by any other means, directly or indirealy change of mangle any of them. And we do hereby earnestly exhort all our brethren to follow this our example, which we heartily with our great Piedecellors had heretofoze let, as a remedy and prevention of all such abules. Provided always, that nothing in this Declaration thall be conftrued to limit the lawful and undoubted right of every lubject of this Realm, to judge, cenlure, oz condemn, in the whole or in part, any Poem or Poet whatloever.

Given under our hand at London, this third day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand feven hundred thirty and two.

Declarat' cor' me,

JOHN BARBER, Mayor.

APPEN

APPENDIX.

I.

PREFACE

Prefixed to the five first imperfect Editions of the DUNCIAD, in three Books, printed at DUBLIN and LONDON, in octavo and duodecimo, 1727.

IT

The PUBLISHER a to the READER.

T will be found a true obfervation, though fomewhat furprizing, that when any fcandal is vented against a man of the highest diftinction and character, either in the state or literature, the Public in general afford it a moft quiet reception: and the larger part accept it as favourably as if it were some kindness done

to

a The Publisher] Who he was is uncertain; but Edward Ward tells us, in his preface to Durgen," that "moft judges are of opinion this preface is not of Eng"lish extraction, but Hibernian," &c. He means it was written by Dr. Swift, who, whether publisher or not, may be faid in a fort to be author of the poem. For when he, together with Mr. Pope (for reafons fpecifiedin the preface to their Mifcellanies) determined to own

the

to themselves: whereas if a known fcoundrel or blockhead but chanced to be touched upon, a whole legion is up in arms, and it becomes the common caufe of all fcriblers, bookfellers, and printers whatsoever.

Not

the most trifling pieces in which they had any hand, and to destroy all that remained in their power; the first fketch of this poem was fnatched from the fire by Dr. Swift, who perfuaded his friend to proceed in it, and to him it was therefore infcribed. But the occafion of printing it was as follows:

There was published in those Miscellanies, a Treatife of the Bathos, or Art of Sinking in Poetry, in which was a chapter, where the species of bad writers were ranged in claffes, and initial letters of names prefixed, for the most part at random. But fuch was the Number of Poets eminent in that art, that fome one or other took every letter to himself. All fell into fo violent a fury, that for half a year, or more, the common Newspapers (in most of which they had fome property, as being hired writers) were filled with the most abufive falfehoods and fcurrilities they could poffibly devife; a liberty no ways to be wondered at in thofe people, and in those papers, that, for many years, during the uncontrolled Licenfe of the prefs, had afperfed almost all the great characters of the age; and this with impunity, their own perfons and names being utterly fecret and obfcure. This gave Mr. Pope the thought, that he had now fome opportunity of doing good, by detecting and dragging into light these common Enemies of mankind; fince to invalidate this univerfal flander, it sufficed to fhew what contemptible men were the authors of it. He was not without hopes, that by manifefting the dulness of those who had only malice to recommend them; either the bookfellers would not find their ac

count

Not to fearch too deeply into the reafon hereof, I will only obferve as a fact, that every week for thefe two months past, the town has been perfecuted with b pamphlets, advertisements, letters, and weekly effays, not only against the wit and writings, but against the Character and perfon of Mr. Pope. And that of all those men who have received pleasure from his works, which by modest computation may be about a hundred thousand in these kingdoms of England and Ire

land

count in employing them, or the men themselves, when discovered, want courage to proceed in fo unlawful an occupation. This it was that gave birth to the Dunciad; and he thought it an happiness, that by the late flood of flander on himself, he had acquired fuch a peculiar right over their Names as was neceffary to his defign.

b Pamphlets, advertisements, &c.] See the Lift of thofe anonymous papers, with their dates and authors annexed, inferted before the Poem.

c about a hundred thoufand] It is furprizing with what stupidity this preface, which is almost a continued irony, was taken by thofe authors. All fuch paffages as these were understood by Curll, Cook, Cibber, and others, to be serious. Hear the Laureate (Letter to Mr. Pope, p. 9.] "Though I grant the Dunciad a better "c poem of its kind than ever was writ; yet, when I read it with thofe vain-glorious encumbrances of "Notes and Remarks upon it, &c.-it is amazing, that

you, who have writ with fuch mafterly fpirit upon "the ruling paffion, fhould be fo blind a flave to your <c own, as not to fee how far a low avarice of Praise," &c. (taking it for granted that the notes of Scriblerus and others, were the author's own.)

VOL. III.

T