Who prouder march'd with magistrates in state, And to mere mortals feem'd a Prieft in drink : VARIATION. Ver. 425. In first Ed. How Laurus lay, &c. REMARKS. 425 Ver. 427. Fleet] A prifon for infolvent Debtors on the bank of the Ditch. THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK. THE DUNCI A D. BOOK THE THIRD. ARGUMENT. AFTER the other perfons are disposed in their proper places of reft, the Goddess transports the King to her Temple, and there lays him to flumber with his head on her lap; a pofition of marvellous virtue, which caufeth all the Visions of wild enthufiafts, projectors, politicians, inamoratos, caftle-builders, chemists, and poets. He is immediately carried on the wings of Fancy, and led by a mad Poetical Sibyl, to the Elysian shade; where, on the banks of Lethe, the fouls of the dull are dipped by Bavius, before their entrance into this world. There he is met by the ghoft of Settle, and by him made acquainted with the wonders of the place, and with those which he himfelf is destined to perform. He takes him to a Mount of Vifion, from whence he fhews him the paft 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 foon thofe conquests were stopped, and those very nations again reduced reduced to her dominion. Then diftinguishing the Ifland of Great Britain, fhews by what aids, by what perfons, and by what degrees, it shall be brought to her Empire. Some of the perfons he causes to pass in review before his eyes, describing each by his proper figure, character, and qualifications. On a fudden the Scene fhifts, and a vast number of miracles and prodigies appear, utterly furprizing and unknown to the King himself, till they are explained to be the wonders of his own reign now commencing. On this fubject Settle breaks into a congratulation, yet not unmixed with concern, that his own times were but the types of these. He prophefies how first the nation fhall be over-run with Farces, Operas, and Shows; how the Throne of Dulness fhall be advanced over the Theatres, and fet up even at Court: then how her Sons fhall prefide in the feats of Arts and Sciences: giving a glimpfe, or Pifgah fight, of the future Fulness of her Glory, the accomplishment whereof is the subject of the fourth and last Book. BOOK B UT in her Temple's last recess inclos'd, And now, on Fancy's eafy wing convey'd, REMARKS. A flip Ver. 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 fatire on the present Age, doubtlefs more learned, more enlightened, and more abounding with great Geniuses in Divinity, Politics, and whatever arts and sciences, than all the preceding. For fear of any fuch mistake of our Poet's honeft meaning, he hath again, at the end of the Vision, repeated this monition, faying that it all passed through the Ivory gate, which (according to the Ancients) denoteth Fallity. SCRIBL. How much the good Scriblerus was miftaken, may be feen from the fourth Book, which, it is plain from hence, he had never seen. BENTL. A flip-fhod Sibyl led his steps along, In lofty madness meditating fong; Her treffes ftaring from Poetic dreams, 15 And never wash'd, but in Castalia's streams, (Once fwan of Thames, though now he fings no more.) VARIATION. Ver. 15-22. Not in the first Ed. REMARKS. Ben Ver. 15. A flip-fhod Sibyl] This allegory is extremely juft, no conformation of the mind fo much fubjecting it to real Madness, as that which produces real Dulness. Hence we find the religious (as well as the poetical) Enthufiafts of all ages were ever, in their natural state, most heavy and lumpish; but on the leaft application of heat, they ran like lead, which of all metals falls quickest into fufion. Whereas fire in a Genius is truly Promethean, it hurts not its conftituent parts, but only fits it (as it does well-tempered steel) for the neceffary impreffions of art. But the common people have been taught (I do not know on what foundation) to regard Lunacy as a mark of Wit, juft as the Turks and our modern Methodifts do of Holinefs. But if the cause of Madness affigned by a great Philofopher be true, it will unavoidably fall upon the dunces. He fuppofes it to be the dwelling over long on one object or idea: Now as this attention is occafioned either by Grief or Study, it will be fixed by Dulnefs; which hath not quickness enough to comprehend what it feeks, nor force and vigour enough to divert the imagination from the object it laments. Ver. 19. Taylor] John Taylor the Water-poet, an honeft man, who owns he learned not fo much as the Accidence: A rare example of modesty in a Poet! "I must |