THE DUNCIAD VARIORVM
THE DUNCIAD. With NOTES VARIORUM, AND THE PROLEGOMENA OF
SCRIBLERUS.
Written in the Year, 1727.
LONDON:
Printed for LAWTON GILLIVER in
Fleetstreet.
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.
A DISSERTATION of the POEM.
TESTIMONIES of AUTHORS concerning our Poet and his Works.
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 appear'd: 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 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, and 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 from the frequency of the former any man 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 first correct 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 engag'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, engag'd me in Enquiries of which the inclos'd Notes are the fruit.
I perceived, 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 would they fairly own, might not only reconcile them to me, but screen them from the resentment of their lawful Superiors, 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 trial 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 of names in Church and State, expos'd to the world the private misfortunes 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 honost, 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.
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 satire. The persons themselves, rather than allow the objection, would forgive the satire; 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 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 is here 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 satire, 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 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 Satire; 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 imbark'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 would 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 would not the malicious world have suspected such an approbation of some motive worse than ignorance, in the Author of the
Essay
on
Criticism?
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 affertions I believe may be true, "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 satire, 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 undeceive 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 Satirists, 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 respective 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. after by the
Abbe Reynel,
in Verse, with Notes,
Paris
1730. 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 Satires 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
Crags
at the end of the South-Sea Year, and after his death: Others only in
Epitaphs.
. A Satire 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. I am
Your most humble Servant, WILLIAM CLELAND.
St.
James
's,
Dec.
22. 1728
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 be 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 Critics and 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
wriing without one.
CONCANEN, Ded.
to the
Auth.
of the
Dunc.
A
Satire
upon
Dulness
is a thing that has been
used
and
allowed
in
All Ages.
Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribler!
MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS OF THE POEM.
THIS Poem, as it celebrated 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
Eustatbius,
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 be stow 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.
Vid.
Bossu, du poeme Epique,
ch. 8.
. Now our author living in those times, did conceive it an endeavour well worthy an honest Satirist, 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,
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.
Book
1.
Verse
32, &c.
. He proceedeth to shew the
qualities
they bestow on these authors, and the
effects
they produce:
Ver.
45
to
52.
. Then the
materials
or
stock
with which they furnish them,
Verse
57 to 75.
. and (above all) that
self-opinion
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.
Bossu,
ch. 7, 8.
. And none could 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
Verse
1, 2.
. Removal of the Imperial Seat of Dulness from the City to the polite world, as that of the Aeneid is the Removal of the Empire of
Troy
to
Latium.
But as
Homer
singing 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
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 Critics.
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.
He seeks for one who hath been concerned in the Politic Journals, written bad Plays or Poems, and publish'd
d. Bossu,
ch. 8. Vide
Aristot. Poetic.
c. 9.
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 acknowledg'd 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, would be exceeding difficult: And certain it is, that every person concerned being consulted apart, hath 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 Critics.
As it beareth the name of
Epic,
it is thereby subjected to such severe indispensable rules as are laid on all Neoterics, a strict imitation of the Antient; insomuch that any deviation, accompanied with whatever poetic beauties, hath always been censured by the sound Critic. 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 critics 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. a.
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.
u. See his Essays.
TESTIMONIES OF AUTHORS. Concerning our POET and his WORKS.
NOW before we present thee with our Exercitations on this most delectable Poem (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 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 author 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;
Giles Jacob
's Lives of Poets, vol.
2.
in his Life.
. another that he was bred abroad at St.
Omer
's by Jesuits;
Dennis
's reflect. on the Essay on Crit.
. a third, not at
St. Omer
's, but at
Oxford;
Dunciad dissected, p.
4.
. a fourth, that he had no University education at all.
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;
Jacob, ib.
a second that he was an itinerant priest;
Dunc. diss.
ibid.
. a third, that he was a Parson;
Farmer
P.
and his son,
ibid.
. one calleth him a secular Clergyman of the Church of
Rome;
Dunc. dissect.
. another, a Monk
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;
Female Dunc. p. ult.
. another a husbandman;
Dunc. dissect.
. another, a hatter, &c.
Room,
Paraphrase on the
4
th of
Genesis,
printed
1729.
in Character of Mr.
P.
and his Writings,
in a
Letter to a Friend,
printed for
S. Popping,
1716. p. 10.
Curl
in his Key
to the Dunciad,
(first edit. said to be printed for
A. Dod) in the tenth page declared
Gildon
to be author of that Libel, tho' in the subsequent editions of his Key he left out this assertion, and affirm'd (in the
Curliad, p. 4. and 8.)
that it was writ by
Dennis
only.
. 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.
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 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 superanhuated 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.
"
Roflections critical and satyrical, on a Rhapsody call'd an Essay on Criticism. Printed for
Bernard Lintot, 8vo.
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
critics, I should be very glad to have the benefit of the discovery."
He is follow'd (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
b Essay on Criticism in Prose,
8vo. 1728.
by the author of the
Critical History of England.
and of
Horace,
which he more openly taxeth.
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.
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 confist 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 exemplisy'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 the Art of Poetry; and the Essay on Criticism."
Of
Windsor
Forest, positive is the judgment of the affirmative
Mr. JOHN DENNIS,
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.
Printed
1728,
p.
12.
"
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 written 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,
"That because Prior's Henry and Emma 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,
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.
In his Essays, vol. 1. printed for E. Curl.
" That ready writer
Mr. OLDMIXON,
In his fore-mention'd Essay, frequently commends the same. And the painful
Mr. LEWIS THEOBALD
thus extols it,
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, (printed in Mist's Journal, March 30, 1728.) 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 employ'd 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, No. 40.
"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.
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's Journal, 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 subscription, 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, 1728.)
"the sequel of that work, the Odyssey: and having secured the success by a numerous subscription, he employ'd 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, in 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."
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 Vifcount 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 falsly tax, or be falsly taxed. Yet let us, who are only reporters, be impartial in our citations, and proceed.
MIST'S JOURNAL, June 8. 1728.
"Mr. Addison rais'd this author from obscurity, obtain'd him the acquaintance and friendship of the
whole body of our Nobility,
and transfer'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 diffected 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, libelled 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 subssription 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 after their own Journals, and Curl had printed the same. One name alone which I am authorized here to declare, will sufciently 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.
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. 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 inform'd 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 address'd, 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.
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."
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 character in these lines,
Verses to Mr.
P.
on his translation of
Homer.
And yet so wond'rous, so sublime a thing,
As the great Iliad, scarce could 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.
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.
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 thy
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.
Universal Passion, Satyr
1.
Why slumbers
Pope,
who leads the Muses' train,
Nor hears that
Virtue,
which he
loves,
complain?
Mr. THOMPSON,
In his elegant and philosophical poem of the seasons,
Altho' not sweeter his own
Homer
sings,
Yet is his
Life
the more endearing Song.
To the same tune also singeth that learned Clerk of
Suffolk
Mr. WILLIEM BROOME:
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-enoughquoted
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 magnanimity. He is so great a lover of falshood, that whenever he has a mind to calumniate his cotemporaries, he brands 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, 1718:
"That if he is not shrewdly abus'd, he 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.)
"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
The names of two weekly Papers.
Guardians and Examiners, an assertor of liberty, and of the dispensing power of kings: a jesuitical professor of truth, a base, and a foul pretender 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.
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.
Smedley,
Pref. to Gulliveriana, p.
14, 16.
. One desires he would
cut his own throat
or
bang himself:
Gulliveriana, pag.
332.
. But
Pasquin
seem'd rather inclined it should be done by the Government, representing him ingaged in grievous designs with a Lord of Parliament, then under prosecution.
Anno
1723.
. Mr.
Dennis
himself hath written to a
Minister,
that he is one of the most
dangerous persons in this kingdom;
Anno
1729.
. 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
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:
Pag.
6, 7.
of the Preface, by
Concanen,
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. 1712.
. Mr.
Curl
boldly supplies an imperfect verse with
Kings
and
Princesses;
Key to the Dunc.
3
d edit. p.
18.
. and one
Matthew Concanen
yet more impudent publishes at length the Two most SACRED NAMES in this Nation as members of the Dunciad!
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.
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."
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
calls him a great Master of our tongue, 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,
120. 1728.
. in that poem which is wholly a satire 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.
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 in
In Concert.]
Hear how Mr.
Dennis
hath proved our mistake in this place.
"As to my writing in
Concert
with Mr.
Gildon,
I declare upon the honour and word of a gentleman that I never wrote so much as one line in
concert
with any one man whatsoever. And these two Letters from Mr.
Gildon
will plainly show, that we are not Writers
in concert
with each other.
Sir,—
The height of my Ambition is to please Men of the best Judgment; and finding that I have entertain'd my Master agreeably, I have the Extent of the Reward of my Labour.
Sir, I had not the opportunity of hearing your excellent Pamphlet 'till this Day: I am infinitely satisfied and pleas'd with it, and hope you will meet with that Encouragement which your admirable Performance deserves, &c.
CH. GILDON.
"Now is it not plain, that any one who sends such Compliments to another, has not been us'd to write in
Partnership
with him to whom he sends them?"
[Dennis
's Remarks on the
Dunciad, p 50.] Mr.
Dennis
is therefore welcome to take this Piece to himself.
. Concert confess,
"That some men,
of good understanding,
value him for his rhymes:" And pag. 17. "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 Critic sorely lamenting it, even from the Essay on Criticism to this Day of the Dunciad!
"the treatise of the
Profund
is very dall, 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 ascrib'd to
Gulliver.
"
Gulliv.
p. 336.
i
Burnet
Homerides, pag.
1,
of his Translation of the
Iliad.
. [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
would 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.
if he took
assistants
in another, it was complain'd of and represented as a great injury to the publick.
The
London
and
Mist
's Journals, on his Undertaking of the
Odyssey.
. The loftiest Heroicks, the lowest ballads, treatises against the state or church, satire 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 would 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 avowed, or of Authors concealed? of those who knew him, or of those who knew him not?
THE DUNCIAD, IN THREE BOOKS, WITH Notes Variorum.
THE DUNCIAD.
ARGUMENT to BOOK the FIRST.
The Proposition, 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 slame from her seat, flies in person and puts it out, by casting upon it the poem of
Thule.
She forthwith reveals berself 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.
BOOKS and the Man I sing, the first who brings
The Smithfield Muses to the Ear of Kings.
Say great Patricians! (since your selves inspire
These wond'rous works; so Jove and Fate require)
Say from what cause, in vain decry'd and curst,
Still Dunce the second reigns like Dunce the first.
In eldest time, e'er mortals writ or read,
E're Pallas issu'd from the Thund'rer's head,
Dulness o'er all possess'd her antient right,
Daughter of Chaos and eternal Night:
Fate in their dotage this fair ideot gave,
Gross as her sire, and as her mother grave,
Laborious, heavy, busy, bold, and blind,
She rul'd in native Anarchy, the mind.
Still her old empire to confirm, she tries,
For born a Goddess, Dulness never dies.
O thou, whatever Title please thine ear,
Dean, Drapier, Bickerstaff, or Gulliver!
Whether thou chuse Cervantes' serious air,
Or laugh and shake in Rab'lais easy Chair,
Or praise the Court, or magnify Mankind,
Or thy griev'd Country's copper chains unbind;
From thy Baeotia tho' Her Pow'r retires,
Grieve not, my SWIFT! at ought our realm acquires
Here pleas'd behold her mighty wings out-spread,
To hatch a new Saturnian Age of Lead.
Where wave the tatter'd ensigns of Rag-Fair,
A yawning ruin hangs and nods in air;
Keen, hollow winds howl thro' the bleak recess,
Emblem of Music caus'd by Emptiness.
Here in one bed two shiv'ring Sisters lye,
The Cave of Poverty and Poetry.
This, the Great Mother dearer held than all
The clubs of Quidnunc's, or her own Guild-hall.
Here stood her Opium, here she nurs'd her Owls,
And destin'd here th' imperial seat of fools
Hence springs each weekly Muse, the living boast
Of Curl's chaste press, and Lintot's rubric post,
Hence hymning Tyburn's elegiac lay,
Hence the soft sing-song on Cecilia's day,
Sepulchral Lyes, our holy walls to grace,
And New-year Odes, and all the Grubstreet race.
'Twas here in clouded majesty she shone;
Four guardian Virtues, round, support her throne;
Fierce champion Fortitude, that knows no fears
Of hisses, blows, or want, or loss of ears:
Calm Temperance, whose blessings those partake
Who hunger, and who thirst, for scribling sake:
Prudence, whose glass presents th' approaching jayl:
Poetic Justice, with her lifted scale;
Where, in nice balance, truth with gold she weighs,
And solid pudding against empty praise.
Here she beholds the Chaos dark and deep,
Where nameless Somethings in their causes sleep,
Till genial Jacob, or a warm Third-day
Call forth each mass, a poem, or a play:
How hints, like spawn, scarce quick in embryo lie,
How new-born nonsense first is taught to cry,
Maggots half-form'd, in rhyme exactly meet,
And learn to crawl upon poetic feet.
Here one poor word a hundred clenches makes,
And ductile dulness new meanders takes;
There motley Images her fancy strike,
Figures ill-pair'd, and Similies unlike,
She sees a Mob of Metaphors advance,
Pleas'd with the madness of the mazy dance:
How Tragedy and Comedy embrace;
How Farce and Epic get a jumbled race;
How Time himself stands still at her command,
Realms shift their place, and Ocean turns to land.
Here gay Description Aegypt glads with show'rs,
Or gives to Zembla fruits, to Barca flow'rs;
Glitt'ring with ice here hoary hills are seen,
There painted vallies of eternal green,
On cold December fragrant chaplets blow,
And heavy harvests nod beneath the snow.
All these and more, the cloud-compelling Queen
Beholds thro fogs, that magnify the scene:
She, tinsel'd o'er in robes of varying hues,
With self-applause her wild creation views,
Sees momentary monsters rise and fall,
And with her own fools-colours gild them all.
'Twas on the day, when Thorold, rich and grave,
Like Cimon triumph'd both on land and wave:
(Pomps without guilt, of bloodless swords and maces,
Glad chains, warm furs, broad banners, and broad faces)
Now Night descending, the proud scene was o'er,
But liv'd, in Settle's numbers, one day more.
Now May'rs and Shrieves all hush'd and satiate lay,
Yet eat, in dreams, the custard of the day;
While pensive Poets painful vigils keep,
Sleepless themselves to give their readers sleep.
Much to the mindful Queen the feast recalls
What City Swans once sung within the walls;
Much she revolves their arts, their ancient praise,
And sure succession down from
Heywood
's days.
She saw with joy the line immortal run,
Each sire imprest and glaring in his son;
So watchful Bruin forms with plastic care
Each growing lump, and brings it to a Bear.
She saw old
Pryn
in restless
Daniel
shine,
And
Eusden
eke out
Blackmore
's endless line;
She saw slow
Philips
creep like
Tate
's poor page,
And all the mighty Mad in
Dennis
rage.
In each she marks her image full exprest,
But chief, in
Tibbald
's monster-breeding breast;
Sees Gods with Daemons in strange league ingage,
And earth, and heav'n, and hell her battles wage.
She ey'd the Bard, where supperless he sate,
And pin'd, unconscious of his rising fate;
Studious he sate, with all his books around,
Sinking from thought to thought, a vast profund!
Plung'd for his sense, but found no bottom there;
Then writ, and flounder'd on, in mere despair.
He roll'd his eyes that witness'd huge dismay,
Where yet unpawn'd, much learned lumber lay:
Volumes, whose size the space exactly fill'd,
Or which fond authors were so good to gild,
Or where, by sculpture made for ever known,
The page admires new beauties, not its own.
Here swells, the shelf with Ogilby the great:
There, stamp'd with arms,
Newcastle
shines compleat:
Here all his suff'ring brotherhood retire,
And 'scape the martyrdom of jakes and fire;
A
Gothic
Vatican! of
Greece
and
Rome
Well purg'd, and worthy
Withers, Quarles,
and
Blome.
But high above, more solid Learning shone,
The Classics of an Age that heard of none;
There
Caxton
slept, with
Wynkin
at his side,
One clasp'd in wood, and one in strong cow-hide,
There, sav'd by spice, like mummies, many a year,
Old Bodies of Philosophy appear:
De Lyra
there a dreadful front extends,
And here, the groaning shelves
Philemon
bends.
Of these, twelve volumes, twelve of amplest size,
Redeem'd from tapers and defrauded pyes,
Inspir'd he seizes: These an altar raise:
An hecatomb of pure, unsully'd lays
That altar crowns: A folio Common-place
Founds the whole pyle, of all his works the base;
Quarto's, octavo's, shape the less'ning pyre;
And last, a little
Ajax
tips the spire.
Then he. Great Tamer of all human art!
First in my care, and nearest at my heart:
Dulness! whose good old cause I yet defend,
With whom my Muse began, with whom shall end!
O thou, of business the directing soul,
To human heads like byass to the bowl,
Which as more pond▪ rous makes their aim more true,
Obliquely wadling to the mark in view.
O ever gracious to perplex'd mankind!
Who spread a healing mist before the mind,
And, lest we err by Wit's wild, dancing light,
Secure us kindly in our native night.
Ah! still o'er
Britain
stretch that peaceful wand,
Which lulls th'
Helvetian
and
Batavian
land;
Where rebel to thy throne if Science rise,
She does but shew her coward face and dies:
There, thy good Scholiasts with unweary'd pains
Make
Horace
flat, and humble
Maro
's strains;
Here studious I unlucky moderns save,
Nor sleeps one error in its father's grave,
Old puns restore, lost blunders nicely seek,
And crucify poor
Shakespear
once a week.
For thee I dim these eyes, and stuff this head,
With all such reading as was never read▪
For thee supplying, in the worst of days,
Notes to dull books, and prologues to dull plays;
For thee explain a thing till all men doubt it,
And write about it, Goddess, and about it;
So spins the silk-worm small its slender store,
And labours, 'till it clouds itself all o'er.
Not that my quill to Critiques was confin'd,
My Verse gave ampler lessons to mankind;
So gravest precepts may successless prove,
But sad examples never fail to move.
As forc'd from wind-guns, lead itself can fly,
And pond'rous slugs cut swiftly thro' the sky;
As clocks to weight their nimble motion owe,
The wheels above urg'd by the load below;
Me, emptiness and dulness could inspire,
And were my elasticity and fire.
Had Heav'n decreed such works a longer date,
Heav'n had decreed to spare the
Grubstreet
-state.
But see great
Settle
to the dust descend,
And all thy cause and empire at an end!
Cou'd
Troy
be sav'd by any single hand,
His gray-goose weapon must have made her stand.
But what can I? my
Flaccus
cast aside,
Take up th' Attorney's (once my better) guide?
Or rob the
Roman
geese of all their glories,
And save the state by cackling to the Tories?
Yes, to my Country I my pen consign,
Yes, from this moment, mighty
Mist!
am thine,
And rival,
Curtius!
of thy fame and zeal,
O'er head and ears plunge for the publick weal.
Adieu my children! better thus expire
Unstall'd, unsold, thus glorious mount in fire
Fair without spot; than greas'd by grocer's hands,
Or shipp'd with
Ward
to ape and monkey lands,
Or wafting ginger, round the streets to go,
And visit alehouse where ye first did grow.
With that, he lifted thrice the sparkling brand,
And thrice he dropt it from his quiv'ring hand:
Then lights the structure, with averted eyes;
The rowling smokes involve the sacrifice.
The opening clouds disclose each work by turns,
Now flames old
Memnon,
now
Rodrigo
burns,
In one quick flash see
Proserpine
expire,
And last, his own cold
Aeschylus
took fire.
Then gush'd the tears, as from the
Trojan
's eyes
When the last blaze sent
Ilion
to the skies.
Rowz'd by the light, old Dulness heav'd the head;
Then snatch'd a sheet of
Thulè
from her bed,
Sudden she flies, and whelms it o'er the pyre:
Down sink the flames, and with a hiss expire.
Her ample presence fills up all the place;
A veil of fogs dilates her awful face:
Great in her charms! as when on Shrieves and May'rs
She looks, and breathes her self into their airs.
She bids her wait him to the sacred Dome;
Well-pleas'd he enter'd, and confess'd his home:
So Spirits ending their terrestrial race,
Ascend, and recognize their native place.
Raptur'd, he gazes round the dear retreat,
And in sweet numbers celebrates the seat,
Here to her Chosen all her works she shews;
Prose swell'd to verse, Verse loitring into prose;
How random thoughts now meaning chance to find,
Now leave all memory of sense behind:
How prologues into prefaces decay,
And these to notes are fritter'd quite away.
How index-learning turns no student pale,
Yet holds the eel of science by the tail.
How, with less reading than makes felons 'scape,
Less human genius than God gives an ape,
Small thanks to
France,
and none to
Rome
or
Greece,
A past, vamp'd, future, old, reviv'd, new piece,
'Twixt
Plautus, Fletcher, Congreve,
and
Corneille,
Can make a
Cibber, Johnson,
or
Ozell.
The Goddess then, o'er his anointed head,
With mystic words, the sacred Opium shed;
And lo! her bird (a monster of a fowl!
Something betwixt a
Heideggre
and owl,
Perch'd on his crown. All hail! and hail again,
My son! the promis'd land expects thy reign.
Know,
Settle
cloy'd with custard, and with praise,
Is gather'd to the dull of antient days,
Safe, where no Critics damn, no duns molest,
Where wretched
Withers, Banks,
and
Gildon
rest,
And high-born
Howard,
more majestic sire,
Impatient waits, till ** grace the quire.
I see a chief, who leads my chosen sons,
All arm'd with points, antitheses and puns!
I see a Monarch, proud my race to own!
A Nursing-mother, born to rock the throne!
Schools, courts, and senates shall my laws obey,
Till
Albion,
as
Hibernia,
bless my sway.
She ceas'd: her owls responsive clap the wing,
And
Grubstreet
garrets roar, God save the king.
So when
Jove
's block descended from on high,
(As sings thy great fore-father,
Ogilby,)
Loud thunder to its bottom shook the bog,
And the hoarse nation croak'd, God save King Log!
REMARKS on BOOK the FIRST.
This Poem was writ in 1726. In the next year an imperfect Edition was published at Dublin, and reprinted at London in 120. another at Dublin, and another at London in 8vo, and three others in 120. the same year. But there was no perfect Edition before that of London in 4to 1728-9, which was attended with the following Notes. We are willing to acquaint Posterity that this Poem (as it here stands) was presented to King
George
the
Second
and his Queen, by the hands of Sir
Robert Walpole,
on the 12th of March, 1728-9.
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
Atchievement that brings honour
to the Critic who advances 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 Critics, 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 Critics 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 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 virumque cano, Trojae qui primus ab oris,
Italiam fato profugus, Lavinaque 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 improperly 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 many years. See Book 3. Verse 227, &c.
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 to 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 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 thought to be opposite, or interfering with each other▪ Dr.
Swift
of course was in 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 Ca
e of
Poverty
and
Poetry.]
Hear upon this place the forecited Critic 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, vivoque 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 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—fruges
que
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.
SCRIBLERUS.
V. 33.
The
Great Mother.]
Magna mater,
here apply'd to
Dulness.
The
Quidnunc
's, a name given to the ancient members of certain political clubs, who were constantly enquiring,
quid nunc?
what news?
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 satire on the Flatteries and Falsehoods admitted to be inscribed on the walls of Churches in Epitaphs.
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 satire, makes an apology for all that are to be satirized.
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 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.
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 works of her Sons celebrated in the poem. A great Critic 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 on
Hom.
and 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. if yet extant.
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. 6. See also
Eusden
's whole works if to be found. It would not have been unpleasant, to have given Examples of all these species of bad writing from these Authors, but that it is already done in our treatise of the
Bathos.
SCRIBL.
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 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.
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 cried 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
Elkanab.
"
DENNIS,
Pref. to Rem. on
Hom.
For the latter part of his history, see the Note on the third Book, verse 279.
V. 96.
John Heywood.]
Whose Interludes 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 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 Idea's, 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
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.
Dennis
were really mad, according to the Narrative of Dr.
Norris
in
Swift
and
Pope
's Miscellanies, vol▪ 3▪ No—I is spoken of that
Excellent
and
Divine Madness,
so often mention'd by
Plato,
that 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 256.]
SCRIBL.
V. 104.
And all the Mighty Mad in
Dennis
rage.]
Mr.
Theobald
in the
Censor,
vol. 2. No. 33. 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 spared)
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 mentiond 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 monkey, 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 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, 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,
gage
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 concern'd 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 Critic 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 printed in 4to, 1726; it had 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 that he had any such 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.
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. p. 279.
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 Critics 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 Critic 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 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 prefer'd for one of these three reasons (usual with collectors of Libraries) that they fitted the shelves, or were gilded for shew, or adorned 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.
V. 126.
—
worthy
Withers, Quarles,
and
Blome.]
"
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. and
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. "Happened that to my hande cam a lytyl book in frenshe. whiche late was translated out of latyn by some noble clerke of fraunce, whiche booke is named
Eneydos
(made in latyn by that noble poete & grete clerk
Vyrgyle)
whiche booke I sawe over and redde therein. How after the generall destruccyon of the grete
Troy, Eneas
departed berynge his olde fader
anchises
upon his sholdres, his lytyl son
yolas
on his hande. his wyfe with moche other people followynge, and how he shipped and departed wyth alle thystorye of his aduentures that he had er he cam to the atchievement of his conquest of
ytalye,
as all alonge shall be shewed in this present boke. In whiche booke I had grete playsyr, by cause of the fayr and honest termes & wordes in frenshe, Whiche I neuer sawe to sore lyke. ne none so playsaunt ne so well ordred whiche booke as me semed sholde be moche requysyte to noble men to see, as wel for the eloquence as the historyes. How wel that many hondred yerys passed was the sayd booke of
Eneydos
wyth other workes made and lerned dayly in scolis specyally in
ytalye
and other places, which historye the said
Vyrgyle
made in metre."
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.
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 called
Translator-general of his age.
The books alone of his turning into
English,
are sufficient to make a
Country Gentleman
a
compleat Library.
"
WINSTANL.
V. 142.
A little
Ajax.] In
duodecimo,
translated from
Sophocles
by
Tibbald.
V. 162.
Ner 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 in
Mist
's
Journal
a single remark or poor conjecture on some
word
or
pointing
of
Shakespear,
either in his own name, or in letters to himself as from others without name. He since published an edition of
Shakespear,
with alterations of the Text, upon bare conjectures either of his own, or any others who sent them to him, to which Mr.
M.
alludes in these Verses of his excellent Poem on Verbal Criticism,
He with low industry goes gleaning on,
From
good,
from
bad,
from
mean,
neglecting none:
His brother Bookworm so, on shelf or stall,
Will feed alike on
Woolston
and on
Paul
—
Such the grave bird in northern seas is found,
(Whose name a
Dutchman
only knows to sound)
Where're the king of fish moves on before,
This humble friend attends from shore to shore;
With eye still earnest, and with bill declin'd,
He picks up what his patron drops behind;
With such choice cates his palate to regale,
And is the careful
Tibbald
of a whale.
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.
V. 177.
As forc'd from wind guns.]
The Thought of these four verses is found in a poem of our author's of a very early date (namely writ at fourteen years old, and soon after printed, To the author of a poem call'd
Successio,)
where they stand thus,
The heaviest Muse the swiftest course has gone,
As clocks run fastest when most lead is on.
—So forc'd from engines lead itself can fly,
And pond'rous slugs move nimbly thro' the sky.
V. 189.
My
Flaccus.]
A familiar manner of speaking used by modern critics 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! moncher 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.
Atque hic auratis volitans argenteus anser
Porticibus, Gallos in limine adesse canebat.
a passage I have always suspected. Who sees not the 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
Ec.
9.
—argutos
interstrepere
anser olores.
Read it therefore
adesse strepebat.
And why
auratis porticibus?
does not the very verse preceding this inform us,
Romuleoque 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 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 high-church party."
JACOB
Lives of Poets,
vol. 2. p. 225. Great numbers of his works were yearly sold into the plantations.
Ward
in a book call'd
Apollo
's
Maggot,
declar'd this account to be a great falsity, protesting that▪ his publick house was not in the
City,
but in
Moorfields.
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.
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,
Uteroque
recusso Insonuere cavae—
Atque
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 prov'd 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
Amb. Philips,
a northern author. It is an usual method of putting out a fire, to cast wetsheets 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.
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.
V. 240.
Can make a
Cibber.]
"Mr.
Colly Cibber,
an author and actor, of a good share of wit, and
uncommon 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 to which abused Dr.
Arbuthnot,
Mr.
Pope,
and Mr.
Gay)
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 priestood; 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.
Mr.
Jacob
's character of Mr.
Ozell,
seems vastly short of his merits; and he ought to have further justice done him, having since fully confuted all Sarcasms on his learning and genius, by an advertisement of
Sept.
20. 1729. in a paper call'd the
Weekly Medley,
&c.
"As to my
learning,
this envious wretch knew, and every body knows, that the
whole bench of Bishops,
not long ago, were pleas'd to give me a
purse of guineas,
for discovering the erroneous translations of the common-prayer in
Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian,
&c. As for my
genius,
let Mr.
Cleland
shew better verses in all
Pope
's works than
Ozell
's version of
Boileau
's
Lutrin,
which the late Lord
Halifax
was so pleas'd with, that he complimented him with leave to dedicate it to him, &c. &c. Let him shew better and truer poetry in the
Rape of the Lock,
than in
Ozell
's
Rape of the Bucket, (la Secchia rapita)
which, because an ingenious author happen'd to mention in the same breath with
Pope
's, viz.
Let
Ozell
sing the Bucket,
Pope
the Lock,
the little Gentleman had like to run mad.—And Mr.
Toland
and Mr.
Gildon
publickly declar'd,
Ozell
's translation of
Homer to be,
as it was
prior,
so likewise
superior
to
Pope
's.—Surely, surely, every man is free to deserve well of his country!"
JOHN OZELL.
We cannot but subscribe to such reverend testimonies, as those of the
bench of Bishops,
Mr.
Toland,
and Mr.
Gildon.
V 244.
A Heideggre.]
A strange bird from
Swizzerland,
and not (as some have supposed) the name of an eminent person who was a man of parts, and as was said of
Petronius, Arbiter Elegantiarum.
V. 250.
Banks.]
was author of the play of the Earl of
Essex, Ann Boleyn,
&c. He followed the law, as a sollicitor, like
Tibbald.
V. 250.
Gildon.]
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 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 two volumes, and others.
V. 251
—
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. 252.
Impatient waits, till ** grace the quire.]
The reader may supply this verse with
H—y
or
V—y,
which he pleases, two Noble Men who listed themselves with the Gentlemen of the Dunciad, but whether noble Writers, may be judged by their works; a paper call'd
An Epistle to a Doctor of Divinity from Hampton-Court,
and another intitled,
Dunces out of State,
both printed in 1733.
V. 256.
A Nursing-mother.]
Some understand this of
Alma Mater,
(who is said in lib. 3. to
be dissolv'd in Port)
others of
Mother Osborne.
V. 258.
As sings thy great fore-father,
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, 4to. 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 distinguish'd, by a man himself, from a prevalent inclination: And if it be 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."
But how much all indulgence is lost upon these people, may appear from the just reflection made on their constant conduct, and constant fate, in the following Epigram.
Ye little wits, that gleam'd a-while,
When
P—pe
vouchsaf'd a ray,
Alas! depriv'd of his kind smile,
How soon ye fade away!
To compass
Phoebus
car about,
Thus empty vapours rise;
Each lends his cloud, to put him out
That rear'd him to the Skies.
Alas! those Skies are not your sphere;
There, He shall ever burn:
Weep, weep and fall! for Earth ye were,
And must to Earth return.
End of the
FIRST BOOK.
IMITATIONS.
V. 3.
Say great
Patricians!
since your selves inspire
These wond'rous Works
—]
Ovid. Met. 1.
—Dii caeptis (nam vos mutastis & illas.)
V. 6.] Alluding to a verse of Mr.
Dryden,
And
Tom
the second reigns like
Tom
the first.
V. 33.
This the
Great Mother, &c.]
Aen. 1.
Urbs antiqua fuit—
Quam Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam
Posthabita coluisse Samo; hic illius arma,
Hic currus fuit: hic regnum Dea gentibus esse
(Siqua fata sinant) jam tum tendit
que
fovet
que
V. 39.
Hence hymning
Tyburn—
Hence,
&c.]
—Genus unde Latinum
Albani
que
patres, at
que
altae maenia Romae.
Virg. ibid.
V. 43.
In clouded majesty she shone.]
Milton, Lib. 4.
—The Moon
Rising in clouded Majesty.—
V. 45.
That knows no fears Of hisses, blows, or want, or loss of ears.]
Horat.
Quem ne
que
pauperies, ne
que
mors, ne
que
vincula
V. 53.
Here she beholds the
Chaos
dark and deep, Where nameless
Somethings, &c.]
That is to say, unformed things, which are either made into poems or plays, as the booksellers or the players bid most. These lines allude to the following in
Garth
's
Dispensary,
Cant.
6.
Within the chambers of the globe they spy
The beds where sleeping vegetables lie,
'Till the glad summons of a genial ray
Unbinds the glebe, and calls them out to day.
V. 62.
And ductile dulness.]
A Parody on a verse in
Garth,
Cant.
1.
How ductile matter new meanders takes.
77.
The cloud-compelling Queen.]
From
Homer
's epithet of
Jupiter,
.
V. 115.
He roll'd his eyes that witness'd huge dismay.]
Milt. l. 1.
—Round he throws his eyes
That witness'd huge affliction and dismay.
The progress of a bad Poet in his thoughts, being (like the progress of the Devil in
Milton)
thro' a
Chaos,
might probably suggest this imitation.
V. 120.
—admires new beauties not its own.]
Virg. Geor. 2.
Miraturque novas frondes & non sua poma.
V. 146.
With whom my Muse began, with whom shall end.]
Virg. Ecl. 8.
A te principium, tibi desinet—
from
Theoc.
So
Horace.
Prima dicte mibi, summa dicende camaena.
V. 183.
Had heav'n decreed such works a longer date, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 2.
Me si coelicoloe voluissent ducere vitam,
Has mihi servassent sedes.—
V. 187.
Could
Troy
be sav'd—His gray-goose weapon.]
Virg. ibid.
—Si Pergama dextra
Defendi possent, etiam hat defensa fuissent.
V. 197.
Adieu my children! &c.]
Virg. Aen. 3.
—Felix Priameïa virgo!
Jussa mori: quae sortitus non pertulit ullos,
Nec victoris heri tetigit captiva cubile!
Nos patriâ incensâ, diversa per aequor a vectae, &c.
V. 202.
And visit alehouse.]
Waller
on the navy,
Those towers of oak o'er fertile plains may go,
And visit mountains where they once did grow.
Ver. 203.
—He lifted thrice the sparkling brand,
And thrice he dropt it.—]
Ovid
of
Althaea
on the like occasion, burning her offspring,
Tum conata quater flammis imponere torrem,
Caepta quater tenuit.
V. 208.
Now flames old
Memnon,
&c.]
Virg. Aen. 2.
—Jam. Deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam
Vulcano superante, domus; jam proximus ardet
Ucalegon.—
V. 219.
Great in her charms! as when on Shrieves and May'rs
She looks, and breathes her self into their airs.]
Alma parens confessa Deam; qualisque videri
Coelicolis, & quanta solet—
Virg. Aen. 2.
Et laetos oculis afflarat honores.—
Id. Aen. 1.
THE DUNCIAD.
ARGUMENT to 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: 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
Critics,
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 set forth: till the whole number, not of critics only, but of spectators, actors, and all present fall fast asleep, which naturally and necessarily ends the games.
HIGH on a gorgeous seat, that far out-shone
Henley
's gilt tub, or
Fleckno
's
Irish
throne,
Or that, where on her
Curls
the public pours,
All-bounteous, fragrant grains, and golden show'rs:
Great
Tibbald
nods: The proud
Parnassian
sneer,
The conscious simper, and the jealous leer,
Mix on his look. All eyes direct their rays
On him, and crowds grow foolish as they gaze.
Not with more glee, by hands pontific crown'd,
With scarlet hats, wide waving, circled round,
Rome
in her Capitol saw
Querno
sit,
Thron'd on sev'n hills, the Antichrist of wit.
To grace this honour'd day, the Queen proclaims
By herald hawkers, high heroic games.
She summons all her sons: An endless band
Pours forth, and leaves unpeopled half the land;
A motley mixture! in long wigs, in bags,
In silks, in crapes, in garters, and in rags,
From drawing rooms, from colleges, from garrets,
On horse, on foot, in hacks, and gilded chariots,
All who true dunces in her cause appear'd,
And all who knew those dunces to reward.
Amid that Area wide she took her stand,
Where the tall May-pole once o'erlook'd the
Strand;
But now, so ANNE and piety ordain,
A church collects the saints of
Drury-lane.
With authors, Stationers, obey'd the call,
The field of glory is a field for all;
Glory, and gain, th' industrious tribe provoke;
And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke;
A poet's form she plac'd before their eyes,
And bad the nimblest racer seize the prize;
No meagre, muse-rid mope, adust and thin,
In a dun night-gown of his own loose skin,
But such a bulk as no twelve bards could raise,
Twelve starveling bards of these degen'rate days.
All as a partridge plump, full-fed, and fair,
She form'd this image of well-bodied air,
With pert flat eyes she window'd well its head,
A brain of feathers, and a heart of lead,
And empty words she gave, and sounding strain,
But senseless, lifeless! idol void and vain!
Never was dash'd out, at one lucky hit,
A fool, so just a copy of a wit;
So like, that critics said, and courtiers swore,
A wit it was, and call'd the phantom,
More.
All gaze with ardour: some, a poet's name,
Others, a sword-knot and lac'd suit inflame.
But lofty
Lintot
in the circle rose;
"This prize is mine; who tempt it, are my foes:
"With me began this genius, and shall end."
He spoke, and who with
Lintot
shall contend!
Fear held them mute. Alone untaught to fear
Stood dauntless
Curl,
"Behold that rival here!
"The race by vigor, not by vaunts is won;
"So take the hindmost Hell—He said, and run.
Swift as a bard the bailiff leaves behind,
He left huge
Lintot,
and out-strip'd the wind.
As when a dab-chick waddles thro' the copse,
On feet and wings, and flies, and wades, and hops;
So lab'ring on, with shoulders, hands, and head,
Wide as a windmill all his figure spread,
With legs expanded
Bernard
urg'd the race,
And seem'd to emulate great
Jacob
's pace.
Full in the middle way there stood a lake,
Which
Curl
's
Corinna
chanc'd that morn to make:
(Such was her wont, at early dawn to drop
Her evening cates before his neighbour's shop,)
Here fortun'd
Curl
to slide; loud shout the band,
And
Bernard! Bernard!
rings thro' all the
Strand.
Obscene with filth the miscreant lies bewray'd,
Fal'n in the plash his wickedness had laid:
Then first (if poets aught of truth declare)
The caitiff Vaticide conceiv'd a prayer.
Hear
Jove!
whose name my bards and I adore,
As much at least as any God's, or more;
And him and his if more devotion warms,
Down with the Bible, up with the Pope's Arms.
A place there is, betwixt earth, air and seas,
Where from
Ambrosia, Jove
retires for ease.
There in his seat two spacious vents appear,
On this he sits, to that he leans his ear,
And hears the various vows of fond mankind,
Some beg an eastern, some a western wind:
All vain petitions, mounting to the sky,
With reams abundant this abode supply;
Amus'd he reads, and then returns the bills
Sign'd with that Ichor which from Gods distils.
In office here fair
Cloacina
stands,
And ministers to
Jove
with purest hands;
Forth from the heap she pick'd her vot'ry's pray'r,
And plac'd it next him, a distinction rare!
(Oft, as he fish'd her nether realms for wit,
The Goddess favour'd him, and favours yet.)
Renew'd by ordure's sympathetic force,
As oil'd with magic juices for the course,
Vig'rous he rises, from th' effluvia strong
Imbibes new life, and scours and stinks along;
Re-passes
Lintot,
vindicates the race,
Nor heeds the brown dishonours of his face.
And now the victor stretch'd his eager hand
Where the tall Nothing stood, or seem'd to stand;
A shapeless shade, it melted from his sight,
Like forms in clouds, or visions of the night!
To seize his papers,
Curl,
was next thy care;
His papers light, fly diverse, tost in air:
Songs, sonnets, epigrams the winds uplift,
And whisk 'em back to
Evans, Young,
and
Swift.
Th' embroider'd suit, at least, he deem'd his prey;
That suit, an unpaid taylor snatch'd away!
No rag, no scrap, of all the beau, or wit,
That once so flutter'd, and that once so writ.
Heav'n rings with laughter: Of the laughter vain,
Dulness, good Queen, repeats the jest again.
Three wicked imps of her own
Grubstreet
choir
She deck'd like
Congreve, Addison
and
Prior;
Mears, Warner, Wilkins
run: delusive thought!
Breval, Besalcel, Bond,
the varlets caught.
Curl
stretches after
Gay,
but
Gay
is gone,
He grasps an empty
Joseph
for a
John:
So
Proteus,
hunted in a nobler shape,
Became, when seiz'd, a puppy, or an ape.
To him the Goddess. Son! thy grief lay down,
And turn this whole illusion on the town.
As the sage dame, experienc'd in her trade,
By names of Toasts retails each batter'd jade,
(Whence hapless Monsieur much complains at
Paris
Of wrongs from Duchesses and Lady
Mary
's)
Be thine, my stationer! this magic gift;
Cook
shall be
Prior,
and
Concanen, Swift;
So shall each hostile name become our own,
And we too boast our
Garth
and
Addison.
With that, she gave him (piteous of his case,
Yet smiling at his ruful length of face.)
A shaggy tap'stry, worthy to be spread
On
Codrus'
old, or
Dunton
's modern bed;
Instructive work! whose wry-mouth'd portraiture
Display'd the fates her confessors endure.
Ear-less on high, stood un-abash'd
Defoe,
And
Tutchin
flagrant from the scourge, below:
There
Ridpath, Roper,
cudgell'd might ye view,
The very worsted still look'd black and blue:
Himself among the storied Chiefs he spies,
As from the blanket high in air he flies,
And oh! (he cry'd) what street, what lane but knows
Our purgings, pumpings, blanketings and blows?
In ev'ry loom our labours shall be seen,
And the fresh vomit run for ever green!
See in the circle next,
Eliza
plac'd;
Two babes of love close clinging to her waste;
Fair as before her works she stands confess'd,
In flow'rs and pearls by bounteous
Kirkall
dress'd.
The Goddess then: "Who best can send on high
"The salient spout, far-streaming to the sky;
"His be you
Juno
of majestic size,
"With cow-like udders, and with ox-like eyes.
"This
China
-Jordan, let the chief o'ercome
"Replenish, not ingloriously, at homé.
Chapman
and
Curl
accept the glorious strife,
(Tho' one his son dissuades, and one his wife)
This on his manly confidence relies,
That on his vigour and superior size.
First
Chapman
lean'd against his letter'd post;
It rose, and labour'd to a curve at most:
So
Jove
's bright bow displays its watry round,
(Sure sign, that no spectator shall be drown'd)
A second effort brought but new disgrace,
The wild
Maeander
wash'd the Artist's face:
Thus the small jett which hasty hands unlock,
Spirts in the gard'ners eyes who turns the cock.
Not so from shameless
Curl;
impetuous spread
The stream, and smoaking, flourish'd o'er his head.
So, (fam'd like thee for turbulence and horns,)
Eridanus
his humble fountain scorns;
Thro' half the heav'ns he pours th' exalted urn;
His rapid waters in their passage burn.
Swift as it mounts, all follow with their eyes;
Still happy Impudence obtains the prize.
Thou triumph'st, Victor of the high-wrought day,
And the pleas'd dame, soft-smiling, leads away.
Chapman,
thro' perfect modesty o'ercome,
Crown'd with the Jordan, walks contented home.
But now for Authors nobler palms remain;
Room for my Lord! three Jockeys in his train:
Six huntsmen with a shout precede his chair;
He grins, and looks broad nonsense with a stare.
His honour'd meaning Dulness thus exprest;
"He wins this Patron who can tickle best.
He chinks his purse, and takes his seat of state:
With ready quills the Dedicators wait,
Now at his head the dext'rous task commence,
And instant, fancy feels th' imputed sense;
Now gentle touches wanton o'er his face,
He struts
Adonis,
and affects grimace:
Rolli
the feather to his ear conveys,
Then his nice taste directs our Opera's:
Bentley
his mouth with classic flatt'ry opes,
And the puff'd orator bursts out in tropes.
But
Welsted
most the poet's healing balm
Strives to extract, from his soft, giving palm;
Unlucky
Welsted!
thy unfeeling master,
The more thou ticklest, gripes his fist the faster.
While thus each hand promotes the pleasing pain,
And quick sensations skip from vein to vein,
A youth unknown to
Phoebus,
in despair,
Puts his last refuge all in heav'n and pray'r.
What force have pious vows? the Queen of Love
His Sister sends, her vot'ress, from above.
As taught by
Venus, Paris
learnt the art
To touch
Achilles'
only tender part;
Secure, thro' her, the noble prize to carry,
He marches off, his Grace's Secretary.
Now turn to diff'rent sports (the Goddess cries)
And learn, my sons, the wond'rous pow'r of Noise.
To move, to raise, to ravish ev'ry heart,
With
Shakespear
's nature, or with
Johnson
's art,
Let others aim: 'Tis yours to shake the soul
With Thunder rumbling from the mustard-bowl,
With horns and trumpets now to madness swell,
Now sink in sorrows with a tolling Bell.
Such happy arts attention can command,
When fancy flags, and sense is at a stand.
Improve we these. Three Cat-calls be the bribe,
Of him, whose chatt'ring shames the Monkey tribe,
And his this Drum, whose hoarse heroic base
Drowns the loud clarion of the braying Ass.
Now thousand tongues are heard in one loud din:
The Monkey-mimicks rush disordant in:
'Twas chatt'ring, grinning, mouthing, jabb'ring all,
And Noise, and
Norton, Brangling,
and
Breval,
Dennis,
and Dissonance; and captious art,
And snip-snap short, and interruption smart.
Hold (cry'd the Queen) A Cat-call each shall win,
Equal your merits! equal is your din!
But that this well-disputed game may end,
Sound forth, my Brayers, and the welkin rend.
As when the long-ear'd milky mothers wait
At some sick miser's triple-bolted gate,
For their defrauded, absent foals they make
A moan so loud, that all the Guild awake;
Sore sighs Sir
Gilbert,
starting, at the bray,
From dreams of millions, and three groats to pay!
So swells each wind-pipe; Ass intones to Ass,
Harmonic twang, of leather, horn, and brass;
Such, as from lab'ring lungs th' Enthusiast blows,
High sounds, attempred to the vocal nose.
But far o'er all, sonorous
Blackmore
's strain;
Walls, steeples, skies, bray back to him again:
In
Tot'nam
fields, the brethren with amaze
Prick all their ears up, and forget to graze;
Long
Chanc'ry▪ lane
retentive rolls the sound,
And courts to courts return it round and round:
Thames
waft it thence to
Rufus'
roaring hall,
And
Hungerford
re-ecchoes, bawl for bawl.
All him victor in both gifts of song,
Who sings so loudly, and who sings so long.
This labour past, by
Bridewell
all descend,
(As morning-pray'r and flagellation end)
To where
Fleet-ditch
with disemboguing streams
Rolls the large tribute of dead dogs to
Thames,
The King of dykes! than whom no sluice of mud
With deeper sable blots the silver flood.
"Here strip my children! here at once leap in!
"Here prove who best can dash thro' thick and thin,
"And who the most in love of dirt excel,
"Or dark dexterity of groping well.
"Who flings most filth, and wide pollutes around
"The stream, be his the Weekly Journals bound;
"A pig of lead to him who dives the best:
A peck of coals a-piece shall glad the rest.
In naked majesty
Oldmixon
stands,
And
Milo
-like, surveys his arms and hands,
Then sighing, thus. "And am I now threescore?
"Ah why, ye Gods! should two and two make four?
He said, and climb'd a stranded Lighter's height,
Shot to the black abyss, and plung'd down-right.
The Senior's judgment all the crowd admire,
Who but to sink the deeper, rose the higher.
Next
Smedley
div'd; slow circles dimpled o'er
The quaking mud, that clos'd, and op'd no more.
All look, all sigh, and call on
Smedly
lost;
Smedley
in vain resounds thro' all the coast.
Then * essay'd, scarce vanish'd out of sight,
He buoys up instant, and returns to light:
He bears no token of the sabler streams,
And mounts far off, among the swans of
Thames.
True to the bottom, see
Concanen
creep,
A cold, long winded, native of the deep!
If perseverance gain the Diver's prize,
Not everlasting
Blackmore
this denies:
No noise, no stir, no motion can'st thou make,
Th' unconscious flood sleeps o'er thee like a lake.
Not so bold
Arnall;
with a weight of scull,
Furious he sinks, precipitately dull.
Whirlpools and storms his circling arm invest,
With all the might of gravitation blest.
No crab more active in the dirty dance,
Downward to climb, and backward to advance.
He brings up half the bottom on his head,
And loudly claims the Journals and the Lead.
Sudden, a burst of thunder shook the flood:
Lo
Smedley
rose in majesty of mud!
Shaking the horrors of his ample brows,
And each ferocious feature grim with ooze.
Greater he looks, and more than mortal stares;
Then thus the wonders of the deep declares.
First he relates, how sinking to the chin,
Smit with his mien, the mud-nymphs suck'd him in:
How young
Lutetia,
softer than the down,
Nigrina
black, and
Merdamante
brown,
Vy'd for his love in jetty bow'rs below;
As
Hylas
fair was ravish'd long ago.
Then sung, how shown him by the nutbrown maids,
A branch of
Styx
here rises from the Shades,
That tinctur'd as it runs with
Lethe
's streams,
And wafting vapours from the land of dreams,
(As under seas
Alphaeus'
secret sluice
Bears
Pisa
's offerings to his
Arethuse)
Pours into
Thames:
Each City-bowl is full,
Of the mixt wave, and all who drink grow dull.
How to the banks where bards departed doze,
They led him soft; how all the bards arose,
Taylor,
sweet Swan of
Thames,
majestic bows,
And
Shadwell
nods the poppy on his brows;
While
Milbourn
there, deputed by the rest,
Gave him the cassock, surcingle, and vest;
And "Take (he said) these robes which once were mine,
"Dulness is sacred in a sound Divine.
He ceas'd, and show'd the robe; the crowd confess
The rev'rend
Flamen
in his lengthen'd dress.
Slow moves the Goddess from the sable flood,
(Her Priest preceding) thro' the gates of
Lud.
Her Criticks there she summons, and proclaims
A gentler exercise to close the games.
Hear you! in whose grave heads, as equal scales,
I weigh what author's heaviness prevails;
Which most conduce to sooth the soul in slumbers,
My
Henley
's periods, or my
Blackmore
's numbers?
Attend the trial we propose to make:
If there be man who o'er such works can wake,
Sleep's all-subduing charms who dares defy,
And boasts
Ulysses'
ear with
Argus'
eye;
To him we grant our amplest pow'rs to sit
Judge of all present, past, and future wit,
To cavil, censure, dictate, right or wrong,
Full, and eternal privilege of tongue.
Three
Cambridge
Sophs and three pert Templars came,
The same their talents, and their tastes the same,
Each prompt to query, answer, and debate,
And smit with love of Poesy and Prate.
The pond'rous books two gentle readers bring.
The heroes sit; the vulgar form a ring.
The clam'rous crowd is hush'd with mugs of Mum,
'Till all tun'd equal, send a general hum.
Then mount the clerks, and in one lazy tone,
Thro' the long, heavy, painful page, drawl on;
Soft creeping, words on words, the sense compose,
At ev'ry line, they stretch, they yawn, they doze.
As to soft gales top-heavy pines bow low
Their heads, and lift them as they cease to blow;
Thus oft they rear, and oft the head decline,
As breathe, or pause, by fits, the airs divine:
And now to this side, now to that, they nod,
As verse, or prose, infuse the drowzy God.
Thrice
Budgel
aim'd to speak, but thrice supprest
By potent
Arthur,
knock'd his chin and breast.
Toland
and
Tindal,
prompt at priests to jeer,
Yet silent bow'd to Christ's No kingdom here.
Who sate the nearest, by the words o'ercome
Slept first, the distant nodded to the hum.
Then down are roll'd the books; stretch'd o'er 'em lies
Each gentle clerk, and mutt'ring seals his eyes.
At what a
Dutchman
plumps into the lakes,
One circle first, and then a second makes,
What Dulness dropt among her sons imprest
Like motion, from one circle to the rest;
So from the mid-most the nutation spreads
Round, and more round, o'er all the sea of heads.
At last
Centlivre
felt her voice to fail,
Motteux
himself unfinish'd left his tale,
Boyer
the State, and
Law
the Stage gave o'er,
Nor
Kelsey
talk'd, nor
Naso
whisper'd more;
Norton,
from
Daniel
and
Ostroea
sprung,
Bless'd with his father's front, and mother's tongue,
Hung silent down his never-blushing head;
And all was hush'd, as Folly's self lay dead.
Thus the soft gifts of Sleep conclude the day,
And stretch'd on bulks, as usual, Poets lay.
Why should I sing what bards the nightly Muse
Did slumbring visit, and convey to stews:
Who prouder march'd, with magistrates in state,
To some fam'd round-house, ever-open gate:
How
Laurus
lay inspir'd beside a sink,
And to mere mortals seem'd a Priest in drink.:
While others, timely, to the neighbouring Fleet
(Haunt of the Muses) made their safe retreat.
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 an author could never fail to use the
best word,
on every occasion: The second, that a Critic cannot chuse but 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 epithets, 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 mechanic 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
Aeneid
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,
Mr.
Curl
loudly complain'd of this note as an untruth, protesting,
"that he stood in the pillory not in
March
but in
February;
"
And of another on verse 144.
"Saying, he was not tost in a
blanket,
but a
rug.
"
Curliad
in 120. 1729.
p.
19 and 25.
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 enter'd 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.
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 More 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 handerchief."
The plagiarisms of this person gave occasion to the following Epigram:
M—re
always smiles whenever he recites;
He smiles (you think) approving what he writes;
And yet in this no Vanity is shown;
A modest man may like what's not his own.
His only work was a comedy call'd 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
Saw-pit,
a simile, by a
Friend,
and some unown'd letters, advertisements and epigrams against our author in the
Daily Journal.
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 it ever before had arrived at, and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profession. He possess'd 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 comforts 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 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."
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 120. 1727. He has discover'd her to be the publisher in his
Key,
p. 11. 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 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,
&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,
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
Congrvee, 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.—
Besalcel Morris
was author of some satires on the translators of
Homer,
with many other things printed in news-papers.—
"
Bond
writ a satire 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,"
says CURL,
Key,
p. 11.
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, to publish vile pieces of obscure hands under the names of eminent authors.
V. 130.
Cook
shall be
Prior.]
The man here specify'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 Journals.
At the same time the honest gentleman wrote letters to Mr.
P.
in the strongest terms protesting his innocence. His chief work was a translation of
Hesiod,
to which
Theobald
writ notes, and half-notes, as hath already been said.
V. ibid.
And
Concanen, Swift.]
In the first edition of this poem there were only Asterisks in this place, but the names were since inserted, merely to fill up the verse, and give ease to the ear of the reader.
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, 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.) But certainly next to commending good writers, the greatest service to learning is to expose the bad, who can only that one way be made of any use to it. This truth is very well set forth in these lines, address'd to our author.
The craven Rook, and pert Jackdaw,
(Tho' neither birds of moral kind)
Yet serve, if hang'd, or stuff'd with straw,
To show us, which way blows the wind.
Thus dirty knaves, or chatt'ring fools,
Strung up by dozens in thy lay,
Teach more by half than
Dennis'
rules,
And point instruction ev'ry way.
With Aegypt's art thy pen may strive,
One potent drop let this but shed,
And ev'ry Rogue that stunk alive
Becomes a precious Mummy dead.
V. 134
Ruful length of face.]
"The decrepid person or figure of a man are no reflections upon 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
Charact. of Mr.
P. 8vo. 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 Critic: 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 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, 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.
The good
Scriblerus
here, as on all occasions, eminently shews his humanity. But it was far otherwise with the gentlemen of the Dunciad, whose scurrilities were always personal: They went so far as to libel an eminent sculptor for making our author's
Busto
in marble, at the request of Mr.
Gibbs
the Architect: which rhimes had the undeserv'd honour to be answer'd in an
Impromptu
by the Earl of
B
—.
Well Sir, suppose, the
Busto
's a damn'd head,
Suppose, that
Pope
's an Elf;
All he can say for't is, he neither made
The
Busto,
nor
Himself.
And by another Person of Quality.
Rysbrake,
to make a
Pope
of stone,
Must labour hard and sore;
But it would cost him labour none,
To make a stone of
Moor.
Their scurrilities were of that nature as provoked every honest man but Mr.
Pope,
yet never to be lamented, since they occasion'd the following Amiable Verses.
While Malice,
Pope,
denies thy page
It's own celestial fire,
While Critics, and while Bards in rage
Admiring won't admire;
While wayward pens thy worth assail,
And envious tongues decry,
These times tho' many a Friend bewail,
These times bewail not I.
But when the World's loud praise is thine,
And spleen no more shall blame,
When with thy
Homer
thou shalt shine
In one establish'd fame,
When none shall rail, and ev'ry lay
Devote a wreath to thee;
That day (for come it will) that day
Shall I lament to see.
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
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.
103, &c.
Lectus erat Codro, &c.
Codrus
had but one bed, so short too 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.
But
Concanen
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 satire on some ministers of state;
The danger of a death-bed 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 cudgelled, and deserved it.
V. 143.
Himself among the storied chiefs he spies,
&c.]
The history of
Curl
's being tossed in a blanket, and whipped 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. in Swift's and Pope's Miscell.
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 could not shew 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,
and
The New Utopia.
For the
two Babes of
Love,
See CURL,
Key,
p. 22: 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 considered 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.
V. 152.
Kirkall,
the name of a Graver. Some of this Lady's works were printed in four volumes
duod.
with her picture thus dressed up, before them.
V. 159.
Chapman,
a Bookseller who printed Mrs.
Haywood
's
New Utopia,
&c.—
Henry Curl,
the worthy son of his father
Edmund.
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
my seem not very material to others, to me I confess the latter has an elegance, a
Jenescay quoy,
which is much easier to be conceived than explained. Secondly, every reader of our Poet must have observed how frequently he uses this word
glow
in other parts of his works: To instance only in his
Homer,
(1.) Iliad 9. v. 726.—
With one resentment glows.
(2.) Iliad 11. v. 626.—
There the battle glows.
(3.) Ibid. 985.
—The closing flesh that instant ceas'd to glow
(4.) Il. 12. v. 45.—
Encompass'd
Hector
glows.
(5.) Ibid. 475.
—His beating breast with gen'rous ardour glows.
(6.) Iliad 18. v. 591.
—Another part glow'd with refulgent arms.
(7.) Ibid. v. 654.
—And curl'd on silver props in ororder 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 this 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 half
Mr. THEOBALD,
half
SCRIBLERUS.
V. 179.
The high-wrought day.]
Some affirm, this was originally—
the
well-p—st
day:
but the Poet's decency would not suffer it.
Here the learned
Scriblerus
manifests great anger; he exclaims against all such
Conjectural Emendations
in this manner.
"Let it suffice, O
Pallas!
that every noble ancient,
Greek
or
Roman,
hath suffer'd the impertinent correction of every
Dutch, German,
and
Switz
Schoolmester! Let our
English
at least escape, whose intrinsic is scarce of marble so solid, as not to be impaired or soiled by such rude and dirty hands. Suffer them to call their works their own, and after death at least to find rest and sanctuary from Critics! When these men have ceased to rail, let them not begin to do worse, to comment! let them not conjecture into nonsense, correct out of all correctness, and restore into obscurity and confusion. Miserable fate! which can besal only the sprightliest wits that have written, and will befall them only from such dull ones as could never write!"
SCRIBLERUS▪
V. 195.
Paolo Antonio Rolli,
an
Italian
Poet, and writer of many Opera's in that language, which, partly by the help of his genius, prevail'd in
England
near twenty years. He taught
Italian
to some fine Gentlemen who affected to direct the Opera's.
V. 197.
Bentley
his mouth,
&c.]
Not spoken of the famous Dr.
Richard Bentley,
but of oné
Thom. Bentley,
student in physick, a small critick, who aped his Uncle in a
little Horace.
The great one was intended to be dedicated to the Lord
Hallifax,
but (on a change of the Ministry) was given to the Earl of Oxford;
for which reason the little one was dedicated to his son the Lord
Harley.
A Taste of his
Classic Elocution
may be seen in this following Panegyricon the
Peace
of
Utrecht. Cupimus Patrem tuum, fulgentissimum illud Orbis Anglicani jubar,
adorare.
O ingens
Reipublicae
nostroe columen! O fortunatam tanto
Heroe
Britanniam! Illi tali tantoque viro,
DEUM
per
Omnia
adfuisse manumque ejus & mentem direxisse,
CERTISSIMUM EST. Hujus
enim
Unius
fermè opera,
Aequissimis & perhonorificis conditionibus,
diuturno heu nimium! Bello, finem impositum videmus. Oh Diem aeterna memoria dignissimam! qua terrores Patriae omnes excidit,
Pacem
que diu exoptatam toti ferè Europae restituit, ille Populi Anglicani Amor,
Harleius.
Thus critically (that is verbally) translated.
"Thy Father, that most refulgent Star of the Anglican Orb, we much desire to
adore!
oh mighty Column of our
Republick!
Oh Britain fortunate in such an
Hero!
That to such and so great a Man GOD was ever present, in
every thing,
and all along directed both his Hand and his Heart, is a
Most Absolute Certainty!
For, it is in a manner by the operation of this
Man Alone,
that we behold a
War
(alas! how much too long an one!) brought at length to an end,
on the most just and the most honourable Conditions.
Oh Day eternally to be memorated! wherein All the Terrors of this Country were ended; and a PEACE (long wished for by
almost
all Europe)
restored by HARLEY, the Love and Delight of the People of
England.
"
But that this Gentleman can write in a different Style, may be seen in a
Letter to Mr.
Pope,
occasion'd by Sober Advice from
Horace, wherein several Noble Lords are treated in most extraordinary Language, particularly the Lord
Bolingbroke
abused for that very PEACE, which he here makes the single work of the Earl of
Oxford,
directed by
God Almighty.
V. 199.
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. He writ other things which we cannot remember.
Smedley
in his Metamorphosis of
Scriblerus
mentions one, the Hymn of a Gentleman to his 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 was also characteris'd under another animal, a Mole, by the author of the ensuing Simile which was handed about at the same time.
Dear
Welsted,
mark, in dirty hole,
That painful animal, a Mole:
Above-ground never born to go,
What mighty stir it keeps below?
To make a Molehill, all this strife!
It digs, pokes, undermines for life.
How proud, a little Dirt to spread!
Conscious of nothing o'er its head.
Till, lab'ring on for want of eyes,
It blunders into Light—and dies.
You have him again in book 3. v. 163.
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.
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 performed 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.
V. 223.
Three Cat-Calls.]
Certain musical instruments used by one sort of Critics to confound the Poets of the Theatre.
V. 230.
Norton,]
See verse 383—
J. Durant Breval,
Author of a very extraordinary Book of Travels, and some Poems. See before, Note on verse 116.
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 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 pathetick.—
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 rhymester.
Let rhymeing 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.
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 whipt in
Bridewell.
—This is to mark punctually the
Time
of 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.
dash thro' thick and thin—Love of dirt—dark dexterity.]
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, 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
Oldmixon, Roome, Arnall, 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
Oldmixon
stands.]
Mr. JOHN OLDMIXON, next to Mr.
Dennis
the most ancient Critic of our Nation: an unjust censurer of Mr.
Addison
in his Prose Essay on Criticism, whom also in his imitation of
Bouhours
(call'd the
Arts of Logick and Rhetorick)
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 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 entered into the mind of man." In Poetry, he was not so happy as laborious, and therefore characteriz'd by the
Tatler,
No. 62, by the name of
Omicron
the
Unborn Poet.
"
Curl, Key,
p. 13.
"He writ Dramatic 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.
In his
Essay on Criticism,
and the
Arts of Logick and Rhetorick,
he frequently reflects on our Author. But the top of his character was a Perverter of History, in that seadalous one of the
Stuarts
in folio, and his
Critical History of
England, 2 vol. 8vo. Being imployed by Bishop
Kennet
in publishing the Historians in his Collection, he falsified
Daniel
's
Cronicle
in numberless places. Yet this very man, in the Preface to the first of these, advanced a
particular Fact
to charge three eminent Persons of falsifying the Lord
Clarendon
's History; which Fact has been disproved by the Bishop of
Rochester,
then the only survivor of them; and the particular part produced since, after almost ninety years, in that noble Author's own hand. He was all his life a virulent Party-writer for hire, and received his reward in a small place which he yet enjoys.
He is here likened to
Milo,
in allusion to that verse of
Ovid,
—Fletque Milon senior, cum spectat inanes
Herculeis similes, fluidos pendere lacertos;
either with regard to his 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. 279.
Next
Smedley
div'd.]
In the surreptitious editions, this whole Episode was applied 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
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
*
essay'd.]
A Gentleman of genius and spirit, who was secretly dipt in some papers of this kind, on whom our Poet bestows a panegyric instead of a Satire, as deserving to be better imployed than in Party-quarrels and Personal-invectives.
V. 287.
Concanen.]
MATTHEW CONCANEN, an
Irishman
bred to the law: he abused Dr.
Swift,
to whom he had obligations, to which
Smedley
(one of his brethren in enmity to
Swift)
alludes in his Metamorphosis of
Scriblerus,
p. 7. accusing him of having
"boasted of what he had not written, but others had revised and done for him.".
He was author of several dull and dead scurrilities in the
British
and
London Journals,
and in a paper call'd the
Speculatist.
In a pamphlet call'd a Supplement to the
Profund,
he dealt very unfairly with our poet, not only frequently imputing to him Mr.
Broome
's verses, (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.
He was since a hired Scribler in the
Daily Courant,
where he pour'd forth much Billingsgate against the Lord
Bolingbroke
and others; after which this man was surprizingly promoted to administer Justice and Law in
Jamaica.
Ver. 293.
Arnall.]
WILLIAM ARNALL bred an Attorney, was a perfect Genius in this Art: He began under twenty with furious Party-papers: then succeeded
Concanen
in the
British
Journal. At the first publication of the
Dunciad,
he prevail'd on the Author not to give him his due place in it, by a letter professing his detestation of all such practises as his predecessor's: but since, by the most unexampled insolence, impudent Billingsgate language, and personal abuse of several great men the Poet's particular friends, he hath most amply deserved a Niche in the Temple of Infamy. Witness a paper call'd the
Free Briton,
a Dedication intitled,
To the Genuine Blunderer,
1732, and many others. He writ for hire, and valued himself upon it; but frequently thro' his fury, or folly, exceeded all the bounds of his Commission, and obliged his honourable Patron to disavow his scurrilities.
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.
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 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 Critics; 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.
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 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.
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, 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
S—,
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.
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 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,
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.
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.
End of the
SECOND BOOK.
V. 1.
High on a gorgeous seat.]
Parody of
Milton,
lib.
2.
High on a throne of royal state, that far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Show'rs on her Kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sate,—
V. 31.
A poet's form she plac'd before their eyes.]
This is what
Juno
does to deceive
Turnus, Aen.
10.
Tum dea nube cava, tenuem
fine viribus umbram,
In faciem Aeneae (visu mirabile monstrum)
Dardaniis ornat telis, clypeumque jubasque
Divini assimilat capitis—Dat
inania verba,
Dat
fine mente sonum—
The reader will observe how exactly some of these verses suit with their allegorical application here to a plagiary: There seems to me a great propriety in this Episode, where such an one is imag'd by a phantom that deludes the grasp of the expecting Bookseller.
V. 35.
But such a bulk as no twelve bards.]
Virg.
12▪
Vix illud lecti bis sex—
Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus.
V. 54, &c. Something like this is in
Homer Il.
10.
ver.
220. of
Diomed.
Two different manners of the same author in his similies are also imitated in the two following; the first of the Bailiff is short, unadorn'd, and (as the Critics well know) from
familiar life;
the second of the Water-fowl more extended, picturesque, and from
rural life.
The 55th verse is likewise a literal translation of one in
Homer.
V. 56.
So take the hindmost Hell.]
Horace de Art.
Occupet extremum scabies; mihi turpe relinqui est.
V. 60.
On feet, and wings, and flies, and wades, and hops;
So lab'ring on, with shoulders, hands, and head.]
Milton, lib. 2.
—So eagerly the fiend
O'er bog, o'er steep, thro' strait, rough, dense or rare,
With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies.
V. 69.
Here fortun'd
Curl
to slide.]
Virg. Aen.
5. of
Nisus.
Labitur infelix, caesis ut forte juvencis
Fusus humum viridesque super madefecerat herbas—
Concidit, immundoque fimo, sacroque cruore.
V. 70.
And
Bernard! Bernard!]
Virg.
Ecl, 6.
—Ut littus, Hyla, Hyla, omne sonaret.
V. 79. See
Lucian
's
Icaro-Menippus;
where this fiction is more extended.
V. id.
A place there is, betwixt earth, air and seas.]
Ovid. Met. 12.
Orbe locus medio est, inter terrasque, fretumque,
Coelestesque plagas—
V. 88. Alludes to
Homer, Iliad.
5.
A stream of nectarous humour issuing flow'd,
Sanguin, such as celestial spirits may bleed.
Milton.
V. 89.
Cloacina.]
The
Roman
Goddess of the common-shores.
V. 93.
Oft as he fish'd,
&c.] See the preface to
Swift
and
Pope
's Miscellanies.
V. 96.
As oil'd with magic juices.]
Alluding to the opinion that there are ointments us'd by witches to enable them to fly in the air, &c.
V. 105.
Nor heeds the brown dishonours of his face.]
Virg. Aen.
5.
—faciem ostentabat, & udo
Turpia membra fimo—
V. 130.
A shapeless shade, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—Effugit imago,
Par levibus ventis, volucrique simillima somno.
V. 106.
His papers light, fly diverse, tost in air.]
Virg
6. of the Sybils leafs,
Carmina—turbata volent rapidis ludibria ventis.
The persons mention'd in the next line are some of those, whose writings, epigrams or jests he had own'd. See note on verse 46.
V. 133.
—piteous of his case,
Yet smiling at his ruful length of face.)
Virg. Aen. 5.
—Risit pater optimus illi.
Me liceat casum miserare insontis amici—
Sic fatus, Gaetuli tergum immane leonis, &c.
V. 143.
Himself among the storied chiefs he spies, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 1.
Se quoque principibus permixtum agnovit Achivis—
Consiitit & lacrymans. Quis jam locus, inquis, Achate!
Quae regio in terris nostri non plena laboris?
V. 148.
And the fresh vomit run for ever green.]
A parody on these of a late noble author.
His bleeding arm had furnish'd all their rooms,
And run for ever purple in the looms.
V. 150.
Two babes of love close clinging to her waste.]
Virg. Aen. 5.
Cressa genus, Pholoe, geminique sub ubere nati.
V. 155.
—
Yon
Juno—
With cow-like udders, and with ox like eyes.]
In allusion to
Homer
's
.
V. 157.
This
China
Jordan, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 5.
Tertius, Argolica hac galea contentus abito.
V. ibid.
This
China
Jordan.]
In the games of
Homer Il.
23. there are set together as prizes, a Lady and a Kettle; as in this place Mrs.
Haywood
and a Jordan. But there the preference in value is given to the
Kettle,
at which Mad.
Dacier
is justly displeas'd: Mrs.
H.
here is treated with distinction, and acknowledged to be the more valuable of the two.
V. 161.
This on his manly confidence relies, That on his vigour.]
Vir. Aen. 5.
—Ille melior motu, fretusque juventa,
Hic membris & mole valens.
V. 165.
So
Jove
's bright bow—Sure sign—]
The words of
Homer
of the Rainbow, in
Iliad
11.
que le fils de Saturn à fondez dans les nües, pour etre
dans tous les âges un signe à tous les mortels.
Dacier.
V. 173.
So, (fam'd like thee for turbulence and horns,)
Eridanus.]
Virgil
mentions these two qualifications of
Eridanus,
Geor.
4.
Et gemina auratus taurino
cornua
vultu,
Eridanus, quo non alius per pinguia culta
In mare purpureum
violentior
effluit amnis.
The Poets fabled of this river
Eridanus,
that it flow'd thro' the skies.
Denham, Cooper
's
Hill.
Heav'n her
Eridanus
no more shall boast,
Whose fame like thine in lesser currents lost,
Thy nobler stream shall visit
Jove
's abodes,
To shine among the stars, and bathe the Gods.
V. 215.
To move, to raise, &c.—Let others aim—'Tis yours to shake, &c.]
Virgil. Aen. 6.
Excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,
Credo equidem, vivos ducant e marmore vultus, &c.
Tu, regere imperio populos, Romane, memento,
Hoe tibi erunt artes—
V. 233.
—A Cat-call each shall win, &c.
Virg. Ecl. 3.
Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites,
Et vitula tu dignus, & hic—
V. 237. A
Simile
with a long tail, in the manner of
Homer.
V. 248.
—
bray back to him again.]
A figure of speech taken from
Virgil,
Et vox assensu nemorum ingeminata remugit.
Geor. 3.
He hears his num'rous herds low o'er the plain,
While neighb'ring hills low back to them again.
Cowley.
The poet here celebrated, Sir
R. B
delighted much in the word
Bray,
which he endeavour'd to ennoble by applying it to the sound of
Armour, War,
&c. In imitation of him, and strengthen'd by his authority, our author has here admitted it into Heroic poetry.
V. 250.
Prick all their ears up, and forget to graze.]
Virg. Ecl. 8.
Immemor herbarum quos est mirata juvenca.
The progress of the sound from place to place, and the scenary here of the bordering regions,
Tot'nam-fields, Chancery-lane,
the
Thames, Westminster-hall,
and
Hungerford▪ stairs,
are imitated from
Virg. Aen.
7. on the sounding the horn of
Alecto.
Audiit & Triviae longe lacus, audiit amnis
Sulphurea Nar albus aqua, fontesque Velini, &c.
V. 261.
The King of dykes! &c.]
Virg.
Fluviorum rex Eridanus,
—quo non alius, per pingvia culta,
In mare purpureum violentior influit amnis.
V. 281.
—and call on
Smedley
lost, &c.]
Lord
Roscommon
's translation of
Virgil
's 6th Eclog.
Alcides
wept in vain for
Hylas
lost,
Hylas
in vain resounds thro' all the coast.
V. 290.
Not everlasting
Blackmore.]
Virg. Aen. 5.
Nec bonus Eurytion praelato invidit honori, &c.
V. 302.
—in majesty of mud.]
Milton,
—in majesty of darkness round
Circled—
V. 305.
Greater he looks, and more than mortal stares.]
Virg. 6. of the Sybil.
—majorque videri
Nec mortale sonans—
V. 321.
How to the banks, &c.]
Virg, Ecl. 6.
Tum canit errantem Permessi ad flumina Gallum,
Utque viro Phoebi chorus assurexerit omnis;
Ut Linus haec illi divino carmine pastor,
Floribus atque apio crines ornatus amaro,
Dixerit, Hos tibi dant calamos, en accipe, Musae.
Ascraeo quos ante seni—&c.
V. 348.
The same their talents—Each prompt, &c.]
Virg. Ecl. 7.
Ambo florentes aetatibus, Arcades ambo,
Et certare pares, & respondere parati.
V. 350.
Smit with the love of sacred song—
Milt.
V. 352.
The heroes sit; the vulgar form a ring.]
Ovid. M. 13
Consedere duces, & vulgi stante corona.
V. 378.
O'er all the sea of heads.]
Blackm. Job.
A waving sea of heads was round me spread,
And still fresh streams the gazing deluge fed.
V. 386.
And all was bush'd, as Folly's self lay dead.]
Alludes to
Dryden
's verse in the
Indian Emperor,
All things are bush'd, as Nature's self lay dead.
THE DUNCIAD.
ARGUMENT to 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
Elyzian
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 bow 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
Pisgah-sight
of the promis'd Fulnefs of her Glory; the Accomplishment whereof will, in all probability, hereafter be the Theme of many other and greater Dunciads.
BUT in her Temple's last recess inclos'd,
On Dulness lap th' Anointed head repos'd.
Him close she curtain'd round with vapours blue,
And soft besprinkled with
Cimmerian
dew.
Then raptures high the seat of sense o'erflow,
Which only heads refin'd from reason know.
Hence, from the straw where
Bedlam
's Prophet nods,
He hears loud Oracles, and talks with Gods:
Hence the Fool's paradise, the Statesman's scheme,
The air-built Castle, and the golden Dream,
The Maid's romantic wish, the Chymist's flame,
And Poet's vision of eternal fame.
And now, on Fancy's easy wing convey'd,
The King descended to th'
Elyzian
Shade.
There, in a dusky vale where
Lethe
rolls,
Old
Bavius
sits, to dip poetic Souls,
And blunt the sense, and fit it for a scull
Of solid proof, impenetrably dull:
Instant when dipt, away they wing their flight,
Where
Brown
and
Mears
unbar the gates of Light,
Demand new bodies, and in Calf's array,
Rush to the world, impatient for the day.
Millions and millions on these banks he views,
Thick as the stars of night, or morning dews,
As thick as bees o'er vernal blossoms fly,
As thick as eggs at
Ward
in Pillory.
Wond'ring he gaz'd: When lo! a Sage appears,
By his broad shoulders known, and length of ears,
Known by the band and suit which
Settle
wore,
(His only suit) for twice three years before:
All as the vest, appear'd the wearers frame,
Old in new state, another yet the same.
Bland and familiar as in life, begun
Thus the great Father to the greater Son.
Oh born to see what none can see awake!
Behold the wonders of th' oblivious Lake.
Thou, yet unborn, hast touch'd this sacred shore;
The hand of
Bavius
drench'd thee o'er and o'er.
But blind to former, as to future Fate,
What mortal knows his pre-existent state?
Who knows how long, thy transmigrating soul
Might from
Boeotian
to
Boeotian
roll!
How many
Dutchmen
she vouchsaf'd to third?
How many stages thro' old Monks she rid?
And all who since, in mild benighted days,
Mix'd the Owl's ivy with the Poet's bays?
As man's maeanders to the vital spring
Roll all their tydes, then back their circles bring;
Or whirligigs, twirl'd round by skilful swain,
Suck the thread in, then yield it out again:
All nonsense thus, of old or modern date,
Shall in thee center, from thee circulate.
For this, our Queen unfolds to vision true
Thy mental eye, for thou hast much to view:
Old scehes of glory, times long cast behind
Shall first recall'd, rush forward to thy mind;
Then stretch thy sight o'er all her rising reign,
And let the past and future fire thy brain.
Ascend this hill, whose cloudy point commands
Her boundless empire over seas and lands.
See round the Poles where keener spangles shine,
Where spices smoke beneath the burning Line,
(Earth's wide extreams) her sable flag display'd;
And all the nations cover'd in her shade!
Far eastward cast thine eye, from whence the Sun
And orient Science at a birth begun.
One god-like Monarch all that pride confounds,
He, whose long wall the wand'ring
Tartar
bounds.
Heav'ns! what a pyle? whole ages perish there:
And one bright blaze turns Learning into air.
Thence to the south extend thy gladden'd eyes;
There rival flames with equal glory rise,
From shelves to shelves see greedy
Vulcan
roll,
And lick up all their Physic of the soul.
How little, mark! that portion of the ball,
Where, faint at best, the beams of Science sall:
Soon as they dawn, from
Hyperborean
skies,
Embody'd dark, what clouds of
Vandals
rise!
Lo where
Moeotis
sleeps, and hardly flows
The freezing
Tanais
thro' a waste of snows,
The North by myriads pours her mighty sons,
Great nurse of
Goths,
of
Alans,
and of
Huns.
See
Alaric
's stern port, the martial frame
Of
Genseric!
and
Attila
's dread name!
See, the bold
Ostrogoths
on
Latium
fall;
See, the fierce
Visigoths
on
Spain
and
Gaul.
See, where the morning gilds the palmy shore
(The soil that arts and infant letters bore)
His conqu'ring tribes th'
Arabian
prophet draws,
And saving Ignorance enthrones by Laws.
See Christians, Jews, one heavy sabbath keep;
And all the Western world believe and sleep.
Lo
Rome
her self, proud mistress now no more
Of arts, but thund'ring against heathen lore;
Her gray-hair'd Synods damning books unread,
And
Bacon
trembling for his brazen head;
Padua
with sighs beholds her
Livy
burn,
And ev'n the
Antipodes Vigilius
mourn.
See, the Cirque falls! th' unpillar'd Temple nods!
Streets pav'd with Heroes,
Tyber
choak'd with Gods!
Till
Peter
's keys some christen'd
Jove
adorn,
And
Pan
to
Moses
lends his pagan horn;
See graceless
Venus
to a Virgin turn'd,
Or
Phidias
broken, and
Apelles
burn'd.
Behold yon' Isle, by Palmers, Pilgrims trod,
Men bearded, bald, cowl'd, uncowl'd, shod, unshod,
Peel'd, patch'd, and pyebald, linsey-woolsey brothers,
Grave mummers! sleeveless some, and shirtless others.
That once was
Britain
—Happy! had she seen
No fiercer sons, had
Easter
never been.
In peace, great Goddess! ever be ador'd;
How keen the war, if Dulness draw the sword?
Thus visit not thy own! on this blest age
Oh spread thy Influence, but restrain thy Rage!
And see! my son, the hour is on its way,
That lifts our Goddess to imperial sway▪
This fav'rite Isle, long sever'd from her reign,
Dove like, she gathers to her wings again.
Now look thro' Fate! behold the scené she draws!
What aids, what armies, to assert her cause?
See all her progeny, illustrious sight!
Behold, and count them, as they rise to light.
As
Berecynthia,
while her offspring vye
In homage, to the Mother of the sky,
Surveys around her in the blest abode
A hundred sons, and ev'ry son a God:
Not with less glory mighty Dulness crown'd
Shall take thro'
Grubstreet
her triumphant round,
And her
Parnassus
glancing o'er at once,
Behold a hundred sons, and each a dunce.
Mark first that youth who takes the foremost place,
And thrusts his person full into your face.
With all thy father's virtues blest, be born!
And a new
Cibber
shall the Stage adorn.
A second see, by meeker manners known,
And modest as the maid that sips alone;
From the strong fate of drams if thou get free,
Another
Dursey, Ward!
shall sing in thee.
Thee shall each Ale-house, thee each Gill-house mourn,
And answ'ring Gin-shops sowrer sighs return!
Lo next two slip-shod Muses traipse along,
In lofty madness, meditating song,
With tresses staring from poetic dreams,
And never wash'd, but in
Castalia
's streams:
Haywood, Centlivre,
glories of their race!
Lo
Horneck
's fierce, and
Roome
's funeral face;
Lo sneering
Goode,
half malice and half whim,
A fiend in glee, ridiculously grim.
Jacob,
the scourge of Grammar, mark with awe,
Nor less revere him, blunderbuss of Law.
Lo
Bond
and
Foxton,
ev'ry nameless name,
All crowd, who foremost shall be damn'd to fame?
Some strain in rhyme; the Muses, on their racks,
Scream, like the winding of ten thousand Jacks:
Some free from rhyme or reason, rule or check,
Break
Priscian
's head, and
Pegasus
's neck;
Down, down they larum, with impetuous whirl,
The
Pindars,
and the
Miltons,
of a
Curl.
Silence, ye wolves! while
Ralph
to
Cynthia
howls,
And makes Night hideous—Answer him ye Owls!
Sense, speech, and measure, living tongues and dead,
Let all give way—and
Morris
may be read.
Flow
Welsted,
flow! like thine inspirer Beer,
Tho' stale, not ripe; tho' thin, yet never clear;
So sweetly mawkish, and so smoothly dull;
Heady, not strong; and foaming, tho' not full.
Ah
Dennis! Gildon
ah! what ill-starr'd rage
Divides a friendship long consirm'd by age?
Blockheads with reason wicked wits abhor,
But fool with fool is barb'rous civil war.
Embrace, embrace my sons! be foes no more!
Nor glad vile Poets with true Critics gore.
Behold yon Pair, in strict embraces join'd;
How like in manners, and how like in mind!
Fam'd for good nature,
Burnet,
and for truth;
Ducket
for pious passion to the youth.
Equal in wit, and equally polite,
Shall this a
Pasquin,
that a
Grumbler
write;
Like are their merits, like rewards they share,
That shines a Consul, this Commissioner.
"But who is he, in closet close y pent,
"Of sober face, with learned dust besprent?
Right well mine eyes arede the myster wight,
On parchment scraps y-fed, and
Wormius
hight.
To future ages may thy dulness last,
As thou preserv'st the dulness of the past!
There, dim in clouds, the poreing Scholiasts mark,
Wits, who like owls see only in the dark,
A Lumberhouse of books in ev'ry head,
For ever reading, never to be read!
But, where each Science lifts its modern type,
Hist'ry her Pot, Divinity his Pipe,
While proud Philosophy repines to show
Dishonest sight! his breeches rent below;
Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo
Henley
stands,
Tuning his voice, and balancing his hands.
How fluent nonsense trickles from his tongue!
How sweet the periods, neither said nor sung!
Still break the benches,
Henley!
with thy strain,
While
Kennet, Hare,
and
Gibson
preach in vain.
Oh great Restorer of the good old Stage,
Preacher at once, and
Zany
of thy age!
Oh worthy thou of
Aegypt
's wise abodes,
A decent priest, where monkeys were the gods!
But fate with butchers plac'd thy priestly stall,
Meek modern faith to murder, hack, and mawl;
And bade thee live, to crown
Britannia
's praise,
In
Toland
's,
Tindal
's, and in
Woolston
's days.
Yet oh my sons! a father's words attend:
(So may the fates preserve the ears you lend)
'Tis yours, a
Bacon
or a
Locke
to blame,
A
Newton
's Genius, or a
Milton
's flame:
But O! with one, immortal One dispense,
The source of
Newton
's Light, of
Bacon
's Sense!
Content, each Emanation of his fires
That beams on earth, each Virtue he inspires,
Each Art he prompts, each Charm he can create,
What-e'er he gives, are giv'n for you to hate.
Persist, by all divine in Man un-aw'd,
But learn, ye Dunces! not to scorn your GOD.
Thus he, for then a ray of reason stole
Half thro' the solid darkness of his soul;
But soon the cloud return'd—and thus the Sire:
See now, what Dulness and her sons admire!
See what the charms that smite the simple heart
Not touch'd by nature, and not reach'd by art.
He look'd, and saw a sable Sorc'rer rise,
Swift to whose hand a winged volume flies:
All sudden, Gorgons hiss, and dragons glare,
And ten-horn'd fiends and Giants rush to war.
Hell rises, Heav'n descends, and dance on Earth,
Gods, imps, and monsters, music, rage, and mirth,
A fire, a jig, a battle, and a ball,
Till one wide conflagration swallows all.
Thence a new world to Nature's laws unknown,
Breaks out refulgent, with a heav'n its own:
Another
Cynthia
her new journey runs,
And other planets circle other suns:
The forests dance, the rivers upward rise,
Whales sport in woods, and dolphins in the skies;
And last, to give the whole creation grace,
Lo! one vast Egg produces human race.
Joys fills his soul, joy innocent of thought:
What pow'r, he cries, what pow'r these wonders wrought?
Son! what thou seek'st is in thee. Look, and find
Each monster meets his likeness in thy mind.
Yet would'st thou more? In yonder cloud behold,
Whose sarcenet skirts are edg'd with flamy gold,
A matchless youth! His nod these worlds controuls,
Wings the red lightning, and the thunder rolls.
Angel of Dulness, sent to scatter round
Her magic charms o'er all unclassic ground:
Yon stars, yon suns, he rears at pleasure higher,
Illumes their light; and sets their flames on fire.
Immortal
Rich!
how calm he sits at ease
Mid snows of paper, and fierce hail of pease;
And proud his mistress' orders to perform,
Rides in the whirlwind, and directs the storm.
But lo! to dark encounter in mid air
New wizards rise: here
Booth,
and
Cibber
there:
Booth
in his cloudy tabernacle shrin'd,
On grinning dragons
Cibber
mounts the wind:
Dire is the conflict, dismal is the din,
Here shouts all
Drury,
there all
Lincolns-Inn;
Contending Theatres our empire raise,
Alike their labours, and alike their praise.
And are these wonders, Son, to thee unknown?
Unknown to thee? These wonders are thy own.
For works like these let deathless Journals tell,
"None but thy self can be thy parallel.
These, Fate reserv'd to grace thy reign divine,
Foreseen by me, but ah! with-held from mine.
In
Lud
's old walls tho' long I rul'd renown'd,
Far, as loud
Bow
's stupendous bells resound;
Tho' my own Aldermen conferr'd my bays,
To me committing their eternal praise,
Their full-fed Heroes, their pacific May'rs,
Their annual trophies, and their monthly wars:
Tho' long my Party built on me their hopes,
For writing pamphlets, and for roasting Popes;
(Diff'rent our parties, but with equal grace
The Goddess smiles on Whig and Tory race,
'Tis the same rope at several ends they twist,
To Dulness,
Ridpath
is as dear as
Mist.)
Yet lo! in me what authors have to brag on!
Reduc'd at last to hiss in my own dragon.
Avert it, heav'n! that thou or
Cibber
e'er
Should wag two serpent-tails in
Smithfield
fair.
Like the vile straw that's blown about the streets,
The needy Poet sticks to all he meets,
Coach'd, carted, trod upon, now loose, now fast,
And carry'd off in some Dog's tail at last.
Happier thy fortunes! like a rolling stone,
Thy giddy dulness still shall lumber on.
Safe in its heaviness, can never stray,
And licks up every blockhead in the way.
Thy dragons Magistrates and Peers shall taste,
And from each show rise duller than the last,
Till rais'd from Booths to Theatre, to Court,
Her seat imperial, Dulness shall transport.
Already Opera prepares the way,
The sure fore-runner of her gentle sway.
To aid her cause, if heav'n thou can'st not bend,
Hell thou shalt move; for
Faustus
is thy friend:
Pluto
with
Cato
thou for her shalt join,
And link the
Mourning-Bride
to
Proserpine.
Grubstreet!
thy fall should men and Gods conspire,
Thy stage shall stand, ensure it but from fire.
Another
Aeschylus
appears! prepare
For new abortions, all ye pregnant fair!
In flames, like
Semeles,
be brought to bed,
While opening hell spouts wild-fire at your head.
Now
Bavius
take the poppy from thy brow,
And place it here! here all ye heroes bow!
This, this is he, foretold by ancient rhymes:
Th'
Augustus,
born to bring Saturnian times:
Beneath his reign, shall
Eusden
wear the bays,
Cibber
preside, Lord-Chancellor of Plays.
Benson
sole judge of architecture sit,
And
Ambrose Philips
be preferr'd for wit!
While naked mourns the Dormitory wall,
And
Jones
and
Boyle
's united labours fall,
While
Wren
with sorrow to the grave descends,
Gay
dies unpension'd with a hundred friends,
Hibernian
politicks, O
Swift,
thy doom,
And
Pope
's translating three whole years with
Broome.
Proceed great days! till learning fly the shore,
Till birch shall blush with noble blood no more,
Till
Thames
see
Eton
's sons for ever play,
Till
Westminster
's whole year be holiday;
Till
Isis'
elders reel, their pupils sport;
And
Alma Mater
lye dissolv'd in port!
Signs following signs lead on the mighty year;
See! the dull stars roll round and re-appear.
She comes! the cloud-compelling Pow'r, behold!
With Night primaeval, and with Chaos old.
Lo! the great Anarch's ancient reign restor'd;
Light dies before her uncreating word.
As one by one, at dread
Maedea
's strain,
The sick'ning stars fade off th' aethereal plain;
As
Argus'
eyes, by
Hermes
wand opprest,
Clos'd one by one to everlasting rest;
Thus at her felt approach, and secret might,
Art after art goes out, and all is night.
See sculking Truth in her old cavern lye,
Secur'd by mountains of heap'd casuistry:
Philosophy, that touch'd the heav'ns before,
Shrinks to her hidden cause, and is no more:
See Physic beg the Stagyrite's defence!
See Metaphysic call for aid on sence!
See mystery to Mathematics fly!
In vain! they gaze, turn giddy, rave, and die.
Thy hand, great Dulness! lets the curtain fall,
And universal darkness buries all.
Enough! enough! the raptur'd monarch cries;
And thro' the Ivory gate the vision flies.
REMARKS on BOOK the THIRD.
V. 5, 6, &c.] Hereby is intimated that the following Vision is no more than the chimera of the 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 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 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. 3
d 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 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.
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 Southerrn 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.
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.
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 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.
V. 145.
Haywood, Centlivre]
See book 2.
V. 146.
Lo
Horneck
's fierce and
Roome
's,
&c.] 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; and one would 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.
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.
Goode.]
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, 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. 149.
Jacob,
the Scourge of Grammar, mark with awe; Nor less revere him Blunderbuss of Law]
There may seem some Error in these verses, Mr.
Jacob
having proved our Author to have a
Respect
for him, by this undeniable Argument.
"He had once a
Regard
for my
Judgment;
otherwise he would never have subscribed
Two Guineas
to me, for one small Book in Octavo."
[Jacob
's Letter to
Dennis,
in his Remarks on the
Dunciad, pag. 49.] Therefore I should think the Appellation of
Blunderbuss
to Mr.
Jacob,
like that of
Thunderbolt
to
Scipio,
was meant in his honour.
Mr.
Dennis
argues the same way.
"My writings having made great impression on the minds of all sensible men, Mr.
P—repented,
and to
give proof of his Repentance,
subscribed to my two volumes of select Works—and afterwards to my two volumes of Letters."
[Ibid.
pag. 40.] We should hence believe, the Name of Mr.
Dennis
hath also crept into this poem by some mistake. But from hence, gentle reader! thou may'st beware, when thou givest thy money to such Authors, not to flatter thy self that thy motives are good nature, or Charity.
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.
He ended at last in the common Sink of all such writers, a political Newspaper, to which he was recommended by his friend
Arnall,
and received a small pittance for pay.
V. 162.
Morris.]
Besaleel,
See Book 2. ver. 118.
V. 163.
Flow
Welsted, &c.]
Of this Author see the Remark on Book 2. v. 199. But (to be impartial) add to it the following different character of him.
Mr.
Welsted
had, in his youth, rais'd so great expectations of his future genius, that there was a
kind of struggle
between the most eminent in the two Universities,
which
should have the honour of his education? To
compound
this, he
(civilly)
became a member of both, and after having pass'd some time at the one, he removed to the other. From thence he return'd to town, where he became the
darling Expectation
of
all the
polite Writers, whose encouragement he acknowledg'd in his occasional poems, in a manner that
will make no small part of the Fame
of his protectors. It also appears, from his
Works,
that he was happy in the patronage of the most illustrious characters of the present age—Incourag'd by such a
Combination
in his favour, he—publish'd a book of poems, some in the
Ovidian,
some in the
Horatian
manner, in both which the most exquisit Judges pronounce he even
rival'd his masters
—His Love-verses have rescued that way of writing from contempt—In his Translations, he has given us the very soul and spirit of his author. His Ode—his Epistle—his Verses—his Love-tale—all, are the most
perfect things in all poetry,
&c. WELSTED of
Himself. Char. of the Times,
8vo. 1728.
pag.
23, 24.
V. 167.
Ab Dennis,
&c.]
The reader, who has seen thro' the course of these notes, what a constant attendance Mr.
Dennis
paid to our Author and all his works, may perhaps wonder he should be mention'd but twice, and so flightly touch'd, in this poem. But in truth he look'd upon him with some esteem, for having (more generously than all the rest)
set his Name
to such writings. He was also a very old man at this time. By his own account of himself in Mr.
Jacoh
's
Lives,
he must have been above threescore in the mayoralty of Sir
George Thorold
in 1720, and hath since happily lived ten years more. So that he is already senior to Mr.
Durfey,
who hitherto of all our Poets enjoy'd the longest Bodily life.
V.
Fam'd for good nature,
Burnet, &c. Ducket
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,
intitled
Homerides,
by Sir
Iliad Dogrel,
prtnted 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?
The Union of these two Authors gave occasion to this Epigram.
Burnet
and
Ducket,
friends in spite,
Came hissing forth in Verse;
Both were so forward, each would write,
So dull, each hung an A—
Thus
Amphisboena
(I have read)
At either end assails;
None knows which leads, or which is led,
For both Heads are but Tails.
V. 173.
Behold yon pair, in strict embraces join'd.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
Illae autem paribus quas fulgere cernis in armis,
Concordes animae—
And in the fifth,
Euryalus, forma insignis viridique juventa,
Nisus amore pio pueri.
V. 167
—
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 sine Lady—and, Sir, you have eight very sine 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."
DENNIS,
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
promife
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. 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.
I do herein agree with Mr.
H.
Little is it of avail to object, that such words are become
unintelligible.
since they are truly
English,
men
ought
to understand them; and such as are for
Uniformity
should think all alterations in a language,
strange, abominable,
and
unwarrantable.
Rightly therefore, I say again, hath our Poet used ancient words, and poured them forth as a precious ointment upon good old
Wormius
in this place.
SCRIBLERUS.
V. ibid.
Myster wight.]
uncouth mortal.
V. 188.
Wits, who like Owls,
&c.]
These few lines exactly describe the right verbal Critic: He is to his author as a Quack to his patients, the more they suffer and complain, the better he is pleas'd; like the famous Doctor of that sort, who put up in his bills,
He delighted in matters of difficulty.
Some body said well of these men, that their heads were
Libraries out of order.
V. 195.
—
Lo!
Henley
stands,
&c.]
J. Henly,
the Orator; he preach'd on the sundays upon Theological matters, and on the wednesdays upon all other sciences. Each auditor paid one shilling. He declaim'd some years unpunish'd against the greatest persons, and occasionally did our Author that honour. WELSTED, in Oratory Transactions, No. 1. published by
Henley
himself, gives the following account of him.
"He was born at
Melton Mowbray
in
Leicestershire.
From his own Parish school he went to St.
John
's College in
Cambridge.
He began there to be uneasy; for it
shock'd
him to find he was
commanded to believe
against his judgment in points of Religion, Philosophy, &c. for his genius leading him freely to
dispute all propositions,
and
call all points to account,
he was impatient under those fetters of the free-born mind.—Being admitted to Priest's orders, he found the examination very short and superficial, and that it was not
necessary to conform to the Christian Religion
in order either to
Deaconship
or
Priesthood.
"
He came to town, and after having for some years been a writer for Booksellers, he had an ambition to be so for Ministers of state, The only reason he did not rise in the Church we are told,
"was the envy of others, and a disrelish entertain'd of him, because
he was not qualify'd to be a compleat Spaniel.
"
However he offer'd the service of his pen, in one morning, to two great men of opinions and interests directly opposite; by both of whom being rejected, he set up a new Project, and stiled himself the
Restorer of ancient Eloquence.
He thought
"it as lawful to take a licence from the King and Parliament at one place, as another; at
Hick's hall,
as at
Doctors-Commons;
so set up his Oratory in
Newport-Market, Butcher-row."
There (says his friend) "he had the
assurance
to form a Plan which no mortal ever thought of; he had success against all opposition; challenged his adversaries to fair disputations, and
none would dispute with him;
writ, read and studied twelve hours a day; compos'd three dissertations a week on all subjects; undertook to teach in
one year
what Schools and Universities teach in
five;
was not terrify'd by menaces, insults or satires, but still proceeded, matured his bold scheme, and put the
Church
and
all that,
in
danger.
"
WELSTED,
Narrative,
in
Orat. Transact.
No. 1.
After having stood some Prosecutions, he turned his rhetoric to Buffoonry upon all publick and private occurrences. All this passed in the same room; where sometimes he broke jests, and sometimes that bread which he called the
Primitive Eucharist
—This wonderful person struck Medals, which he dispersed as Tickets to his subscribers: The device, a Star rising to the meridian, with this motto, AD SUMMA; and below, INVENIAM VIAM AUT FACIAM.
V. 208 Of
Toland
and
Tindal,
see book 2.
Tho. Woolston
was an impious madman, who wrote in a most insolent style against the Miracles of the Gospel; in the years 1726, &c.
V. 222.
But learn, ye Dunces! not to scorn your God.]
Virg. Aen.
6. puts this precept into the mouth of a wicked man, as here of a stupid one,
Discite justitiam moniti, & non temnere divos!
V. 229.
—
a sable Sorc'rer.]
Dr.
Faustus,
the subject of a sett of Farces, which lasted in vogue two or three seasons, in which both Play-houses strove to outdo each other in the Years 1726, 1727. All the extravagancies in the sixteen lines following were introduced on the Stage, and frequented by persons of the first quality in
England,
to the twentieth and thirtieth time.
V. 233.
Hell rises, Heav'n descends, and dance on earth.]
This monstrous absurdity was actually represented in
Tibbald
's
Rape of Proserpine.
V. 244.
Lo! one vast Egg.]
In another of these Farces
Harlequin
is hatch'd upon the stage, out of a large Egg.
V. 257.
Immortal
Rich.]
Mr.
John Rich,
Master of the Theatre in
Lincolns-Inn-Fields,
was the first that excell'd this way.
V. 262.
Booth
and
Cibber,
two of the managers of the Theatre in
Drury-Lane.
V. 272.
None but thy self can be thy parallel.]
A marvellous line of
Theobald;
unless the Play call'd the
Double Falshood
be (as he would have it believ'd)
Shakespear
's: But whether this line be his or not, he proves
Shakespear
to have written as bad, (which methinks in an author for whom he has a veneration almost
rising to idolatry,
might have been concealed) as for example,
Try what
Repentance
can: what can it not?
But what can it, when one cannot
repent?
—For
Cogitation
Resides not in the man who does not
think,
&c.
MIST'S JOURN.
But this last line is no man's nonsense but
Tibbald
's, as he might have found, had he read the Context—
—who does not think
My wife is slippery—
Cymbeline.
V. id.] The former Annotator seeming to be of opinion that the
Double Falshood
is not
Shakespear
's; it is but justice to give Mr.
Theobald
's Arguments to the contrary, in his preface to that play. First that the MS. was above sixty years old: secondly that once Mr.
Betterton
had it, or he hath heard so: thirdly, that somebody told him the author gave it to a bastard-daughter of his: but fourthly and above all,
"that he has a
great mind
every thing that is good in our tongue
should be
Shakespear
's.
"
I allow these reasons to be truly critical; but what I am infinitely concern'd at is, that so many Errors have escaped the learned Editor: a few whereof we shall here amend out of a much greater number, as an instance of our regard to this
dear relick.
ACT 1. SCENE 1.
I have his letters of a modern date,
Wherein by
Julio, good Camillo
's son
(Who as he says, [] shall follow hard upon,
And whom I with the growing hour [] expect)
He doth sollicit the return of gold,
To purchafe certain horse that
like him well.
This place is corrupted: the epithet
good
is a meer insignificant expletive, but the alteration of that single word restores a clear light to the whole context, thus,
I have his letters of a modern date,
Wherein, by
July,
(by
Camillo
's son,
Who, as he
saith,
shall follow hard upon,
And whom I with the growing hours expect)
He doth sollicit the return of gold.
Here you have not only the
Person
specify'd, by whose hands the return was to be made, but the most necessary part, the
Time
by which it was required.
Camillo
's son was to follow hard upon—what? why upon
July.—Horse
that
like him well,
is very absurd: Read it, without contradiction,
—
Horse, that
he likes well.
ACT 1. at the end.
—I must stoop to gain her,
Throw all my gay
Comparisons
aside
And turn my proud additions out of service:
Saith
Henriquez
of a maiden of low condition, objecting his high quality: What have his
Comparisons
here to do? Correct it boldly,
Throw all my gay
Caparisons
aside,
And turn my proud additions out of service.
ACT 2. SCENE 1.
All the verse of this Scene is confounded with prose.
—O that a man
Could reason down this
Feaver
of the blood,
Or sooth with
words
the tumult in his heart!
Then
Julio,
I might be
indeed
thy friend.
Read—this
fervor
of the blood,
Then
Julio,
I might be in
deed
thy friend.
marking the just opposition of deeds and words.
ACT 4. SCENE 1.
How his eyes
shake
fire!—said by
Violante,
observing how the lustful shepherd looks at her. It must be, as the sense plainly demands,
—How his eyes
take
fire!
And measure every piece of youth about me!
Ibid.
That, tho' I
wore disguises
for some
ends.
She had but one disguse, and wore it but for one end.
Restore it, with the alteration but of two letters,
That, tho' I
were disguised
for some
end.
ACT 4. SCENE 2.
—To oaths no more give credit,
To tears, to vows; false
both!
False Grammar I'm sure.
Both
can relate but to
two
things: And see! how easy a change sets it right?
To tears, to vows, false
troth
—
I could shew you that very word
Troth,
in
Shakespear
a hundred times.
Ib.
For there is nothing left thee now to look for,
That can bring
comfort,
but
a quiet grave.
This I fear is of a piece with
None but itself can be its parallel:
for the grave
puts an end
to all sorrow, it can then need no
comfort.
Yet let us vindicate
Shakespear
where we can: I make no doubt but he wrote thus,
For there is nothing left thee now to look for,
Nothing
that can bring
quiet,
but the grave.
Which reduplication of the word gives a much stronger emphasis to
Violante
's concern. This figure is call'd
Anadyplosis.
I could shew you a hundred just such in him, if I had nothing else to do.
SCRIBLERUS.
V. 280. Annual trophies, on the
Lord Mayor
's Day; and monthly wars, in the
Artillery Ground,
V. 281.
Tho' long my Party.]
Settle,
like most Partywriters, was very uncertain in his political principles. He was employ'd to hold the pen in the
Character
of a
Popish successor,
but afterwards printed his
Narrative
on the contrary side. He had manag'd the ceremony of a famous Pope-burning on
Nov.
17. 1680: then became a trooper in King
James
's army at
Hounslow-heath.
After the Revolution he kept a Booth at
Bartlemew-fair,
where in the Droll call'd St.
George for England,
he acted in his old age in a Dragon of green leather of his own invention. He was at last taken into the Charter-house, and there dyed, aged about 60 years.
V. 286.
To Dulness,
Ridpath
is as dear as
Mist.]
George Ridpath,
author for several years of the
Flying-Post,
a Whig-paper;
Nathaniel Mist,
publisher of the Weekly Journal, a Tory-paper.
V. 299.
Thy dragons Magistrates and Peers shall taste.]
It stood in the first edition with blanks,
Thy dragons ** and ***. Concanen
was sure
"they must needs mean no-body but
King GEORGE
and
Queen CAROLINE,
and said he would insist it was so, till the poet clear'd himself by filling up the blanks otherwise, agreeably to the context, and consistent with his
allegiance.
"
Pref. to a collection of verses, essays, letters, &c. against Mr.
P.
printed for
A. Moore,
pag. 6.]
V. 307.
—Faustus
is thy friend,
Pluto
with
Cato, &c.]
Names of miserable farces of
Tibbald
and others, which it was their custom to get acted at the end of the best tragedies, to spoil the digestion of the audience.
V. 310.
—
ensure it but from fire.]
In
Tibbald
's farce of
Proserpine
a corn-field was set on fire; where-upon the other playhouse had a barn burnt down for the recreation of the spectators. They also rival'd each other in showing the burnings of hell-fire, in Dr.
Faustus.
V. 311.
Another
Aeschylus
appears!
&c.]
It is reported of
Aeschylus,
that when his tragedy of the
Furies
was acted, the audience were so terrify'd that the children fell into fits, and the big-bellied women miscarried.
Tibbald
is translating this author: he printed a specimen of him many years ago, of which I only remember that the first note contains some comparison between
Promotheus
and
Christ crucisy'd.
V. 317.
Eusden wear the bays.]
See Book 1. verse 102. I have before observ'd something like
prophecy
in our author.
Eusden,
whom he here couples with
Cibber,
no sooner died but his place of Laureate was supply'd by
Cibber,
in the year 1730, on which was made the ensuing epigram.
In merry old
England
it once was a rule,
The King had his poet, and also his fool:
But now we're so frugal, I'd have you to know it,
That
Cibber
can serve both for fool and for poet.
V. 321.
Benson
sole judge of architecture sit.]
W—m Benson
(late surveyor of the buildings to his Majesty King
George
I.) gave in a report to the
Lords,
that their house and the painted chamber adjoining were in immediate danger of falling. Whereupon the Lords met in a committee, to appoint some other place to fit in, while the house should be taken down. But it being proposed to cause some other builders first to inspect it, they found it in very good condition. The Lords, upon this, were going upon an address to the King against
Benson,
for such a misrepresentation; but the Earl of
Sunderland,
then secretary, gave them an assurance that his Majesty would remove him, which was done accordingly. In favour of this man, the famous Sir
Christopher Wren,
who had been architect to the crown for above fifty years, who built most of the Churches in
London,
laid the first stone of St.
Paul
's, and lived to finish it, had been displac'd from his employment at the age of near ninety years.
V. 322.
And
Ambrose Philips.] He was (saith Mr. JACOB)
"one of the wits at
Button
's, and a justice of the peace."
But since he hath met with higher preferment in
Ireland:
and a much greater character we have of him in Mr.
Gildon
's compleat Art of poetry, v. 1. p. 157.
"Indeed he confesses, he dares not set him
quite on the same foot
with
Virgil,
lest it should
seem
flattery: but he is much mistaken if posterity does not afford him a
greater esteem
than he
at present enjoys.
"
He endeavour'd to create some mis-understanding between our author and Mr.
Addison,
whom also soon after he abused as much. His constant cry was, that Mr.
P.
was an
Enemy to the government;
and in particular he was the avowed author of a report very industriously spread, that he had a hand in a party-paper call'd the
Examiner:
A falshood well known to those yet living, who had the direction and publication of it.
Qui meprise
Cotin,
n'estime point son
Roy,
Et n'a, (selon
Cotin,)
ni Dieu, ni
Foy,
ni
Loy.
V. 323.
Dormitory wall.]
The dormitory in
Westminster
was a building intended for the lodging of the King's scholars; toward which a sum was left by Dr.
Edw. Hannes,
the rest was raised by contributions procured from several eminent persons by the interest of
Francis
late Bishop of
Rochester,
and Dean of
Westminster.
He requested the Earl of
Burlington
to be the Architect, who carry'd on the work till the bill against that learned prelate was brought in, which ended in his banishment. The shell being finished according to his design, the succeeding Dean and Chapter employ'd a common builder to do the inside, which is perform'd
accordingly.
V. 324.
And
Jones
and
Boyle
's united labours fall.]
At the time when this poem was written, the banqueting-house of
Whitehall,
the church and piazza of
Covent-garden,
and the palace and chappel of
Semerset-house,
the works of the famous
Inigo Jones,
had been for many years so neglected as to be in danger of ruin. The portico of
Covent-garden
church had been just then restor'd and beautify'd at the expence of the Earl of
Burlington;
who, at the same time, by his publication of the designs of that great Master and
Palladio,
as well as by many noble buildings of his own, revived the true taste of Architecture in this Kingdom.
V. 326.
Gay dies unpension'd,
&c.]
See Mr.
Gay
's fable of the
Hare
and
Many Friends.
This gentleman was early in the friendship of our author, which continued to his death. He wrote several works of humour with great success, the
Shepherd's Week, Trivia,
the
What-d'ye-call-it, Fables,
and lastly, the celebrated
Beggars Opera;
a piece of satire which hit all tastes and degrees of men, from those of the highest quality to the very rabble: That verse of
Horace
Primotes populi arripuit, populumque tributim,
could never be so justly applied as to this. The vast success of it was unprecedented, and almost incredible: What is related of the wonderful effects of the ancient music or tragedy hardly came up to it:
Sophocles
and
Euripides
were less follow'd and famous. It was acted in
London
sixty-three days, uninterrupted; and renew'd the next season with equal applauses. It spread into all the great towns of
England,
was play'd in many places to the 30th, and 40th time, at
Rath
and
Bristol
50, &c. It made its progress into
Wales, Scotland,
and
Ireland,
where it was performed 24 days together It was lastly acted in
Minorca.
The fame of it was not confin'd to the author only; the ladies carry'd about with 'em the favourite songs of it in fans; and houses were furnish'd with it in screens. The person who acted
Polly,
till then obscure, became all at once the favourite of the town; her
pictures
were ingraved and sold in great numbers; her
life
written; books of
letters
and
verses
to her publish'd; and pamphlets made even of her
sayings
and
jests.
Furthermore, it drove out of
England
for that season the
Italian Opera,
which had carry'd all before it for ten years: That idol of the Nobility and the people, which the great Critic Mr.
Dennis
by the labours and outcries of a whole life could not overthrow, was demolish'd by a single stroke of this gentleman's pen. This remarkable period happen'd in the year 1728. Yet so great was his modesty, that he constantly prefixed to all the editions of it this motto,
Nos haec novimus esse nibil.
V. 327.
Hibernian
politicks,
O Swift!
thy doom.]
See book 1. vers. 24.
V. 328.
And
Pope
's translating three whole years with
Broome.]
He concludes his irony with a stroke upon himself; For whoever imagines this is a sarcasm on the other ingenious person, is surely mistaken. The opinion our author had of him was sufficiently shown, by his joining him in the undertaking of the
Odyssey:
in which Mr.
Broome
having ingaged without any previous agreement, discharged his part so much to Mr.
Pope
's satisfaction, that he gratified him with the full sum of
Five hundred pounds,
and a present of all those books for which his own interest could procure him Subscribers, to the value of
One hundred more.
The author only seems to lament, that he was so long imploy'd in translation.
V. 337, &c.
She comes! the cloud-compelling pow'r, behold!
&c.]
Here the muse, like
Jove
's eagle, after a sudden stoop at ignoble game, soareth again to the skies. As prophecy hath ever been one of the chief provinces of poesy, our poet here foretells from what we feel, what we are to fear; and in the style of other prophets, hath used the future tense for the preterit: since what he says shall be, is already to be seen, in the writings of some even of our most adored authors, in divinity, philosophy, physics, metaphysics, &c. (who are too good indeed to be named in such company.) Do not gentle reader, rest too secure in thy contempt of the instruments for such a revolution in learning, or despise such weak agents as have been described in our poem, but remember what the
Dutch
stories somewhere relate, that a great part of their provinces was once over-flow'd, by a small opening made in one of their dykes by a single
water-rat.
However, that such is not seriously the judgment of our poet, but that he conceiveth better hopes from the diligence of our schools, from the regularity of our universities, the discernment of our great men, the encouragement of our patrons, and the genius of our writers in all kinds, (notwithstanding some few exceptions in each) may plainly be seen from his conclusion; where by causing all this vision to pass thro' the
Ivory gate,
he expresly in the language of poesy declares all such imaginations to be wild, ungrounded, and fictitious.
SCRIBLERUS.
V. 347.
Truth in her old cavern lye.]
Alludes to the saying of
Democritus,
that truth lay at the bottom of a deep well.
V. 8.
Hence from the straw where Bedlam's Prophet nods,
He hears loud Oracles, and talks with Gods.
Virg. Aen. 7.
Et varias audit voces, fruiturque deorum
Colloquio—
V. 15.
There in a dusky vale, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—Videt Aeneas in valle reducta
Seclusum nemus—
Lethaeumque domos placidas qui praenatat amnem, &c.
Hunc circum innumerae gentes, &c.
V. 16.
Old
Bavius
sits, to dip poetic souls.]
Alluding to the story of
Thetis
dipping
Achilles
to render him impenetrable.
At pater Anchises penitus convalle virenti
Inclusas animas, superumque ad lumen ituras,
Lustrabat—
Virg. Aen. 6.
V. 20.
Unbar the gates of Light.]
Milton.
V. 23.
Millions and millions—Thick as the stars, &c.]
Virg. 6.
Quam multa in sylvis autumni frigore primo
Lapsa cadunt folia, aut ad terram gurgite ab alto
Quam multae glomerantur aves, &c.
V. 46.
Mix'd the Owl's Ivy with the Poet's Bays.]
Virg. Ec. 8.
—fine tempora circum
Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros.
V. 53.
For this, our Queen unfolds to vision true
Thy mental eye, for thou hast much to view.]
This has a resemblance to that passage in
Milton, l.
11. where the Angel
To nobler sights from
Adam
's eye remov'd
The film; then purg'd with Euphrasie and Rue
The visual nerve
—For he had much to see.
There is a general allusion in what follows to that whole Episode.
V. 110.
Happy—had
Easter
never been.]
Virg. Ecl. 6.
Et fortunatam, si nunquam armenta fuissent.
V. 119, 121.
Now look thro' Fate—See all her Progeny—&c.
Virg. Aen. 6.
Nunc age, Dardaniam prolem quae deinde sequatur
Gloria, qui maneant Itala de gente nepotes,
Illustres animas, nostrumque in nomen ituras,
Expediam.
V. 123.
As
Berecynthia, &c.]
Virg. ib.
Felix prole virum, qualis Berecynthia mater
Invehitur curru Phrygias turrita per urbes,
Laeta deum partu, centum complexa nepotes,
Omnes coelicolas, omnes supera alta tenentes.
V. 131.
Mark first the youth, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
Ille vides, pura juvenis qui nititur hasta,
Proxima sorte tenet lucis loca.—
V. 133.
With all thy Father's virtues blest, be born!]
A manner of expression used by
Virgil, Ecl.
8.
Nascere! praeque diem veniens, age Lucifer—
As also that of
patriis virtutibus.
Ecl. 4.
V 137.
From the strong fate of drams if thou get free, &c.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—si qua fata aspera rumpas,
Tu Marcellus eris!—
V. 139.
Thee shall each Ale-house, &c.]
Aen. 7.
Te nemus Angitiae, vitreâ te Fucinus unda,
Te liquidi flevere lacus.
Virgil
again,
Ecl.
10.
Illum etiam lauri, illum flevere myricae, &c.
V. 150.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—duo fulmina belli
Scipiadas, cladem Lybiae!
V. 163.
Flow
Welsted,
flow!
&c.]
Parody on
Denham, Cooper's Hill.
O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream
My great example, as it is my theme.
Tho' deep, yet clear; tho' gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without rage; without o'erflowing, full.
V. 171.
Embrace, embrace my Sons! be foes no more.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—Ne tanta animis assuescite bella,
Neu patriae validas in viscera vertite vires:
Tuque prior, tu parce—sanguis mous!—
V. 181.
But who is he,
&c.]
Virg. Aen. 6. questions and answers in this manner, of
Numa,
Quis procul ille autem ramis insignis olivae
Sacra ferens?—nosco crines, incanaque menta, &c.
V. 240.
And other planets.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
—solemque suum, sua sydera norunt.
V. 242.
Whales sport in woods, and dolphins in the skies.]
Hor.
Delphinum sylvis appingit, fluctibus aprum.
V. 247.
Son! what thou seek'st is in thee.]
Quod petis in te est—Ne te quaesiveris extra.
Pers.
V. 252.
Wings the red lightning, &c.]
Like
Sasmoneus in
Aen. 6.
Dum flammas Jovis, & sonitus imitatur olympi.
—nimbos, & non imitabile fulmen,
Aere & cornipedum cursu simularat Equorum.
V. 254.
—
o'er all unclassic ground.]
alludes to Mr.
Addison
's verse in the praises of
Italy,
Poetic fields incompass me around,
And still I seem to tread on Classic ground.
As verse 260 is a Parody on a noble one of the same Author in the
Campaign;
and verse 255, 256. on two sublime verses of Dr.
Y.
V. 283-84.
—With equal grace
Our Goddess smiles on Whig and Tory race.]
Virg. Aen. 10.
Tros Rutulusve fuat, nullo discrimine habebo.
—Rex Jupiter omnibus idem.
V. 305.
—If heav'n thou canst not bend,
Hell thou shalt move—]
Virg. Aen. 7.
Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.
V. 315
—
Like
Semeles—]
See
Ovid, Met. 3.
V. 317.
This, this is he, foretold by ancient rhymes, Th'
Augustus,
&c.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
Hic vir, hic est! tibi quem promitti saepius audis,
Augustus Caesar, divum genus; aurea condet
Saecula qui rursus Latio, regnata per arva
Saturno quondam—
Saturnian
here relates to the age of
Lead,
mention'd book 1.
ver. 26.
V. 329.
Proceed great days.]
Virg. Ecl. 4.
—Incipiunt magni procedere menses.
V. 343.
As
Argus'
eyes by
Hermes
wand opprest.]
Ovid. Met. 2.
Et quamvis sopor est oculorum parte receptus,
Parte tamen vigilat—Vidit Cyllenius omnes
Succubuisse oculos, &c.
ibid.
V. 358.
And thro' the Ivory gate the vision flies.]
Virg. Aen. 6.
Sunt geminae somni portae; quarum altera fertur
Cornea, qua veris facilis datur exitus umbris;
Altera, candenti perfecta nintens elephanto,
Sed falsa ad coelum mittunt insomnia manes.
FINIS.
By the Author A DECLARATION.
W HEREAS certain Haberdashers of Points and Particles, being instigated by the Spirit of Pride, and assuming to themselves the Name of Criticks and Restorers▪ have taken upon them to adulterate the common and current Sense of out Glorious Ancestors, Poets of this Realmes by clipping, coyning, defacing the Images, or mixing their own base Allay, or otherwise falsifying the same, which they publish, utter, and vend as genuine: The said Haberdashers having no Right thereto▪ as neither Heirs; Executors, Administrators, Assigns, or in any sort Related to such Poets, to all, or any of Them: Now we, having carefully revised this our Dunciad beginning with the word Books, and ending with the word fli
s▪ containing the entire Sum of one thousand and twelve Lines, do declare every Dord, Figure, Point, and Comma of this Impression to be Authentic: And do therefore strictly enjoin and forbid any Person or Persons whatsoever, to erase, reverse, put between hooks, or by any other means directly or indirectly change or mangle any of them. And we do hereby earnestly exhort all our Brethren to follow This our Example, which we heartily wish our Great Predecessors had heretofore set, as a Remedy and Prevention of all such Abuses. Provided always, that nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to limit the lawful and undoubted Right of every Subject of this Realme, to judge, censure, or condemn, in the whole or in part, any Poem or Poet whatsoever.
Given under our hand at
London,
this third day of
January,
in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred thirty and two.
Declarat' cor'-me. JOHN BARBER, Mayor.
INDEX OF PERSONS celebrated in this POEM.
A.
AMBROSE Philips i. 103. iii. 322
Alaric iii. 83
Attila iii. 84
B.
BLACKMORE,
Sir
Richard. i. 102. ii. 249
Besaleel, Morris, ii. 118 iii,
Banks i. 250
Blome i. 126
Bond ii. 118. iii. 151
Brown iii. 20
Budgel,
Esq
ii. 367
Bentley, Thomas ii. 197.
Boyer, Abel, ii. 383
Breval (J. Durant) ii. 118, and 232
Bavius. iii 16
Burnet, Thomas,
Esq
iii 174, 175.
Benson, Will.
Esq
ili. 321
Boeotians. iii. 43
Bruin and Bears. i. 99
C.
CAXTON, Will, i. 129
Curll, Edm. i. 38 ii. 3, 54, 161, &c.
Cook, Tho. ii. 130. and 287
Concanen, Matthew.
ibid.
Centlivre, Susannah. ii.
iii. 145
Cibber, Colly. i. 240 iii. 32
Chi-hoamti Emperor of
China.
iii. 67
D.
DANIEL, Defoe. i. 101. ii. 139
Dennis, John. i. 104 ii. 233, iii. 167
Ducket, George,
Esq
iii. 175
Dunton, John. ii. 136
Durfey. iii. 138.
Dutchmen. iii. 43.
E.
EUSDEN (Laurence,) i. 102 iii. 319
Eliza, Haywood, ii. 149, and iii. 145
F.
FLECKNO, Richard. ii. 2
Foxton iii. 151
G.
GILDON, Charles. i. 250. iii. 167
Goths iii. 83
Goode, Barn. iii.
7
H.
HOLLAND, Philemon. i. 134
Horneck, Philip. iii. 146
Haywood, Eliza. ii. 149, &c. iii. 145
Howard, Edward. i. 250
Henley, John,
the Orator.
ii. 2. iii. 195, &c.
Huns. iii. 82.
I.
JOHNSON, Charles. i. 240
Jacob, Giles iii. 149
L.
LINTOT, Bernard. i. 38. ii. 49.
King Log. i. 260
Laurus. ii. 395
M.
MORE (James) ii. 46, &c.
Morris (Besaleel) ii. 118 iii, 161.
Mist, Nathaniel. i. 194. iii. 286
Milbourn, Luke. ii. 327
Mahomet. iii. 89.
Mears, W. ii. 117. iii. 20
Motteux, Peter. ii. 384
Monks. iii. 44
N.
NORTON de Foe. ii. 233, and 385
Naso ii. 384
Namby Pamby. iii. 322
O.
OGILBY, John, i. 121
Oldmixon, John, ii. 271.
Ozell, John, i. 240
Ostrogoths. iii. 85
Omar,
the Caliph.
iii. 73
Owls. i. 35. iii. 160
P.
PRYNN, William, i. 101
Philips, Ambrose, i. 103. iii. 322
Q
QUARLES, Francis, i. 126
Querno, Camillo. ii. 11
Roper, Abel, ii. 141.
R.
RALPH, James. iii. 159
Roome, Ed. iii. 146
Ridpath, George, ii. 141. iii. 286.
S.
SETTLE, Elkanah. i. 88, 185. iii. 27.
Smedley (Jonathan) ii. 281, &c.
Shadwell, Tho. ii. 326
Scholiasts i. 159
T.
THEOBALD, Lewis-
passim.
Tutchin, John. ii. 140
Toland, John. ii. 369. iii. 208
Tindal,
Dr.
ii. 369. iii. 208
Taylor, John,
the Water Poet.
ii. 325
U
VANDALS. iii. 78
Visigoths. iii. 86.
W.
WITHERS, George. i. 126
Wynkin de Werde. i. 129
Ward, Edward, i. 200. iii. 26. 138
Warner, Tho. ii. 117
Wilkins,
ibid.
Welsted, Leonard. ii. 199 295 iii. 163
Woolston, Tho. iii. 210
Wormius. iii. 184
INDEX OF THE AUTHORS of the NOTES.
MR. Winstanley,
Mr. Giles Jacob,
Authors of Lives of Poets.
Book
i. Verse 121, 122, 126, 134
—B. i, v. 104, 106, 200,
240. ii. 201, 367. iii. 149.
Mr.
Edm. Curl, b. i. v. 48, 240. ii. 46, 66, 116, 149, 370. iii. 26.
Mr
Charles Gildon, ii. 258, 134, iii. 322.
Mr.
Lewis Theobald, b. i. v. 48, 104, 106, 129, 162, 221. ii. 177. iii. 28
Mr.
John Dennis, b. i. v. 61, 88, 104, 106, 162, ii. 111, 134, 258, 295, 382. iii. 16.
Mr.
Mist,
Publisher of the Journal,
b. i. v. 106, 129. ii. 134.
Flying-Post, b. ii. 383.
London Journal, b. ii. and iii.
Daily Journal, b. i. 61, &c.
Mr
Jonathan Smedley, b. ii. 130, 295.
Mr.
John Oldmixon, b. i. 102. iii. 319.
Mr.
J. Ralph, b. i. v. 1, 28, 31. ii. 111.
Mr.
Welstede, b. iii. 16, 195.
The learned
Martinus Scriblerus,
and others,
passim.
APPENDIX.
I.
PREFACE
prefix'd to the five first imperfect Editions of the
DUNCIAD,
printed at
Dublin
and
London,
in
Octavo
and
Duod.
The Publisher.]
Who he was is uncertain; but
Edward Ward
tells us in his preface to
Durgen,
"that most judges are of opinion this preface is not of
English
extraction but
Hibernian,
&c."
He means Dr.
Swift,
who whether publisher or not, may be said in a sort to be author of the poem: For when he, together with Mr.
Pope,
(for reasons specify'd in the preface to their Miscellanies) determin'd to own the most trifling pieces in which they had any hand, and to destroy all that remain'd in their power, the first sketch of this poem was snatch'd from the fire by Dr.
Swift,
who persuaded his friend to proceed in it, and to him it was therefore inscribed. But the occasion of printing it was as follows.
There was publish'd in those Miscellanies, a Treatise of the
Bathos,
or
Art of Sinking in Poetry,
in which was a chapter, where the species of bad writers were rang'd in classes, and initial letters of names prefix'd for the most part at random. But such was the number of poets eminent in that art, that some one or other took every letter to himself. All fell into so violent a fury, that for half a year or more the common Newspapers (in most of which they had some property, as being hired writers) were filled with the most abusive falshoods and scurrilities they could possibly devise: A liberty no ways to be wonder'd at in those people, and in those papers, that, for many years, during the uncontrolled license of the press, had aspersed almost all the great characters of the age, and this with impunity, their own persons and names being utterly secret and obscure. This gave Mr.
Pope
the thought, that he had now some opportunity of doing good, by
and dragging into light these common enemies of mankind; since to invalidate this universal slander, it sufficed to shew what contemptible men were the authors of it. He was not without hopes, that by manifesting the dullness of those who had only malice to recommend them, either the booksellers would not find their account in employing them, or the men themselves, when discovered, want courage to proceed in so unlawful an occupation. This it was that gave birth to the
Dunciad,
and he thought an happiness, that by the late flood of slander on himself, he had acquired such a peculiar right over their names as was necessary to his design.
The
PUBLISHER
to the
READER.
IT will be found a true observation, tho' somewhat surprizing, that when any scandal is vented against a man of the highest distinction and character, either in the State or in Literature, the publick In general afford it a most quiet reception; and the arger part accept it as favourably as if it were some kindness done to themselves: whereas if a known scoundrel or blockhead but chance to be touch'd upon, a whole legion is up in arms, and it becomes the common cause of all Scriblers, Booksellers, and Printers whatsoever.
Not to search too deeply into the reason hereof, I will only observe as a fact, that every week for these two months past, the town has been persecuted with
Pamphlets, Advertisements,
&c.] See the list of these anonymous papers, with their dates and authors thereunto annexed, in the third article of this Appendix.
. pamphlets, advertisements, letters, and weekly essays, not only against the wit and writings, but against the character and person of Mr.
Pope.
And that of all those men who have received pleasure from his works, which by modest computation may be about a
About a hundred thousand.]
It is surprizing with what stupidity this preface, which is almost a continued irony, was taken by those authors. This passage among others they understood to be serious.
. hundred thousand in these Kingdoms of
England
and
Ireland;
(not to mention
Jersey, Guernsey,
the
Orcades,
those in the New world, and Foreigners who have translated him into their languages) of all this number, not a man hath stood up to say one word in his defence.
The only exception is the
The Author of the following Poem,
&c.] A very plain irony, speaking of Mr.
Pope
himself.
. author of the following poem, who doubtless had either better insight into the grounds of this clamour, or better opinion of Mr.
Pope
's integrity, join'd with a greater personal love for him, than any other of his numerous friends and admirers.
Further, that he was in his peculiar intimacy, appears from the knowledge he manifests of the most private authors of all the anonymous pieces against him, and from his having in this poem attacked
The publisher in these words went a little too far: but it is certain whatever names the reader finds that are unknown to him, are of such: and the exception is only of two or three, whose dulness or scurrility all mankind agreed to have justly entitled them to a place in the
Dunciad.
. no man living, who had not before printed, or published, some scandal agaist this gentleman.
How I came possest of it, is of no concern to the reader; but it would have been a wrong to him had I detain'd this publication: since those names which are its chief ornaments die off daily so fast, as must render it too soon unintelligible If it provoke the author to give us a more perfect edition, I have my end.
Who he is I cannot say, and (which is great pity) there is certainly
There is certainly nothing in his Style,
&c.] This irony had small effect in concealing the author. The
Dunciad,
imperfect as it was, had not been publish'd two days, but the whole town gave it to Mr.
Pope.
. nothing in his style and manner of writing which can distinguish or discover him: For if it bears any resemblance to that of Mr.
Pope,
'tis not improbable but it might be done on purpose, with a view to have it pass for his. But by the frequency of his allusions to
Virgil,
and a labour'd (not to say affected)
shortness
in imitation of him, I should think him more an admirer of the
Roman
poet than of the
Grecian,
and in that not of the same taste with his friend.
I have been well inform'd, that this work was the labour of full
The labour of full six years,
&c.] This also was honestly and seriously believ'd, by divers of the gentlemen of the
Dunciad. J. Ralph,
pref. to
Sawney,
"We are told, it was the labour of six years, with the utmost assiduity and application: It is no great compliment to the author's sense to have employ'd so large a part of his life, &c."
So also
Ward,
pref. to
Durgen,
"The
Dunciad,
as the publisher very wisely confesses, cost the author six years retirement from all the pleasures of life, tho' it is somewhat difficult to conceive, from either its bulk or beauty, that it could be so long in hatching, &c. But the length of time and closeness of application were mention'd to prepossess the reader with a good opinion of it."
They just as well understood what
Scriblerus
said of this poem.
. six years of his life, and that he wholly retired himself from all the avocations and pleasures of the world, to attend diligently to its correction and perfection; and six years more he intended to bestow upon it, as it should seem by this verse of
Statius
which was cited at the head of his manuscript,
Oh mihi bissenos multum vigilata per annos,
The prefacer to
curl
's
Key
took this word to be really in
Statius.
"By a quibble on the word
Duncia.
the
Dunciad
is formed,"
pag.
3. Mr.
Ward
also follows him in the same opinion.
. Duncia.
Hence also we learn the true title of the Poem; which with the same certainty as we call that of
Homer
the
Iliad,
of
Virgil
the
Aeneid,
of
Camoens
the
Lusiad,
of
Voltaire
the
The Henriad.]
The
French
poem of
Monsieur Voltaire,
entitled
La Henriade,
had been publish'd at
London
the year before.
.
Henriad,
we may pronounce could have been, and can be no other, than
The DUNCIAD.
It is styled
Heroic,
as being
doubly
so; not only with respect to its nature, which according to the best rules of the ancients, and strictest ideas of the moderns, is critically such; but also with regard to the heroical disposition and high courage of the writer, who dar'd to stir up such a formidable, irritable, and implacable race of mortals.
The time and date of the Action is evidently in the last reign, when the office of City poet expir'd upon the death of
Elkanah Settle,
and it is fix'd to the Mayoralty of Sir
Geo. Thorold.
But there may arise some obscurity in Chronology from the
names
in the poem, by the inevitable removal of some authors, and insertion of others, in their niches. For whoever will consider the unity of the whole design, will be sensible, that the
Poem was not made for these Authors, but these Authors for the Poem:
I should judge that they were clapp'd in as they rose, fresh and fresh, and chang'd from day to day; in like manner as when the old boughs wither, we thrust new ones into a chimney.
I would not have the reader too much troubled or anxious, if he cannot decypher them; since when he shall have found them out, he will probably know no more of the persons than before.
Yet we judg'd it better to preserve them as they are, than to change them for fictitious 'names, by which the satire would only be multiplied and applied to many instead of one. Had the Hero, for instance, been called
Codrus,
how many would have affirm'd him to have been Mr.
W.
Mr.
D.
Sir
R. B,
&c. but now all that unjust scandal is saved by calling him
Theobald,
which by good luck happens to be the name of a real person.
I am indeed aware, that this name may to some appear too mean for the Hero of an Epic Poem: But it is hoped, they will alter that opinion, when they find, that an author no less eminent than
la Bruyere
has honour'd him with frequent mention, and thought him worthy a place in his characters.
Voudriez vous,
THEOBALDE,
que je crusse que vous etes baisse? que vous n' etes plus Poete, ni bel esprit? que vous etes presentement auss: mauvais Juge de tout genre d'Ouvrage, que mechant Auteur? Votre air libre & presumtueux me rassure, & me persuade tout la contraire, &c.
Characters, Vol. I.
de la Societe & de la Conversation, &c.
II.
A
LIST
of Books, Papers, and Verses, in which our Author was abused, before the publication of the
Dunciad:
With the true Names of the Authors.
REFLECTIONS critical and satirical on a late Rhapsody call'd an Essay on Criticism by Mr.
Dennis,
printed for
B. Lintot,
price 6
d.
A new Rehearsal, or Bays the Younger, containing an Examen of Mr.
Rowe
's plays, and a word or two on Mr.
Pope
's Rape of the Lock. Anon. [by
Charles Gildon]
printed for
J. Roberts,
1714, price 1
s.
Homerides, or a letter to Mr.
Pope,
occasion'd by his intended translation of
Homer.
By Sir
Iliad Dogrel. [Tho. Burnet
and
G. Ducket,
Esquires] printed for
W. Wilkins,
1715, price 9
d.
Aesop at the Bear-garden. A vision in imitation of the Temple of Fame. By Mr.
Preston.
Sold by
John Morphew
1715, price 6
d.
The Catholick Poet, or Protestant
Barnaby
's Sorrowful Lamentation, a Ballad about
Homer
's
Iliad,
by Mrs.
Centlivre
and others, 1715, price 1
d.
An Epilogue to a Puppet-show at
Bath,
concerning the said
Iliad,
by
George Ducket,
Esq
printed by
E. Curl.
A compleat Key to the What-d'ye-call it. Anon. By
Griffin
a Player, supervis'd by Mr.
Th
—, printed by
J. Roberts
1715.
A true Character of Mr.
Pope
and his writings, in a letter to a friend, Anon.
[Dennis]
printed for
S. Popping
1716, price 3
d.
The Confederates, a Farce. By
Joseph Gay [J. D. Breval]
printed for
R. Burleigh,
1717, price 1
s.
Remarks upon Mr.
Pope
's translation of
Homer,
with two letters concerning the Windsor Forest and the Temple of Fame. By Mr.
Dennis.
Printed for
E. Curl,
1717, price 1
s.
6
d.
Satires on the translators of
Homer,
Mr.
P.
and Mr.
T.
Anon.
Bez. Morris,
1717, price 6
d.
The Triumvirate, or a letter from
Palaemon
to
Celia
at
Bath.
Anon.
[Leonard Welsted]
price 1
s.
1711. Folio.
The Battle of Poets, a heroic poem. By
Tho. Cooke.
Printed for
J. Roberts,
Folio, 1725.
Memoirs of
Lilliput,
Anon. [Mrs.
Elizabeth Heywood,]
8vo. printed 1727.
An Essay on Criticism, in Prose, by the Author of the Critical History of
England [J. Oldmixon]
8vo. printed 1728.
Gulliveriana
and
Alexandriana.
With an ample preface and critique on
Swift
and
Pope
's Miscellanies. By
Jonathan Smedley.
Printed by
J. Roberts,
8vo. 1728. Advertised before the publication of the Dunciad in the Daily Journal,
April
13, 1728.
Characters of the Times, or an account of the writings, characters, &c. of several gentlemen libell'd by
S
—and
P
—in a late Miscellany, 8vo. 1728.
Remarks on Mr.
Pope
's Rape of the Lock, in Letters to a Friend. By Mr.
Dennis.
Written in 1724, tho' not printed till 1728, 8vo.
Verses, Letters, Essays or Advertisements, in the publick Prints.
British Journal, Nov.
25, 1727. A Letter on
Swift
and
Pope
's Miscellanies. [Writ by
M. Concanen.]
Daily Journal, March
18, 1728. A Letter by
Philomauri. James Moore Smyth.
Id. March
29. A Letter about
Thersites,
accusing the author of disaffection to the Government, by
James Moore Smyth.
Mist
's
Weekly Journal, March
30. An Essay on the Arts of a Poet's sinking in reputation, or a supplement to the Art of sinking in Poetry [supposed by Mr.
Theobald.]
Daily Journal, April
3. A Letter under the name of
Philoditto,
by
James Moore Smyth.
Flying Post, April
4. A Letter against
Gulliver
and Mr.
P.
[by Mr.
Oldmixon.]
Daily Journal, April
5. An Auction of Goods at
Twickenham,
by
James Moore Smyth.
Flying Post, April
6. A Fragment of a Treatise upon
Swift
and
Pope,
by Mr.
Oldmixon.
The
Senator, April
9. On the same, by
Edward Roome.
Daily Journal, April
8. Advertisement, by
James Moore Smyth.
Flying Post, April
13, Verses against Dr.
Swift,
and against Mr.
P
—'s
Homer,
by
J. Oldmixon.
Daily Journal, April
23, Letter about a translation of the character of
Thersites
in
Homer,
by
Thomas Cooke,
&c.
Mist
's
Weekly Journal, April
27. A Letter of
Lewis Theobald.
Daily Journal, May
11. A Letter against Mr.
P.
at large,
Anon. John Dennis.
All these were afterwards reprinted in a pamplet entitled, A collection of all the Verses, Essays, Letters and Advertisements occasion'd by Mr
Pope
and
Swift
's Miscellanies, prefaced by
Concanen,
Anonymous, 8vo. and printed for
A. Moore,
1728, price 1
s.
Others of an elder date, having lain as waste paper many years, were upon the publication of the
Dunciad
brought out, and their Authors betray'd by the mercenary Booksellers (in hope of some possibility of vending a few) by advertising them in this manner—
"The Confederates, a Farce, by Capt.
Breval,
(for which he is put into the
Dunciad.)
An Epilogue to
Powel
's Puppet-show, by Col.
Ducket,
(for which he is put into the
Dunciad.)
Essays. &c. by Sir
Richard Blackmore.
NB. It is for a passage of this book that Sir
Richard
was put into the
Dunciad.
"
And so of others.
After the
DUNCIAD, 1728.
An Essay on the
Dunciad,
8vo. printed for
J. Roberts.
[In this book,
pag.
9. it was formally declared
"That the complaint of the aforesaid Libels and Advertisements was forged and untrue, that all mouths had been silent except in Mr.
Pope
's praise, and nothing against him publish'd, but by Mr.
Theobald.]
"
Sawney, in blank verse, occasioned by the
Dunciad:
with a critique on that poem, by
J. Ralph,
[a person never mentioned in it at first, but inserted after] printed for
J. Roberts,
8vo.
A compleat Key to the Dunciad, by
E. Curl,
120. price 6
d.
A second and third edition of the same, with additions, 120.
The Popiad, by
E. Curl,
extracted from
J. Dennis,
Sir
R. Blackmore,
&c. 120. price 6
d.
The Curliad, by the same
E. Curl.
The Female Dunciad, collected by the same Mr.
Curl,
120. price 6
d.
With the Metamorphosis of
P.
into a stinging Nettle, by Mr.
Foxton,
120.
The Metamorphosis of
Scriblerus
into
Snarlerus,
by
J. Smedley,
printed for
A. Moore,
folio, price 6
d.
The Dunciad dissected, by
Curl,
and Mrs.
Thomas,
120.
An Essay on the Taste and Writings of the present times, said to be writ by a gentleman of
C. C. C. Oxon,
printed for
J. Roberts,
8vo.
The Arts of Logick and Rhetoric, partly taken from
Bouhours,
with new Reflections, &c. by
John Oldmixon,
8vo.
Remarks on the Dunciad, by Mr.
Dennis,
dedicated to
Theobald,
8vo.
A Supplement to the Profund,
Anon.
by
Matthew Concanen.
8vo.
Mist
's
Weekly Journal, June
8. A long Letter sign'd
W. A.
writ by some or other of the Club of of
Theobald, Dennis, Moore, Concanen, Cooke,
who for some time held constant weekly meetings for these kind of performances.
Daily Journal, June
11. A Letter sign'd
Philoscriberus,
on the name of
Pope.
—Letter to Mr.
Theobald
in verse, sign'd
B. M. [Bezaleel Morris]
against Mr.
P
—. Many other little Epigrams about this time in the same papers, by
James Moore
and others.
Mist
's
Journal, June
22. A Letter by
Lewis Theobald.
Flying Post, August
8. Letter on
Pope
and
Swift.
Daily Journal, August
8. Letter charging the Author of the Dunciad with Treason.
Durgen.
A plain satire on a pompous satireist, by
Edward Ward,
with a little of
James Moore.
Apollo
's Maggot in his Cups, by
E. Ward.
Gulliveriana Secunda,
Being a collection of many of the Libels in the News-papers, like the former Volume under the same title, by
Smedley.
Advertis'd in the
Craftsman, November
9, 1728, with this remarkable promise, that
"
any thing
which
any body
should send as Mr.
Pope
's or Dr.
Swift
's, should be inserted and published as Theirs."
Pope Alexander
's Supremacy and Infallibility examined, &c. 4to. By
George Ducket
and
John Dennis.
Dean
Jonathan
's Paraphrase on the 4th Chapter of
Genesis.
Writ by
E. Room,
fol. 1729.
Labeo,
a paper of Verses by
Leonard Welsted,
which after came into
One Epistle,
and was published by
James Moore,
4to. 1730. Another part of it came out in
Welsted
's own name in 1731, under the just Title of
Dulness and Scandal,
fol.
Verses on the Imitator of
Horace,
by a Lady [or between a Lady, a Lord, and a Court Squire] Printed for
J. Roberts,
fol. 1733.
An Epistle from a Nobleman to a Dr. of Divinity, from
Hampton Court.
[Lord
H—y]
Printed for
J. Roberts
also, fol. 1733.
III.
A PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF Mr. DRYDEN and Mr. POPE. As drawn by certain of their Cotemporaries.
Mr. DRYDEN. His POLITICKS, RELIGION, MORALS.
MR.
Dryden
is a mere Renegado from Monarchy, Poetry, and good Sense
Milbourn
on
Dryden
's
Virgil,
8vo. 1698, p. 6.
. A true Republican Son of a monarchical Church
pag. 38.
. A Republican Atheist
pag. 192.
. Dryden was from the beginning an
, and I doubt not will continue so to the last
pag. 8.
.
IV.
A PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF Mr. DRYDEN and Mr. POPE.
Mr. DRYDEN. His POLITICKS, RELIGION, MORALS.
MR.
Pope
is an open and mortal Enemy to his Country, and the Commonwealth of Learning
Dennis,
Remarks on the Rape of the Lock, pref. p. 12.
. Some call him a Popish Whig, which is directly inconsistent
Dunciad dissected.
.
Pope
as a Papist must be a Tory and High-Flyer
Preface to
Gulliveriana.
. He is both a Whig and a Tory
Denn.
Character of Mr.
P.
.
In the Poem call'd
Absalom
and
Achitophel
are notoriously traduced, The KING, the QUEEN, the LORDS and GENTLEMEN, not only their Honourable Persons exposed, but the whole NATION and its REPRESENTATIVES notoriously libell'd; It is
Scandalum Magnatum,
yea of MAJESTY itself
Whip and Key, 4to. printed for
R. Janeway
1682. Preface.
.
He looks upon God's Gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful Purveyor
Ibid.
. His very Christianity may be questioned
Milbourn,
p. 9.
. He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his own Reflections on others
Ibid.
p. 175.
. With as good a right as his Holiness, he sets up for Poetical Infallibility
pag. 39.
.
Mr. DRYDEN only a Versifyer.
His whole Libel is all bad matter, beautify'd (which is all that can be said of it) with good metre
Whip and Key, Pref.
. Mr.
Dryden
's Genius did not appear in any thing more than his Versification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only, is a question?
Oldmixon,
Essay on Criticism, p. 84.
m Milbourn,
pag. 2.
Mr. DRYDEN's VIRGIL.
Tonson
calls it
Dryden
's
Virgil,
to show that this is not that
Virgil
so admir'd in the
Augustaean
age, but a
Virgil
of another stamp, a silly, impertinent, nonsensical Writer
m.
None but a
Bavius,
a
Mcevius,
or a
Batbyllus
carp'd at
Virgil,
and none but such unthinking He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one Party in their own Sentiments
Theobald,
Letter in
Mist
's
Journal, June
22, 1728.
.
In his Miscellanies, the Persons abused are, The KING, the QUEEN, His late MAJESTY, both Houses of PARLIAMENT, the Privy-Council, the Bench of BISHOPS, the Establish'd CHURCH, the present MINISTRY, &c. To make sense of some passages, they must be constru'd into ROYAL SCANDAL
List, at the end of a Collection of Verses, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo. Printed for
A. Moore,
1728, and the Preface to it, pag. 6.
.
He is a Popish Rhymester, bred up with a Contempt of the Sacred Writings
Dennis
's Remarks on
Homer,
p. 27.
. His Religion allows him to destroy Hereticks, not only with his pen, but with fire and sword; and such were all those unhappy Wits whom he sacrificed to his accursed Popish Principles
Preface to
Gulliveriana,
p. 11.
. It deserved Vengeance to suggest, that Mr.
Pope
had less Infallibility than his Namesake at
Rome
Dedication to the Collection of Verses, Letters, p. 9.
.
Mr. POPE only a Versifyer.
The smooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit
Mist
's
Journal
of
June
8, 1728.
. It must be own'd that he hath got a notable Knack of rhymeing, and writing smooth verse
Character of Mr.
P.
and
Dennis
on
Homer.
.
Vermin admire his Translator
Pag. 35.
. It is true, soft and easy lines might become
Ovid
's Epistles or Art of Love—But
Virgil
who is all great and majestic, &c. requires strength of lines, weight of words, and closeness of expressions, not an ambling Muse running on Carpet-ground, and shod as lightly as a
Newmarket
racer—He has numberless faults in his Author's meaning, and in propriety of expression
Pag. 22, and 192.
.
Mr. DRYDEN understood no
Greek
or
Latin.
Mr.
Dryden
was once, I have heard, at
Westminster
School: Dr.
Busby
would have whipt him for so childish a Paraphrase
Milbourn, p. 72.
The meanest Pedant in
England
would whip a Lubber of twelve for construing so absurdly
Pag. 203.
. The Translator is mad, every line betrays his Stupidity
Pag. 78.
. The faults are innumerable, and convince me that Mr.
Dryden
did not, or would not understaad his Author
Pag. 206.
. This shows how fit Mr.
D.
may be to translate
Homer!
A mistake in a single letter might fall on the Printer well enough, but
for
must be the error of the Author. Nor had he art enough to correct it at the Press
Pag. 19.
. Mr.
Dryden
writes for the Court Ladies.—He writes for the Ladies, and not for use
Pag. 124, 190.
.
The Translator puts in a little Burlesque now and then into
Virgil,
for a Ragout to his cheated Subscribers
Pag. 67.
.
Mr. POPE'S HOMER.
The
Homer
which
Lintot
prints, does not talk like
Homer,
but like
Pope;
and he who translated him one would swear had a Hill in
Tipperary
for his
Parnassus,
and a puddle in some Bog for his Hippocrene
Dennis
's Remarks on
Pope
's
Homer,
p 12
. He has no Admirers among those that can distinguish, discern, and judge
Ibid.
.
He hath a knack at smooth verse, but without either Genius or good sense, or any tolerable knowledge of
English.
The qualities which distinguish
Homer
are the beauties of his Diction and the Harmony of his Versification—But this little Author who is so much in vogue, has neither sense in his Thoughts, nor
English
in his Expressions
Character of Mr.
P.
p. 17. and Remarks on
Homer,
p. 91.
.
Mr. POPE understood no
Greek.
He hath undertaken to translate
Homer
from the
Greek,
of which he knows not one word, into
English,
of which he understands as little
Dennis
's Remark's on
Homer,
p. 12.
. I wonder how this Gentleman would look should it be discover'd, that he has not translated ten verses together in any book of
Homer
with justice to the Poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow-writers with not understanding
Greek
Daily Journal of
April
23, 1728. Supplement to the Profund. Pref.
. He has stuck so little to his Original, as to have his knowledge in
Greek
call'd in question
r.
I should be glad to know which it is of all
Homer
's Excellencies which has so delighted the Ladies, and the Gentlemen who judge like Ladies?
s Oldmixon,
Essay on Criticism, p. 66.
Mr. DRYDEN trick'd his Subscribers.
I wonder that any man who could not but be conscious of his own unfitness for it, should go to amuse the learned world with such an undertaking! A man ought to value his Reputation more than Money; and not to hope that those who can read for themselves, will be imposed upon, merely by a partially and unseasonably-celebrated Name
Pag. 192.
.
Poetis quidlibet audendi
shall be Mr.
Dryden
's Motto, tho' it should extend to Picking of Pockets
Ibid. p. 125.
.
Names bestow'd on Mr. DRYDEN.
An APE] A crafty Ape drest up in a gaudy gown—Whips put into an Ape's paw, to play pranks with—None but Apish and Papish Brats will heed him. Whip and Key, Pref.
An ASS.] A Camel will take upon him no more burden than is sufficient for his strength, but there is another Beast that crouches under all: Mr.
Dryden, &c. Milb.
p. 105.
A FROG.] Poet Squab indued with Poet
Maro
's Spirit! an ugly, croaking kind of Vermine, which would swell to the bulk of an Oxe, p. 11.
A COWARD.] A
Clinias
or a
Damaetas,
or a man of Mr.
Dryden
's own Courage, p. 176.
A KNAVE.] Mr.
Dryden
has heard of
Paul,
the Knave of Jesus Christ: And if I mistake not, I've read somewhere of
John Dryden,
Servant to his Majesty, p. 57.
A FOOL.] Had he not been such a self-conceited Fool—Whip and Key, pref. Some great Poets are positive Blockheads.
Milbourn,
p. 34.
A THING.] So little a Thing as Mr.
Dryden.
Ibid. p. 35.
But he has a notable talent at Burlesque; his genius slides so naturally into it, that he hath burlesqu'd
Homer
without designing it
Dennis
's Remarks, p. 28.
.
[Mr. POPE trick'd his Subscribers.
'Tis indeed somewhat bold, and almost prodigious, for a single man to undertake such a work! But 'tis too late to dissuade by demonstrating the madness of the Project. The Subscribers expectations have been rais'd in proportion to what their Pockets have been drain'd of
Burnet Homerides,
p. 1, &c.
.
Pope
has been concern'd in Jobs, and hired out his Name to Booksellers
British Journal, Nov.
25, 1727.
.
Names bestow'd on Mr. POPE.
An APE.] Let us take the initial letter of his christian name, and the initial and final letters of his surname,
viz.
A. P. E. and they give you the same Idea of an Ape, as his face, &c.
Dennis,
Daily Journal,
May
11, 1728.
An ASS.] It is my duty to pull off the Lion's skin from this little Ass.
Dennis
's Rem. on
Homer.
pref.
A FROG.] A squab short Gentleman—a little creature that like the Frog in the Fable, swells and is angry that it is not allow'd to be as big as an Oxe.
Dennis
's Remarks on the Rape of the Lock, pref. p. 9.
A COWARD.] A lurking way-laying coward. Char. of Mr.
P.
pag. 3.
A KNAVE.] He is one whom God and nature have mark'd for want of common honesty.
Ibid.
A FOOL.] Great Fools will be christen'd by the names of great Poets, and
Pope
will be call'd
Homer. Dennis
's Rem. on
Homer,
p. 37.
A THING.] A little abject Thing.
Ibid.
p. 8.
INDEX To the DUNCIAD
Of THINGS (including AUTHORS) to be found in the NOTES, &c. The first Number denotes the BOOK, the second the VERSE. Pro. Prolegomena.
A.
ADDISON (Mr.) written against with vehemence, by J. Dennis. Book ii. Verse 271. Railed at by A. Philips. iii. 320.
Abused by J. Oldmixon, in his Prose-Essay on Criticism, &c. ii. 271
—by J. Ralph, in a London Journal, iii. 159
—Celebrated by our Author—Upon his Discourse of Medals—In his Prologue to Cato—and in this Poem. ii. 132
False Facts concerning him and our Author related by anonymous Persons in Mist's Journals, &c. Pro. p. 75, 76
—Disprov'd by the Testimonies of
—The Earl of Burlington,
—Mr. Tickel,
—Mr. Addison himself.
Anger, one of the Characteristics of Mr. Dennis's Critical Writings, i. 104
—Affirmation, another: Pro. p. 71
[To which are added by Mr. Theobald, Ill-nature, Spite, Revenge, i. 104.]
Altar of Tibbald's Works, how built, and how founded? i. 135, &c.
Aeschylus, how long he was about him, i. 120.
—In what respect like him, iii. 309
Asses, at a Citizen's gate in a morning, ii. 237
Appearances, that we are never to judge by them, especially of Poets and Divines, ii. 393
Alehouse, The Birth-place of many Poems, i. 202
—And of some Poets, ii. 130
—One kept by Taylor the Water-poet, ii. 323
—and by Edward Ward, i. 200
B.
BAVIUS, Book iii. verse 16. Mr. Dennis his great opinion of him, ibid.
Bawdry, in Plays, not disapprov'd of by Mr.
Dennis,
iii. 176
BLACKMORE, (Sir Rich.) his Impiety and Irreligion, proved by Mr. Dennis, ii. 256
—His Quantity of Works, and various Opinions of them.—His abuse of Mr. Dryden and Mr. Pope, ib.
Bray, a word much beloved by Sir Richard, ii. 248
Braying, described, ii. 243.
Birch, by no means proper to be apply'd to young Noblememen, iii. 328
BROOME, (Rev. Mr. Will.) His Sentiments of our Author's Virtue, Pro.
—Our Author's of his abilities, iii. 326
—And how he rewarded them,
ib.
Billingsgate-language, how to be used by learned Authors, ii. 134
BOND, BEZALEEL, BREVAL, not living Writers, but Phantoms, ii. 118
Booksellers, how they run for a Poet, ii. 27, &c.
Bailiffs, how Poets run from them, ii. 57
C.
Cardinal Virtues of Dulness, Book i. Verse 45 to 50
Cave of Poverty, a Poem of Tibbald, commended by Mr. Giles Jacob, i. 106. Its extraordinary Conclusion, i. 226
COOKE, (Tho.) abused Mr. Pope's moral Character, ii. 130
CONCANEN (Mat.) one of the Authors of the Weekly Journals, ii. 287. Oblig'd to Dr
Swift,
and writ scurrilously of him, ibid.
—Declar'd that when this Poem had Blanks, they meant Treason, iii. 297
—Of opinion that Juvenal never satiriz'd the Poverty of Codrus, ii. 136
Criticks, verbal ones, must have two Postulata allowed them, ii. 1
Cat-calls, ii. 223
CURL, Edm. His Panegyric, ii. 54
—His Corinna, and what she did, 66
—His Prayer 75.—Like Eridanus, 176
—Much favour'd by Cloacina, 93, &c.
—Tost in a Blanket and whipped,
ib.
—Pillory'd, ii. 3
D.
Dispensary of Dr.
Garth,
Book ii. Verse 132
Daniel de Foe, in what resembled to Will. Prynn, i. 101
DENNIS (John) His Character of himself, i. 104
—Senior to Mr. Durfey, iii. 167
—Esteem'd by our Author, and why,
ib.
—His Love of Puns, i. 61
—And Politicks, i. 104. ii. 271
—His great Loyalty to King George how prov'd, i. 104
A great Friend to the Stage—and to the State, ii. 381
How he proves that none but Nonjurors and disaffected Persons writ against Stage-plays,
ibid.
—His respect to the Bible and Alcoran,
ibid.
—His Excuse for Obscenity in Plays, iii. 176.
—His mortal fear of Mr. Pope, founded on Mr. Curl's assurances, i. 104
—Of opinion that he poyson'd Curl,
ib.
—His Reason why Homer was, or was not in debt, ii. 111.
—His Accusations of Sir R. Blackmore,
—As no Protestant, ii. 256
—As no Poet,
ibid.
—His wonderful Dedication to George Ducket,
Esq
iii. 176
Drams, dangerous to a Poet, iii. 137
Double-Falsehood, a Play publish'd by Tibbald, iii. 270
—A famous Verse of it,
ibid.
—How plainly prov'd by him to be Shakespear's,
ibid.
—But grievous Errors committed by him in the Edition: A Specimen of 'em,
ibid.
Dedicators, ii. 189, &c.
Dunciad, how to be correctly spell'd, i. 1
—How it came to be written, App. No. 1. Note p. 177
—How long in writing, various Opinions thereof,
ibid.
p. 179
Dulness, the Goddess; her Griginal and Parents, i. 9. Her ancient Empire, 14. Her cardinal Virtues, 45, &c. Her Idaeas, Productions, and Creation, 53, &c. Her Survey and Contemplation of her Works, 77, &c. And of her Children, 93. Their uninterrupted Succession, 96, &c. to 110. What Nations in special manner favour'd by her, 156. Her Scholiasts, Commentators, &c. 159 to 172. Her beloved Seat in the City, i. 30. The Crisis of her Empire there at Settle's death, 88, 185. Her appearance to Tibbald, 217. She manifests to her Works, 227, &c. Anoints him, 241, &c. Institutes Games for her Sons ii. 15, &c. How useful in Business i. 147. How beneficent to Man 151. The manner how she makes a Wit ii. 43. A great Lover of a Joke 30—And loves to repeat the same over again 114. Her ways and means to procure the Pathetick and Terrible in Tragedy 218, &c. Incourages Chattering and Bawling 223, &c. And is Patroness of Party-writing and railing 263. Makes use of the heads of Criticks as Scales to weigh the heaviness of Authors 335. Promotes Slumber, with the Works of the said Authors
ibid.
The wonderful Virtue of sleeping in her Lap iii. 5, &c. Her Elyzium 15, &c. The Souls of her Sons dipt in Lethe
ibid.
How brought into the world? 20. Their Transfiguration and Metemsychosis 41. The Extent and Glories of her Empire, at large, in Book iii. Her Conquests throughout the World, 60 to 100. A Catalogue of her present Forces in this Nation,
to the end.
E.
EUSDEN (Laurence) i. 102. iii. 317
Tax'd by Oldmixon with Nonsense i. 102
—by Curl with Ebriety ii. 393.
—Defended from the Charge of Libelling ii. 279
Ears: Some people advis'd how to preserve them iii. 210
F.
FALSEHOODS, told of our Author in Print.
Of his taking Verses from James Moore, Pro. p. 76
And of his intending to abuse Bishop Burnet, p. 77,
ibid.
By John Dennis, of his really poisoning Mr. Curl ii. 104
And of contempt for the sacred Writings ii. 256
By Edward Ward, of his being bribed by a Dutchess to satirize Ward of Hackney in the pillory iii. 26
By Mist's Journalists, of unfair proceeding in the Undertaking of the Odyssey and Shakespear, Pro. p. 74
—Disprov'd by the testimony of the Lords, Harcourt and Bathurst, 75,
ibid.
—By Tho. Cook, of the same, ii. 130
By Mist's Journalists, concerning Mr. Addison and him, two or three Lies, Pro. p. 73 and 75
By Pasquin, of his being in a Plot, iii. 146
By Sir Richard Blackmore, of his burlesquing Scripture, upon the authority of Curl ii. 256
Mac Fleckno, not so decent and chaste in the Diction as the Dunciad ii. 71
Friendship, understood by Mr. Dennis to be somewhat else, in
Nisus & Euryalus,
&c. iii. 176
Furius, Mr. Dennis call'd so by Mr. Theobald i. 104
Fleet-ditch ii. 258. Its Nymphs 308. Smedley's Discoveries there
ibid.
G.
Good nature of our Author; Instances of it in this work i. 41, 258. ii. 285.
Good Sense, Grammar, and Verse, desired to give place, for the sake of Mr. Bez. Morris and his Works iii. 161
GILDON (Charles) abused our Author in many things, Pro. p. 68, 85. i. 250
—Printed against Jesus Christ i 250
GILDON and DENNIS, their unhappy Difference lamented iii. 167
Gentleman, his Hymn to his Creator, by Welsted iii. 199
H.
HORACE, censured by Mr. Welsted, Pro. p. 69
—Did not know what he was about when he wrote his Art of Poetry,
ibid.
Called Flaccus by Tibbald, and why? i. 189
HENLEY (John the Orator). His Tub and Eucharist ii. 2. His History iii. 195. His Offer to Sir R. W. and the Hon. Mr. P—
ibid.
His Opinion of Ordination and Christian Priesthood
ibid.
His Medals
ibid.
HAYWOOD (Mrs.) What sort of Game for her ii. 155. Won by Curl 182. Her great Respect for him 149. The Offspring of her Brain and Body, according to Curl)
ibid.
Not undervalued by being set against a Jordan 159
H—Y, (Lord) impatiently expected by Mr.
Edw. Howard
i. 251
Hints, extraordinary ones? ii. 256
HORNECK and ROOME, two Party-Writers iii. 146
I.
JOHNSON (Charles) abused Dr. Arb. Mr. Gay and Mr. P. in a Prologue, i. 240
—Personally abused by Curl and others for his fatness
ibid.
Impudence, celebrated in Mr. Curl ii. 178
—in Mr. Norton de Foe ii. 383
—in Mr. Cibber iii. 131.
—in Mr. Henley iii. 195
L.
Lord-Mayors-Show, i. 85
Library of Tibbald i. 120
Lud (King) ii. 332
Log (King) i. verse
ult.
Lintot (Bernard) ii. 42
M.
MOORE (James) His Story of six Verses, and of ridiculing Bishop Burnet in the
Memoirs of a Parish-Clerk,
prov'd false, by the Testimonies of
—The Lord Bolingbroke, Pro. p. 77
—Hugh Bethel,
Esq
ibid.
—Earl of Peterborough,
ibid.
—Dr. Arbuthnot,
ibid.
—His Plagiarisms, some few of them,
ibid.
and ii. 108. What he was real Author of (beside the Story above-mentioned)
Vide List of scurrilous Papers in the Appendix,
No. 3.
Erasmus, his advice to him ii. 46
MILBOURNE, a fair Critic, and why? ii. 325
Madness, of what sort Mr. Dennis's was, according to Plato i. 104
—According to himself iii. 174
May-pole in the Strand, turn'd into a Church, ii. 24
MORRIS, (Besaleel) iii. 162
N.
NORTON DE FOE, a scandalous Writer ii. 385
Nodding, described ii. 359
O.
OLDMIXON (John) abused Mr. Addison and Mr. Pope ii. 271. Falsify'd Daniel's History, then accused others of falsifying Lord Clarendon's; proved a Slanderer in it,
ibid.
—Mr. Eusden and my Lord Chamberlain i. 102
Odyssey, Falsehood's concerning Mr. P's. Proposals for that Work, Pro. p. 75
—Disprov'd by the Right Honourable the Lord Bathurst
ibid.
—And by those very Proposals
ibid.
Owls and Opium i. 35.
Opiates, two very considerable ones ii. 238. Their Efficacy 358, &c.
Owls, desired to answer Mr.
Ralph
iii 160
P.
Pope (Mr.) his Life] Educated by Jesuits—by a Parson—by a Monk—at St. Omers—at Oxford—at home—no where at all. Pro. p. 68. His Father a Merchant, a Husbandman, a Farmer, a Hatter, the Devil,
ibid.
—His Death threaten'd by D. Smedley,
ibid.
p. 81. but afterwards advis'd to hang himself or cut his Throat,
ibid.
To be hunted down like a wild Beast, by Mr. Theobald
ibid.
unless hang'd for Treason on Information of Pasquin, Mr. Dennis, Mr. Curl, and Concanen,
ibid.
Poverty, never to be mention'd in Satire, in the opinion of the Journalists and Hackney Writers—The Poverty of Codrus, not touch'd upon by Juvenal ii. 136. When, and how far Poverty may be satirized, Letter p. 8. Whenever mention'd by our Author, it is only as an Extenuation and Excuse for bad Writers ii. 270
Personal abuses not to be endur'd, in the opinion of Mr. Dennis, Theobald, Curl, &c. ii. 134
Personal abuses on our Author by Mr. Dennis, Gildon, &c.
ibid.
Pro.—By Mr. Theobald, Pro. p. Notes.—By Mr. Ralph iii. 159.—By Mr. Welsted ii. 199.—By Mr. Ch. Johnson i. 240—By Mr. Cooke ii. 130.—By Mr. Concanen iii. 297.—By Sir Richard Blackmore ii. 256.—By Edw. Ward iii. 26.—And their Brethren,
passim.
Personal abuses on others] Mr. Theobald of Mr. Dennis for his Poverty i. 104. Mr. Dennis of Mr. Theobald for his Livelihood by the Stage and the Law. i. 106. Mr. Dennis of Sir Richard Blackmore for Impiety ii. 256. D. Smedley o▪ Mr. Concanen ii. 130. Mr. Oldmixon's of M. Eusden. i. 102—Of Mr. Addison ii. 271 Mr. Cook's of Mr. Eusden i. 102.
Politicks, very useful in Criticism, Mr. Dennis's i. 104. ii. 381
Pillory, a post of respect, in the opinion o▪ Mr. Curl iii. 26 —and of Mr. Ward,
ibid.
Plagiary, described ii. 38, &c. 102, &c.
Plato, in what manner translated by Tibbld▪ i. 221
Poverty and poetry, their Cave i. 30
Profaneness, not to be endur'd in our A
thor, but very allowable in Shakespear i. 48
Party-Writers, their three Qualifications, i. 264
Poetesses iii. 141
Pindars and Miltons, of the modern sort ii. 158
R.
Rag-fair i. 27
Round-house ii. 392
RALPH (James) iii. 160. See Sawney
ROOME and HORNECK iii. 146
S.
Shakespear, to be spell'd always with an
e
at te end i. 1
—Crucify'd once a week by Tibbald i. 164
—Proved by him to borrrow of Winkin i. 162
—To have made great
Blunders, Puns,
and
Anacr nisms,
ibid.
—To have had a
Bastard
iii. 70
—Said by him to deserve
Whipping
i. 162
—And by Dennis call'd a
Rascal,
ibid.
SETTLE (Elkanah) Mr. Dennis's Account of him i. 88. iii. 16. And Mr. Welsted's,
ibid.
A Party-writer of Pamphlets i. 88. and iii. 279. Once preferred to Dryden i. 88. A writer of Farces and Drolls, and employ'd at last in Bartholomew-fair iii. 279
Sawney, a Poem: The Author's great Ignorance in
Classical Learning
i. 1
—In Rules of
Criticism
iii. 159
—In
Languages,
ibid.
—In
English
Grammar i. 28.
—His Praies of himself above Mr. Addison iii. 159
—His own opinion of his Equality to Shakespear,
ibid.
Scholiasts i. 159. ili. 188
Supperless, a mistake concerning this word set right, with respect to Mr. Theobald and other temperate Students i. 109
T.
TIBBALD, why he was made Hero of this Poem according to Scriblerus. Pro. The true reason i. 102. Why Successor to Settle i. 108. Conceal'd his Intentions upon Shakespear all the time Mr. Pope desir'd assistance, and promis'd Encouragement, toward perfecting an Edition of him i. 106 His own Confession of that Proceeding in a Daily Journal—yet ask'd favours of Mr. P. at that time. i. 106
One of Mist's Writers i. 106, 164. And Author secretly and abettor of Scurrilities against Mr. P. i. 106.
Vid.
Pro. p. 74, 80. and Appendix, No. 3.
How he was like Aeschylus iii. 309
Like Shakespear iii. 270
—And like Settle i. 108. and iii 279
Taylors, a good word for them, against Poets and ill Paymasters ii. 111
Thunder, how to make it, by Mr. Dennis's receipt ii. 218
V.
Verbal Critics. Two Points always to be granted them ii. 1
W.
WARD (Edw.) a Poet and Alehouse-keeper in Moorfields i. 200
—His high opinion of his Namesake, —and his respect for the Pillory iii. 26
WELSTED (Leonard) one of the Authors of the Weekly Journals, abused our Author, &c. many years since ii. 199. And afresh,
ibid.
Taken by Dennis for a Didapper,
ibid.
The Character of his Poetry ii. 199. iii. 163
Weekly Journals, by whom written? ii. 268, 279
Whirligigs iii. 49
FINIS.