Dean Jonathan's Paraphrafe on the ivh chapter of Genefis. Writ by E. Roome, folio, 1729.

Labeo. A paper of verses by Leonard Welfted, which after came into One Epiftle, and was published by James Moore, quarto, 1730. Another part of it came out in Welfted's own name, under the just title of Dulness and Scandal, folio, 1731.

There have been fince published,

Verfes on the Imitator of Horace. By a Lady [or between a Lady, a Lord, and a Court-Squire.] Printed for J. Roberts, folio.

An Epiftle from a Nobleman to a Doctor of Divivity, from Hampton-court [Lord H-y]. Printed

for J. Roberts alfo, folio.

A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope. Printed for W. Lewis in Covent-Garden, octavo.

III.

ADVERTISEMENT

To the FIRST EDITION with Notes, in Quarto, 1729.

IT

T will be fufficient to fay of this edition, that the reader has here a much more correct and complete copy of the DUNCIAD, than has hitherto appeared. I cannot answer but fome mistakes may have flipt into it, but, a vast number of others will be prevented by

the

the names being now not only fet at length, but justified by the authorities and reasons given. I make no doubt, the author's own motive to use real rather than feigned names, was his care to preserve the innocent from any falfe application; whereas in the former editions, which had no more than the initial letters, he was made, by keys printed here, to hurt the inoffenfive, and (what was worse) to abuse his friends, by an impreffion at Dublin.

The commentary which attends this poem was fent me from several hands, and confequently 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 perfons it treats of, that it partakes of the nature of a Secret, which most people love to be let into, though the men or the things be ever fo inconfiderable or trivial.

Of the Perfons it was judged proper to give fome account: for fince it is only in this monument that they muft expect to furvive (and here furvive they will, as long as the English tongue fhall remain fuch as it was in the reigns of Queen ANNE and King GEORGE,) it seemed but humanity to beftow a word or two upon each, just to tell what he was, what he writ, when he lived, and when he died.

If a word or two more are added upon the chief offenders, it is only as a paper pinned upon the breast, to mark the enormities for which they fuffered; left the

correction

correction only fhould be remembered, and the crime forgotten.

In fome articles it was thought sufficient, barely to tranfcribe from Jacob, Curll, 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 occafions; but the few here inferted are all that could be faved from the general destruction of fuch works.

Of the part of Scriblerus I need fay nothing; his manner is well enough known, and approved by all but those who are too much concerned to be judges.

IV.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE FIRST EDITION OF

The FOURTH BOOK of the DUNCIAD, when printed feparately in the Year 1742.

WE

E apprehend it can be deemed no injury to the author of the three first books of the Dunciad, that we publish this Fourth. It was found merely by accident, in taking a furvey of the Library of a late eminent nobleman; but in fo blotted a condition, and in fo many detached pieces, as plainly fhewed it to be not only incorrect, but unfinished. That the author of the three firft books had a defign to extend and complete his poem in this manner, appears from the differtation prefixed to it, where it is faid, that the design is more extenfive, and that we may expect other episodes to complete it: And from the declaration in the argument to the third book, that the accomplishment of the prophecies therein would be the theme hereafter of a greater Dunciad. But whether or no he be the author of this, we declare ourselves ignorant. If he be, we are no more to be blamed for the publication of it, than Tucca and Varius for that of the laft fix books of the Eneid, though perhaps inferior to the former.

If any perfon be poffeffed of a more perfect copy of this work, or of any other fragments of it, and will communicate them to the publisher, we shall make the next edition more complete: In which we also promise to infert any Criticisms that shall be published (if at all to

the

the purpose) with the Names of the Authors; or any letters fent us (though not to the purpose) fhall yet be printed under the title of Epiftola Obfcurorum Virorum ; which, together with fome others of the fame kind formerly laid by for that end, may make no unpleasant addition to the future impreffions of this poem.

I

V.

ADVERTISEMENT

To the complete EDITION of 1743.

:

HAVE long had a design of giving some sort of Notes on the works of this poet. Before I had the happiness of his acquaintance, I had written a commentary on his Effay 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 ftill thought some additions were wanting (of a more ferious kind) to the humourous notes of Scriblerus, and even to thofe written by Mr. Cleland, Dr. Arbuthnot, and others. I had lately the pleasure to pafs 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 feveral paffages in his works. It happened, that just at that juncture was published a ridiculous book against him, full of perfonal Reflections, which furnished 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 pafs with the Hero