― And am I now threescore?] I shall here, to prove my impartiality, remark a great over­sight in our author as to the age of Mr. Dennis. He must have been some years above threescore in the Mayoralty of Sir George Thorold, which was in 1720, and Mr. Dennis was born (as he himself inform’d us in Mr. Jacob’s Lives before mention’d) in 1657; since when he has happily liv’d eight years more, and is already senior to Mr. Durfey, who hitherto of all our Poets, enjoy’d the longest, bodily, life.

V. 279. Next Smedley div’d.] In the surreptitious editions, this whole Episode was apply’d to an initial letter E――, by whom if they meant the Laureate, no­thing was more absurd, no part agreeing with his character. The Allegory evidently demands a person dipp’d in scandal, and deeply immers’d in dirty work: whereas Mr. Eusden’s writings rarely offended but by their length and multitude, and accordingly are tax’d of nothing else in book 1. verse 102. But the person here mention’d, an Irishman, was author and publisher of many scurrilous pieces, a weekly Whitehall Journal

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in the year 1722, in the name of Sir James Baker, and particularly whole volumes of Billingsgate against Dr. Swift and Mr. Pope, call’d Gulliveriana and Alex­andriana, printed in 8vo. 1728.

V. 283. Then ** try’d.] This is an instance of the Tenderness of our author. The person here in­tended writ an angry preface against him, grounded on a Mistake, which he afterwards honourably ac­knowledg’d in another printed preface. Since when, he fell under a second Mistake, and abus’d both him and his Friend.

He is a writer of genius and spirit, tho’ in his youth he was guilty of some pieces bordering upon bombast. Our poet here gives him a Panegyric in­stead of a Satire, being edify’d beyond measure at this only instance he ever met with in his life, of one who was much a Poet, confessing himself in an er­ror: and has supprest his name, as thinking him capa­capable of a second repentance.

V. 287. Concanen.] In the former editions there were only Asterisks in this place; this name was since

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inserted merely to fill up the verse, and give ease to the ear of the reader.

Ver. 293. Welsted.] Leonard Welsted, author of the Triumvirate, or a Letter in verse from Palaemon to Celia at Bath, which was meant for a Satire on Mr. P. and some of his friends, about the year 1718. The strength of the metaphors in this passage is to express the great scurrility and fury of this writer, which may be seen, One day, in a Piece of his call’d (as I think) Labeo. He writ other things which we cannot re­member. Smedley in his Metam. of Scrib. mentions one, the Hymn of a Gentleman to the Creator: and there was another in praise either of a Cellar or a Garret. L. W. characteris’d in the treatise or the Art of Sinking as a Didapper, and after as an Eel, is said to be this person, by Dennis Daily Journal of May 11, 1728 He is mentioned again in book 3.

Remarks.

V. 312. As Hylas fair.] Who was ravish’d by the water-nymphs and drawn into the river. The story is told at large by Valerius Flaccus, Lib. 3. Argon. See Virg. Ecl. 6.

V. 314, &c. A branch of Styx, &c.] Homer, Il. 2. Catal.

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Of the land of Dreams in the same region, he makes mention, Odyss. 24. See also Lucian’s true History. Lethe and the Land of Dreams allegorically represent the Stupefaction and visionary Madness of Poets equally dull and extravagant. Of Alphaeus his waters gliding secretly under the sea of Pisa, to mix with those of Arethuse in Sicily, vid. Moschus Idyl. 8. Virg. Ecl. 10.

Sic tibi, cum fluctus subter labere Sicanos, Doris amara suam non intermisceat undam.

And again, Aen. 3.

――Alphaeum, fama est, huc Elidis amnem Occultas egisse vias, subter mare, qui nunc Ore Arethusa tuo, Siculis confunditur undis.

V. 323. Taylor, sweet Swan of Thames.] John Tay­lor the Water Poet, an honest man, who owns he

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learn’d not so much as his Acccidence: a rare example of modesty in a Poet!

I must confess I do want eloquence, And never scarce did learn my Accidence, For having got from Possum to Posset, I there was gravell’d, could no farther get.

He wrote fourscore books in the reign of James I. and Charles I. and afterwards (like Edw. Ward) kept an Alehouse in Long Acre. He died in 1654.

V. 324. And Shadwell nods the poppy.] Shadwell took Opium for many years, and died of too large a dose of it, in the year 1692.

V. 325. While Milbourn.] Luke Milbourn a Clergy­man, the fairest of Criticks; who when he wrote against Mr. Dryden’s Virgil, did him justice, in print­ing at the same time his own translations of him, which were intolerable. His manner of writing has a great resemblance with that of the Gentlemen of the Dun­ciad against our author, as will be seen in the Parallel of Mr. Dryden and him. Appen. N. 6

V. 332. Gates of Lud.] King Lud repairing the City, call’d it after his own name, Lud’s town; the strong gate which he built in the west part he likewise for his own honour named Ludgate. In the year 1260, this gate was beautified with images of Lud and other Kings. Those images in the reign of Edward VI had their heads smitten off, and

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were otherwise defaced by unadvised folks. Queen Mary did set new heads upon their old bodies again. The 28th of Queen Elizabeth the same gate was clean taken down, and newly and beautifully builded with images of Lud and others as afore. Stow’s Survey of London.

V. 342. See Hom. Odyss. 12. Ovid, Met. 1.

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V. 356. Thro’ the long, heavy, painful page, &c.] All these lines very well imitate the slow drowziness with which they proceed. It is impossible for any one who has a poetical ear to read them, without perceiving the heaviness that lags in the verse, to imitate the action it describes. The Simile of the Pines is very just and well-adapted to the subject. Essay on the Dunc. p. 21.

V. 365. Thrice Budgel aim’d to speak.] Famous for his speeches on many occasions about the South Sea Scheme, &c. He is a very ingenious gentleman,

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and hath written some excellent epilogues to plays, and one small piece on love, which is very pretty. Jacob Lives of Poets, vol. 2. p. 289. But this Gentleman has since made himself much more eminent and personally well-known to the greatest Statesmen of all parties, in this nation.

V. 367. Toland and Tindal.] Two persons not so happy as to be obscure, who writ against the Re­ligion of their Country. The surreptitious editions placed here the name of a Gentleman, who, tho’ no great friend to the Clergy, is a man of morals and ingenuity. Tindal was Author of the Rights of the Christian Church: He also wrote an abusive pamphlet against Earl Stanhope, which was suppress’d while yet in manuscript by an eminent Person then out of the Ministry, to whom he shew’d it expecting his approba­tion: This Doctor afterwards publish’d the same piece, mutatis mutandis, against that very Person.

V. 368. Christ’s No kingdom, &c.] This is said by Curl, Key to Dunc. to allude to a Sermon of a reverend Bishop. But the context shows it to be meant of a famous publick Orator, not more remarkable for his long-winded periods, than his Dis­affection to Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and to the doc­trine that Christ’s Kingdom is of this world.

Remarks.

V. 379. Centlivre.] Mrs. Susanna Centlivre, wife to Mr. Centlivre, Yeoman of the Mouth to his Ma­jesty. She writ many Plays, and a song (says Mr. Ja­cob, vol. 1. p. 32.) before she was seven years old. She also writ a Ballad against Mr. Pope’s Homer, before he begun it.

V. 381. Boyer the State, and Law the Stage gave o’er.] A. Boyer, a voluminous compiler of Anuals, Political Collections, &c.―――――William Law, A. M. wrote with great zeal against the Stage, Mr. Dennis answer’d with as great. Their books were printed in 1726. Mr. Law affirm’d that the Playhouse is the Temple of the Devil, the peculiar pleasure of the Devil, where all they who go, yield to the Devil, where all the Laughter is a laughter among Devils, and that all who are there are hearing Musick in the very Porch of Hell. To which Mr. Dennis replied, that there is every jot as much difference between a true Play, and one made by a Poetaster, as between Two religious books, the Bible and the Alcoran. Then he demonstrates that All those who had written against the Stage were Jacobites and Nonjurors, and did it always at a time when

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something was to be done for the Pretender. Mr. Collier publish’d his Short View, when France de­clar’d for the Chevalier; and his Dissuasive just at the great Storm, when the devastation which that Hurricane wrought had amazed and astonished the minds of men, and made them obnoxious to me­lancholy and desponding thoughts: Mr. Law took the opportunity to attack the Stage upon the great preparations he heard were making abroad, and which the Jacobites flatter’d themselves were de­sign’d in their favour: And as for Mr. Bedford’s Serious Remonstrance, tho’ I know nothing of the time of publishing it, yet I dare to lay odds it was either upon the Duke D'Aumont’s being at So­merset-house, or upon the late Rebellion. Dennis, Stage defended against Mr. Law, pag. ult.

V. 383. Norton] Norton de Foe, said to be the natural offspring of the famous Daniel. Fortes creantur fortibus. One of the authors of the Flying-Post, in which well-bred work Mr. P. had sometime the honour to be abus’d with his betters, and of many hired scurrilities and daily papers to which he never set his name, in a due fear of Laws and Cudgels. He is now writing the Life of Colonel Charteris.

Remarks.

V. 394. And to mere mortals seem’d a Priest in drink.] This line presents us with an excellent moral, that we are never to pass judgment merely by appearances; a lesson to all men who may happen to see a re­verend person in the like situation, not to determine too rashly: since not only the Poets frequently describe a Bard inspir’d in this posture,

(On Cam’s fair bank where Chaucer lay inspir’d, and the like) but an eminent Casuist tells us, that if a Priest be seen in any indecent action, we ought to ac­count it a deception of sight, or illusion of the Devil, who sometimes takes upon him the shape of holy men on purpose to cause scandal. How little the prophane author of the Characters of the Times printed 1728, regarded this admonition, appears from these words pag. 26. (speaking of the reverend Mr. Laurence Eus­den) A most worthy successor of Tate in the Laureat­ship, a man of insuperable modesty, since certainly it was not his Ambition that led him to seek this illustrious post, but his Affection to the Perquisite of Sack. Scriblerus.

V. 395. Fleet.] A Prison for insolvent Debtors on the bank of the Ditch.

REMARKS on BOOK the THIRD.

V. 5, 6, &c.] Hereby is intimated that the following Vision is no more than the chimera of the

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dreamer’s brain, and not a real or intended satire on the present Age, doubtless more learned, more inlighten’d, and more abounding with great Genius’s in Divinity, Politics, and whatever arts and sciences, than all the preceding. For fear of any such mistake of our Poet’s honest meaning, he hath again at the end of the Vision repeated this monition, saying that it all past thro’ the Ivory gate, which (according to the Ancients) denoteth Falsity. Scriblerus.

V. 16. Old Bavius sits] Bavius was an ancient Poet, celebrated by Virgil for the like cause as Tibbald by our author, tho’ not in so christian-like a manner: For

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heathenishly it is declar’d by Virgil of Bavius, that he ought to be hated and detested for his evil works; Qui Bavium non odit; whereas we have often had occasion to observe our Poet’s great good nature and mercifulness, thro’ the whole course of this poem.

Mr. Dennis warmly contends that Bavius was no inconsiderable author; nay, that he and Maevius had (even in Augustus’s days) a very formidable Party at Rome, who thought them much superior to Virgil and Horace: For (saith he) I cannot believe they would have fixed that eternal brand upon them, if they had not been coxcombs in more than ordinary credit. Rem. on Pr. Arthur, part 2. c. 1. (An argument which if this Poem should last, will conduce to the honour of the Gentlemen of the Dunciad.) In like manner he tells us of Settle, that he was once a formidable Rival to Mr. Dryden, and that in the University of Cambridge there were those who gave him the preference. Mr. Welsted goes yet farther in his behalf. Poor Settle was formerly the Mighty Rival of Dryden: nay, for many years, bore his reputation above him. Pref. to his Poems, 8vo. p. 51.] And Mr. Milbourn cried out, How little was Dryden able, even when his blood run high, to defend himself against Mr. Settle! Notes on Dryd. Virg. p. 175. These are comfortable opinions! and no wonder some authors indulge them. Scriblerus.

V. 20. Brown and Mears.] Booksellers, Printers for Tibbald, Mrs. Haywood, or any body.―――The

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Allegory of the souls of the dull coming forth in the form of books, drest in calve’s leather, and being let abroad in vast numbers by Booksellers, is sufficiently intelligible.

V. 26. Ward in Pillory.] John Ward of Hackney, Esq; Member of Parliament, being convicted of Forgery, was first expelled the House, and then sentenc’d to the Pillory on the 17th of Febr. 1727. Mr. Curl (having likewise stood there) looks upon the mention of such a Gentleman in a satire, as a great act of Barbarity, Key to the Dunc. 3d Edit. p. 16. And another Author thus reasons upon it. Durgen, 8vo. pag. 11, 12. How unworthy is it of Christian Charity to animate the rabble to abuse a worthy man in such a situation? What could move the Poet thus to mention a brave Sufferer, a gallant Prisoner, exposed to the view of all mankind! It was laying aside his Senses, it was committing a Crime for which the Law is deficient not to punish him! nay a Crime which Man can scarce forgive, nor Time efface! Nothing surely could have induced him to it but being bribed by a great Lady, (to whom this brave, honest, worthy

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Gentleman was guilty of no offence but Forgery proved in open Court, &c.) But it is evident this verse could not be meant of him; it being notorious, that no Eggs were thrown at that Gentleman: Perhaps therefore it might be intended of Mr. Edward Ward the Poet.

V. 28. And length of Ears.] This is a sophisticated reading. I think I may venture to affirm all the Copyists are mistaken here: I believe I may say the same of the Critics; Dennis, Oldmixon, Welsted, have pass’d it in silence: I have also stumbled at it, and wonder’d how an error so manifest could escape such accurate persons? I dare assert it proceeded originally from the inadvertency of some Transcriber, whose head run on the Pillory mention’d two lines before: It is therefore amazing that Mr. Curl himself should overlook it! Yet that Scholiast takes not the least notice hereof. That the learned Mist also read it thus, is plain, from his ranging this passage among those in which our Author was blamed for personal Satire on a Man’s Face (whereof doubtless he might take the Ear to be a part;) So likewise Concanen, Ralph, the Flying-Post, and all the Herd of Commentators.—Tota armenta sequuntur.

A very little Sagacity (which all these Gentlemen therefore wanted) will restore to us the true sense of the Poet, thus,

By his broad Shoulders known, and length of years. See how easy a change! of one single letter! That Mr. Settle was old is most certain, but he was (happily) a stranger to the Pillory. This Note partly Mr. Theobald, partly Scriblerus.

Remarks.

V. 42. Might from Boeotian, &c.] See the Remark on Book 1. V. 23.

V. 61, 62. See round the Poles, &c.] Almost the whole Southern and Northern Continent wrapt in Ignorance.

V. 65.] Our author favours the opinion that all Sciences came from the Eastern nations.

V. 69.] Chi Ho-am-ti, Emperor of China, the same who built the great wall between China and Tartary, destroy’d all the books and learned men of that empire.

Remarks.

V. 73, 74.] The Caliph, Omar I. having conquer’d Aegypt, caus’d his General to burn the Ptolomaean library, on the gates of which was this inscription, Medicina Animae, The Physick of the Soul.

V. 88. The Soil that arts and infant letters bore.] Phoenicia, Syria, &c. where Letters are said to have been invented. In these countries Mahomet began his conquests.

Remarks.

V. 93. Thund’ring against heathen lore.] A strong instance of this pious rage is plac’d to Pope Gregory’s account. John of Salisbury gives a very odd Encomium to this Pope, at the same time that he mentions one of the strangest effects of this excess of zeal in him. Doctor sanctissimus ille Gregorius, qui melleo praedicationis imbre totam rigavit & inebriavit ecclesiam, non modo Mathesin jussit ab aulâ; sen, ut traditur a majoribus, incendio dedit probatae lectionis scripta, Palatinus quaecunque tenebat Apollo. And in another place: Fertur beatus Gregorius bibliothecam combussisse gentilem; quo divinae paginae gratior esset locus, & major authoritas, & diligentia studiosior. Desiderius Archbishop of Vienna was sharply reproved by him for teaching Grammar and Literature, and explaining the Poets; Because (says this Pope) in uno se ore cum Jovis laudibus, Christi laudes non capiunt: Et quam grave nefandumque sit, Episcopis canere quod nec Laico religioso conveniat, ipse considera. He is said, among the rest to have burn’d Livy; Quia in superstitionibus & sacris Romanorum perpetuô versatur. The same Pope is accused by Vossius and others of having caus’d the noble monuments of the old Roman magnificence to be destroyed, lest those who came to Rome should give more attention to Triumphal Arches, &c. than to holy things. Bayle, Dict.

V. 101. Till Peter’s keys some christen’d Jove adorn, &c.] After the Government of Rome devolved to the Popes, their zeal was for some time exerted in

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demolishing the heathen Temples and Statues, so that the Goths scarce destroyed more monuments of Antiquity out of rage, than these out of devotion. At length they spared some of the Temples by converting them to Churches, and some of the Statues, by modifying them into images of Saints. In much later times, it was thought necessary to change the statues of Apollo and Pallas on the tomb of Sannazarius, into David and Judith; the Lyre easily became a Harp, and the Gorgon’s head turn’d to that of Holofernes>.

V. 110. Happy—had Easter never been.] Wars in England anciently, about the right time of celebrating Easter.

Remarks.

V. 145. Haywood, Centlivre] See book 2.

V. 146. Lo Horneck’s fierce and Roome’s funereal face.] This stood in one edition And M—’s ruful face. But the person who supposed himself meant, applying to our author in a modest manner, and with declarations of his innocence, he removed the occasion of his uneasiness. At the same time promising to do the like to any other who could give him the same assurance, of having never writ scurrilously against him.

V. 146. Horneck and Roome.] These two are worthily coupled, being both virulent Party-writers;

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and one wou’d think prophetically, since immediately after the publishing of this piece, the former dying, the latter succeeded him in Honour and Employment. The first was Philip Horneck, Author of a Billingsgate paper call’d The High German Doctor, in the 2d Vol. of which No. 14. you may see the regard he had for Mr. P—. Edward Roome, son of an Undertaker for Funerals in Fleetstreet, writ some of the papers call’d Pasquin, and Mr. Ducket others; where by malicious Innuendos it was endeavoured to represent him guilty of malevolent practices with a great man then under prosecution of Parliament. He since reflected on his, and Dr. Swift’s Miscellanies, in his paper call’d the Senator.ESTC T5552 has: Of this Man was made the following Epigram. You ask why Roome diverts you with his jokes,
Yet, if he writes, is dull as other folks?
You wonder at it—This Sir is the case,
The Jest is lost, unless he prints his Face.

V. 147. G**de.] An ill-natur’d Critic who writ a Satire on our Author, call’d The mock Aesop, and many anonymous Libels in News-papers for hire.

V. 149 Jacob, the Scourge of Grammar, mark with awe.] This Gentleman is son of a considerable Maltsier of Romsey in Southamptonshire, and bred to the Law under a very eminent Attorney: who, between his more laborious Studies, has diverted himself with Poetry. He is a great admirer of Poets and their works, which has occasion’d him to try his genius that way―――He has writ in prose the Lives of the Poets, Essays, and a great many Law-Books, The Accomplish’d Conveyancer,

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Modern Justice, &c. Giles Jacob of himself, Lives of Poets, Vol. 1. He very grossly, and unprovok’d, abused in that book the Author’s Friend Mr. Gay,

V. 151. Bond and Foxton.] Two inoffensive offenders against our poet; persons unknown, but by being mentioned by Curl.

V. 159. Ralph.] James Ralph, a name inserted after the first editions, not known to our author till he writ a swearing-piece call’d Sawney, very abusive of Dr. Swift, Mr. Gay, and himself. These lines allude to a thing of his, intitled Night, a Poem. Shakespear, Hamlet.

—Visit thus the glimpses of the Moon, Making Night hideous—

This low writer constantly attended his own works with panegyricks in the Journals, and once in particular praised himself highly above Mr. Addison, in wretched remarks upon that Author’s account of English Poets, printed in a London Journal, Sept. 1723. He was wholly illiterate, and knew no language, not even French. Being advised to read the rules of dramatic poetry before he began a Play, he smiled and reploy’d, Shakespear writ without rules.

V. 162. Durgen.] A ridiculous thing of Ward’s.

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V. 175 Fam’d for good nature, B**, &c.
D** for pious passion to the youth.]
The first of these was son of the late bishop of S. Author of a weekly paper called The Grumbler, as the other was concerned in another call’d Pasquin, in which Mr. Pope was abused with the late Duke of Buckingham and Bishop of Rochester. They also joined in a piece against his first undertaking to translate the Iliad, intituled Homerides, by Sir Iliad Dogrel, printed 1715. Mr. Curl gives us this further account of Mr. Burnet. He did himself write a Letter to the E. of Hallifax, informing his Lordship (as he tells him) of what he knew much better before: And he published in his own name several political pamphlets, A certain information of a certain discourse, A second Tale of a Tub, &c. All which it is strongly affirmed were written by Colonel Ducket. Curl, Key, p. 17. But the author of the Characters of the Times tells us, these political pieces were not approv’d of by his own Father, the Reverend Bishop.

Of the other works of these Gentlemen, the world has heard no more than it would of Mr. Pope’s, had their united laudable endeavours discourag’d him from his undertaking. How few good works had ever appear’d (since men of true merit are always the least presuming) had there been always such champions to stifle them in their conception? And were it not better for the publick, that a million of monsters should come into the world, which are sure to die as soon as born, than that the Serpents should strangle one Hercules in his cradle?

Remarks.

V. 176 ―――for pious passion to the youth.] The verse is a literal translation of Virgil, Nisus amore pio pueri—and here, as in the original, apply’d to Friendship: That between Nisus and Euryalus is allowed to make one of the most amiable Episodes in the world, and surely was never interpreted in a perverse sense. But it will astonish the reader to hear, that on no other occasion than this line, a Dedication was written to this Gentleman to induce him to think something further. Sir, you are known to have all that affection for the beautiful part of the creation which God and Nature design’d.—Sir, you have a very fine Lady—and, Sir, you have eight very fine Children, —&c. [Dedic. to Dennis Rem. on the Rape of the Lock.] The truth is, the poor Dedicator’s brain was turn’d upon this article; he had taken into his head that ever since some books were written against the Stage, and since the Italian Opera had prevail’d, the nation was infected with a vice not fit to be nam’d: He went so far as to print upon the subject, and concludes his argument with this remark, that he cannot help thinking the Obscenity of Plays excusable at this juncture; since, when that execrable sin is spread so wide, it may be of use to the reducing mens minds to the natural desire of women. Den­

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nis, Stage defended against Mr. Law, p. 20. Our author solemnly declared, he never heard any creature but the Dedicator mention that Vice and this Gentleman together.

V. 184. Wormius hight.] Let not this name, purely fictitious, be conceited to mean the learned Olaus Wormius; much less (as it was unwarrantably foisted into the surreptitious editions) our own Antiquary Mr Thomas Herne, who had no way aggrieved our Poet, but on the contrary published many curious tracts which he hath to his great contentment perused.

Most rightly are ancient Words here employed, in speaking of such who so greatly delight in the same: We may say not only rightly, but wisely, yea excellently, inasmuch as for the like practise the like praise is given to Hopkins and Sternhold by Mr. Herne himself. [Glossar. to Rob. of Glocester.] Artic. Behett; others say Behight, promised, and so it is used excellently well by Tho. Norton in his translation into metre of the 116 Psalm, verse 14.

I to the Lord will pay my vows, That I to him behight.

Where the modern innovators, not understanding the propriety of the word (which is truly English, from the Saxon) have most unwarrantably alter’d it thus,

I to the Lord will pay my vows, With joy and great delight.

V. ibid.―――Hight, In Cumberland they say to hight, for to promise or vow; but hight usually signifies was call’d; and so it does in the North even to this day, notwithstanding what is done in Cumberland. Herne, ibid.

V. 183. Arede.] Read or peruse; tho’ sometimes used for counsel, Reade thy read, take thy coun­saile.

Remarks.

Thomas Sternbolde in his translation of the first Psalm into English metre, hath wisely made use of this word,

The man is blest that hath not bent To wicked read his ear.

But in the last spurious editions of the singing Psalms the word read is changed into men. I say spurious editions, because not only here, but quite throughout the whole book of Psalms, are strange alterations, all for the worse! And yet the title-page stands as it used to do! and all (which is abominable in any book, much more in a sacred work) is ascribed to Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others! I am confident, were Sternhold and Hopkins now living, they would proceed against the innovators as cheats―――A liberty which, to say no more of their intolerable alterations, ought by no means to be permitted or approved of, by such as are for Uniformity and have any regard for the old English Saxon tongue. Hearne, Gloss. on Rob. of Gloc. Art. rede.