clofeness of expreffion; not an ambling Mufe running on Carpet ground, and fhod as lightly as a Newmarket racer. He has numberless faults in his Author's meaning, and in propriety of expreffion.

Mr. DRYDEN understood no Greek nor Latin. Mr. Dryden was once, I have heard, at Westminster fchool: Dr. Busby would have whipt him for fo childish a Paraphrafe P. The meanest Pedant in England would whip a Lubber of twelve for conftruing fo abfurdly ?. The Tranflator is mad: every line betrays his Stupidity TM. The faults are innumerable, and convince me that Mr. Dryden did not, or would not understand his Authors. This fhews how fit Mr. D. may be to tranflate Homer! A miftake in a fingle letter might fall on the Printer well enough, but xwe for ixg must be the error of the Author: Nor had he art enough to correct it at the Prefs. Mr. Dryden writes for the Court Ladies -He writes for the Ladies, and not for use ".

The Tranflator puts in a little Burlesque now and then into Virgil, for a ragout to his cheated Subfcribers w.

Mr. DRYDEN tricked his Subscribers.

I wonder that any man, who could not but be confcious of his own unfitness for it, fhould go to amuse the learned world with fuch an undertaking! A man ought to value his Reputation more than Money; and

He hath a knack at fmooth verfe, but without either Genius or good Senfe, or any tolerable knowledge of English. The qualities which diftinguish Homer are the beauties of his Diction, and the Harmony of his Verfification-But this little author, who is fo much in vogue, has neither Senfe in his thoughts, nor English in his expressions o.

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 p. I wonder how this Gentleman would look, fhould it be discovered, that he has not tranflated ten verfes together in any book of Homer with justice to the Poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow-writers with not understanding Greek 9. He has stuck fo little to his Original as to have his knowledge in Greek called in question". I should be glad to know which it is of all Homer's Excellencies which has fo delighted the Ladies, and the Gentlemen who judge like Ladies s.

But he has a notable talent at Burlesque; his genius flides fo naturally into it, that he hath burlesqued Homer without defigning it t.

Mr. POPE tricked his Subfcribers.

It is indeed fomewhat bold, and almoft prodigious,

for

• Character of Mr. P. p. 17. and Remarks on Hom. P. 91. P Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 12. 9 Daily Jour. April 23, 1728. Suppl. to the Profound, Pref. s Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism, t Dennis's Remarks, p. 28.

P. 66.

not to hope that those who can read for themselves, will be impofed upon, merely by a partiality and unfeafonably celebrated Name *. "Poetis quidlibet audendi” shall be Mr. Dryden's Motto, though it should extend to picking of pockets v.

Names beftowed on Mr. DRYDEN.

An APE.] A crafty Ape dreft up in a gawdy gown -Whips put into an Ape's paw, to play pranks with -None but Apish and Papish brats will heed him 2.

An Ass.] A camel will take upon him no more burden than is fufficient for his ftrength, but there is another beast that crouches under all a.

A FROG.] Poet Squab endued with Poet Maro's Spirit! an ugly, croaking kind of Vermin, which would fwell to the bulk of an Ox b.

A COWARD.] A Clinias or a Damætas, or a man of Mr. Dryden's own Courage c.

A KNAVE.] Mr. Dryden has heard of Paul, the Knave of Jefus Chrift: And if I mistake not, I've read fomewhere of John Dryden, Servant to his Majesty d.

A FOOL.] Had he not been fuch a felf-conceited Foole.-Some great Poets are positive Blockheads f. A THING.] So little a Thing as Mr. Dryden 8.

x Milb. p. 192. y Pag. 125. Whip and a Milb. p. 105. b Pag. 11.

Key, Pref.

с

Pag. 176.

f Milb. p. 34.

Whip and Key, Pr.

d Pag. 57: e
g Ibid. p. 35.

for a single man to undertake fuch a work: But it is too late to diffuade by demonftrating the madness of the Project. The Subfcribers expectations have been raised in proportion to what their Pockets have been drained of ". Pope has been concerned in Jobs, and hired out his Name to Bookfellers w.

Names beftowed on Mr. POPE.

An APE.] Let us take the initial letter of his Chriftian name, and initial and final letters of his furname, viz. AP E, and they give you the fame Idea of an Ape as his Face *, &c.

An Ass.] It is my duty to pull off the Lion's fkin from this little Afs y.

A FROG.] A fquab fhort Gentleman-a little creature that, like the Frog in the Fable, swells, and is angry that it is not allowed to be as big as an Ox 2.

A COWARD.] A lurking, way-laying coward a. A KNAVE.] He is one whom God and nature have marked for want of common honesty b.

A FOOL.] Great Fools will be chriftened by the names of great Poets, and Pope will be called Homer c. A THING.] A little abject Thing d.

u Homerides, p. 1, &c. w British Journal, Nov. 25, 1727. x Dennis, Daily Journal, May 11, 1728. y Dennis's Rem. on Hom. Pref. z Dennis's

Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, Pref. p. 9. a Char.

of Mr. P. p. 3.

on Homer, p. 37.

b Ibid.
d Ibid. p. 8.

c Dennis's Rem.

IN D E X

OF

Perfons celebrated in this POEM.

The first Number fhews the Book, the second the VERSE.

A

Attila, iii. 92.

MBROSE Philips, i. 105. iii. 326,

Alaric, iii. 91.

Alma Mater, iii. 338.

Annius, an antiquary, iv. 347.

Arnal, William, ii. 315.

B

BLACKMORE, Sir Richard, i. 104. ii. 268.

Befaleel Morris, ii. 126. iii. 168.

Banks, i. 146.

Broome, ibid.

Bond, ii. 126.

Brown, iii. 28.

Bladen, iv. 560.

Budgel, Efq. ii. 397.

Bentley, Richard, iv. 201.

Bentley, Thomas, ii. 205.

Boyer, Abel, ii. 413.

Bland, a Gazetteer, i. 231.

Breval, J. Durant, ii. 126. 238.

Benlowes, iii. 21.

Bavius, ibid.

Burmannus, iv. 237.

Benfon, William, Esq. iii. 325. iv. 110.

Burgerfdick, iv. 198,

Boeotians,