I

V.

ADVERTISEMENT

To the complete EDITION of 1743.

HAVE long had a defign of giving fome fort

of Notes on the works of this poet. Before I had the happiness of his acquaintance, I had written a commentary on his Essay on Man, and have fince finished another on the Essay on Criticism. There was one already on the Dunciad, which had met with general approbation: but I still thought fome additions were wanting (of a more ferious kind) to the humorous notes of Scriblerus, and even to those written by Mr. Cleland, Dr. Arbuthnot, and others. I had lately the pleasure to pass fome months with the author in the country, where I prevailed upon him to do what I had long defired, and favour me with his explanation of several paffages in his works. It happened, that just at that juncture was published a ridiculous book against him, full of Personal Reflections, which furnish'd him with a lucky opportunity of improving This Poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted, a more confiderable Hero. He was always fenfible of its defect in that particular, and

owned he had let it pass with the hero it had, purely for want of a better, not entertaining the least expectation that fuch an one was referved for this Poft, as has fince obtained the Laurel: But fince that had happened, he could no longer deny this justice either to him or the Dunciad.

And yet I will venture to say, there was another motive which had ftill more weight with our Author: This perfon was one, who from every Folly (not to fay Vice) of which another would be afhamed, has constantly derived a Vanity; and therefore was the man in the world who would leaft be hurt by it. W. W.

VI.

ADVERTISEMENT

Printed in the JOURNALS, 1730.

THERE A S, upon occafion of certain Pieces relating to the Gentlemen of the Dunciad, fome have been willing to fuggeft, as if they looked upon them as an abufe: we can do no less than own, it is our opinion, that to call thefe gentlemen bad authors is no fort of abuse, but a great truth. We

cannot alter this opinion without some reason; but we promise to do it in respect to every person who thinks it an injury to be reprefented as no Wit, or Poet, provided he procures a Certificate of his be ing really fuch, from any three of his companions in the Dunciad, or from Mr. Dennis fingly, who is efteemed equal to any three of the number.

3

VII.

A

PARALLEL

OF THE

CHARACTERS

O F

Mr. DRYDEN and Mr. POPE.

As drawn by certain of their Contemporaries.

Mr. DRYDEN,

His POLITICS, RELIGION, MORAL S.

MR

"R. Dryden is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good fenfe. A true republican fon of monarchical Church . A republican Atheist. Dryden was from the beginning

a Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo. 1698. p. 6.

VII.

A

PARALLEL

OF THE

CHARACTERS

O F

Mr. POPE and Mr. DRYDEN.

As drawn by certain of their Contemporaries.

Mr. P O PE,

His POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

R. Pope is an open and mortal enemy to his country and the commonwealth of learning a Some call him a popish whig, which is directly inconfiftent ". Pope, as a Papist, must

a Dennis Rem, on the Rape of the Lock, Pref. p. xii. Dunciad diffected,