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uthors for the poem. I should judge that they were clapped in as they rose, fresh, and fresh, and changed from day to day; in like manner as when the old boughs wither, we thrust new ones into a chimney.

The Battle of Poets, an heroic poem. By Tho.. Cooke, printed for J. Roberts Folio, 1725. Memoirs of Lilliput. Anon. [Eliz. Haywood] octavo, printed in 1727.

An Essay on Criticism, in prose. By the author of the Critical History of England [J. Oldmixon] octavo, printed 1728.

I would not have the reader too much troubled, or anxious, if he cannot decypher them: since when he shall have found them out, he will Gulliveriana and Alexandriana; with an ample probably know no more of the persons than be-preface and critique on Swift and Pope's Miscellafore. nies. By Jonathan Smedley, printed by J. Roberts, octavo, 1728.

Yet we judged it better to preserve them as they are, than to change them for fictitious Characters of the Times; or an account of the names; by which the satire would only be multi-writings, characters, &c. of several gentlemen liplied, and applied to many instead of one. Had belled, by Sand P-, in a late Miscellany, octavo, the hero, for instance, been called Codrus, how 1728. many would have affirmed him to have been Mr. T. Mr. E. Sir R. B. &c. But now all that unjust scandal is saved by calling him by a name, which by good luck happens to be that of a real person.

II.

A LIST OF BOOKS, PAPERS, AND VERSES,

IN WHICH OUR AUTHOR WAS ABUSED, BEFORE THE
PUBLICATION OF THE DUNCIAD; WITH THE TRUE
NAMES OF THE AUTHORS.

REFLECTIONS critical and satirical on a late
Rhapsody, called, An Essay on Criticism. By
Mr. Dennis, printed by B. Lintot, price 6d.

A new Rehearsal, or Bays the younger: containing an Examen of Mr. Rowe's plays, and a word or two on Mr. Pope's Rape of the Lock, Anon. [by Charles Gildon] printed for J. Roberts, 1714. price 1s.

Homerides, or a Letter to Mr. Pope, occasioned by his intended translation of Homer. By Sir Iliad Doggrel. [Tho. Burnet and G. Ducket esquires] printed for W. Wilkins, 1715, price

9d.

Esop at the Bear-garden; a Vision, in imitation of the Temple of Fame, by Mr. Preston. Sold by John Morphew, 1715, price 6d.

The Catholic Poet, or Protestant Barnaby's Sorrowful Lamentation; a Ballad about Homer's Iliad. By Mrs. Centlivre and others, 1715, price id.

An Epilogue to a Puppet-show at Bath, concerning the said Iliad. By George Ducket, esq., printed by E. Curll.

A complete Key to the What-d'ye-call it. Anon. [by Griffin a player, supervised by Mr. Th-] printed by J. Roberts, 1715.

A true character of Mr. P. and his writings, in a letter to a friend. Anon. [Dennis] printed for S. Popping, 1716, price 3d.

The Confederates, a Farce. By Joseph Gay, [J. D. Breval] printed for R. Burleigh, 1717, price 1s.

Remarks upon Mi. Pope's translation of Homer; with two letters concerning the Windsor Forest, and the Temple of Fame. By Mr. Dennis, printed for E. Curll, 1717, price 1s. 6d.

Satires on the Translators of Homer, Mr. P. and Mr. T. Anon. [Bez. Morris] 1717, price 6d.

The Triumvirate: or a Letter from Palemon to Celia at Bath. Anon. [Leonard Welsted] 1711, folio, price 1s.

VOL. XIL

Remarks on Mr. Pope's Rape of the Lock, in letters to a friend. By Mr. Dennis; written in 1724, though not printed till 1728, octavo.

VERSES, LETTERS, ESSAYS, OR ADVERTISEMENTS, IN
THE PUBLIC PRINTS.

British Journal, Nov. 25, 1727. A letter on Swift and Pope's Miscellanies. [Writ by M. Concanen.]

Daily Journal, March 18, 1728. A letter by Philomauri. James-Moore Smith.

Daily Journal, March 29. A letter about Thersites, accusing the author of disaffection to the government. By James-Moore Smith.

Mist's Weekly Journal, March 30. An Essay on the Arts of a Poet's sinking in reputation; or, a Supplement to the Art of sinking in Poetry. [Supposed by Mr. Theobald.]

Daily Journal, April 3. A Letter under the name of Philo-ditto. By James-Moore Smith. Flying Post, April 4. A letter against Gulliver and Mr. P. [By Mr. Oldmixon.]

Daily Journal, April 5. An Auction of Goods at Twickenham. By James-Moore Smith.

The Flying Post, April 6. A Fragment of a Treatise upon Swift and Pope. By Mr. Oldmixon. The Senator, April 9. On the same. By Edward Roome.

Daily Journal, April 8. Advertisement. By JamesMoore Smith.

Flying Fost, April 13. Verses against Dr. Swift, and against Mr. P-'s Homer. By J. Oldmixon.

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Daily Journal, April 23. Letter about the translation of the character of Thersites in Homer. By Thomas Cooke, &c.

Mist's Weekly Journal, April 27. A Letter of Lewis Theobald.

Daily Journal, May 11. A Letter against Mr. P. at large. Anon. [John Dennis.]

All these were afterwards reprinted in a pamphlet, entitled, A Collection of all the Verses, Essays, Letters, and Advertisements occasioned by Mr. Pope and Swift's Miscellanies, prefaced by Concanen, Anonymous, octavo, and printed for A. Moore, 1728, price 1s. Others of an elder date, having lain as waste paper many years, were, upon the publication of the Dunciad, brought out, and their authors betrayed by the mercenary booksellers (in hopes of some possibility of vending a few) by advertising them in this manner. "The Confederates, a Farce. By Capt. Breval (for which he was put into the Dunciad). An Epilogue to Powell's Puppet-show. By Col. Ducket (for which he was put into the Dunciad). · A a

Essays, &c. By Sir Richard Blackmore. (N. B. It was for a passage of this Book that sir Richard was put into the Dunciad.") And so of others.

AFTER THE DUNCIAD, 1728.

An Essay on the Dunciad. Octavo, printed for J. Roberts. [In this book, p. 9. it was formally declared, "That the complaint of the aforesaid libels and advertisements was forged and untrue : that all mouths had been silent, except in Mr. Pope's praise; and nothing against him published, but by Mr Theobald."]

Sawney, in blank verse, occasioned by the Dunciad; with a Critique on that poem. By J. Ralph [a person never mentioned in it at first, but inserted after], printed for J. Roberts, octavo.

A complete Key to the Dunciad. By E. Curll. 12mo, price 6d.

A second and third edition of the same, with additions, 12mo.

The Popiad. By E. Curll, extracted from J. Dennis, sir Richard Blackmore, &c. 12mo. price 6d.

The Curliad. By the same E. Curll.

The Female Dunciad. Collected by the same Mr. Curll, 12mo. price 6d. With the Metamorphosis of P. into a stinging Nettle. By Mr. Foxton,

12mo.

The Metamorphosis of Scriblerus into Snarlerus. By J. Smedley, printed for A. Moore, folio, price

6d.

The Dunciad dissected. Thomas. 12mo.

By Curl and Mrs.

An Essay on the Taste and Writings of the present Times. Said to be writ by a Gentleman of C. C. C. Oxon, printed for J. Roberts, octavo.

The Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, partly taken from Bouhours, with new Reflections, &c. By John Oldmixon, octavo.

Remarks on the Dunciad. dedicated to Theobald, octavo. A Supplement to the Profund. thew Concanen, octavo.

By Mr. Dennis,

Anon. by Mat

Mist's Weekly Journal, June 8. A long letter, signed W. A. Writ by some or other of the club of Theobald, Dennis, Moore, Concanen, Cooke, who for some time held constant weekly meetings for those kind of performances.

Daily Journal, June 11. A Letter signed Philoscriblerus, on the name of Pope.-Letter to Mr. Theobald in verse, signed B. M. [Bezaleel Morris] against Mr. P. Many other little epigrams about this time in the same papers, by James Moore, and others.

Mist's Journal, June 22. A Letter by Lewis

Theobald.

Flying Post, August 8. Letter on Pope and Swift. Daily Journal, August 8. Letter charging the author of the Dunciad with treason.

Durgen: A plain satire on a pompous satirist, by Edward Ward, with a little of James Moore. Apollo's Maggot in his cups. By E. Ward. Gulliveriana secunda. Being a Collection of many of the Libels in the news-papers, like the former volume, under the same title, by Smed ley. Advertised in the Craftsman, Nov. 9, 1728, with this remarkable promise, that "any thing which any body should send as Mr. Pope's or Dr. Swift's should be inserted and published as

theirs."

Pope Alexander's supremacy and infallibility examined, &c. By George Ducket, and John Dennis, quarto.

1729.

Dean Jonathan's Paraphrase on the fourth chapter of Genesis. Writ by E. Roome, folio, Labeo. A paper of verses by Leonard Welsted, which after came into one Epistle, and was published by James Moore, quarto, 1730. Another part of it came out in Welsted's own name, under the just title of Dulness and Scandal, folio, 1731.

THERE HAVE BEEN SINCE PUBLISHED,

Verses on the Imitator of Horace. By a Lady [or between a Lady, a Lord, and a Court-Squire]

Printed for J. Roberts, folio.

An Epistle from a Nobleman to a Doctor of Di. vinity, from Hampton-court [Lord H-y]. Printed for J. Roberts also, 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 will be sufficient to say 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 some mistakes may have slipt into it, but a vast number of others will be prevented by the names being now not only set 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 false application; whereas in the former editions, which had no more than the initial letters, he was made, by keys printed here, to hurt the moffensive, and (what was worse) to abuse his friends, by an impression at Dublin.

The commentary which attends this poem was sent me from several hands, and consequently 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 person 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 so inconsiderable or trivial.

Of the persons it was judged proper to give some account for since it is only in this monument that they must expect to survive (and here survive they will, as long as the English tongue shall remain such as it was in the reigns of queen Anne and king George), it seemed but humanity to bestow 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 suf fered; lest the correction only should be remem Lered, and the crime forgotten.

In some articles it was thought suffici nt, barely to transcribe from Jacob, Curl, 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 occasions; but the few here inserted are all that could be saved from the general destruction of such works.

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

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We 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 survey of the library of a late eminent nobleman; but in so blotted a condition, and in so many detached pieces, as plainly showed it to be not only incorrect, but unfinished. That the author of the three first books had a

design to extend and complete his poem in this manner, appears from the dissertation prefixed to it, where it is said, that the design is more extensive, 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 not 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 last six books of the Eneid, though perhaps inferior to the former.

If any person be possessed 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 insert any criticisms that shall be published (if at all to the purpose) with the names of the authors; or any letters sent us (though not to the purpose) shall yet be printed under the title of Epistolæ Obscurorum Virorum; which, together with some others of the same kind formerly laid by for that end, may make no unpleasant addition to the future impressions of this poem.

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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 since finished another on the Essay of Criticism. There was one already on the Dunciad, which had met with general approbation: but I still thought some additions were wanting (of a more serious 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 some months with the author in the country, where I prevailed upon him to do what I had long desired, and favour me with his explanation of several passages in his works. It happened, that just at that juncture was published a ridiculwhich furnished him with a lucky opportunity of ous book against him, full of personal reflections, improving this poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted, a more considerable hero. He was always sensible 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 such an one was reserved for this post, as has since obtained the laurel : but since 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 still more weight with our author: This person was one, who from every folly [not to say vice) of which another would be ashamed, has constantly derived a vanity! and therefore was the man in the world who would least be hurt by it. W. W.

VI.

ADVERTISEMENT.

PRINTED IN THE JOURNALS, 1730.

WHEREAS, upon occasion of certain pieces relating to the gentlemen of the Dunciad, some have been willing to suggest, as if they looked upon them as an abuse: we can do no less than own, it is our opinion, that to call these gentlemen bad authors is no sort 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 represented as no wit, or poet, provided he procures a certificate of his being really such, from any three of his companions, in the Dunciad, or from Mr. Dennis singly, who is esteemed equal to any three of the number..

A

VII.

PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF.
MR. POPE AND MR. DRYDEN,

AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES,
MR. POPE,

HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS. MR. POPE is an open and mortal enemy to his country and the commonwealth of learning'. Some call him a popish whig, which is directly inconsistent. Pope, as a papist, must be a tory and high flyer'. He is both whig and tory^. Dennis, Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, Pref. 2 Dunciad dissected. 'Pref. to Gulliveriana. Dennis, Character of Mr. P.

1

P. xii.

In the poem called Absalom and Achitophel are motorionsly traduced, the king, the queen, the lords and gentlemen, not only their honourable persons exposed, but the whole nation and its representatives notoriously libelled. It is scandalum magnatum yea of majesty itself'.

He looks upon God's gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor', His very christianity may be questioned. He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his own reflections on others: With as good a right as his holiness, he sets up for poetical infallibility".

MR. DRYDEN ONLY A VERSIFIER.

His whole libel is all bad matter, beautified (which is all that can be said of it) with good metre. Mr. Dryden's genius did not appear in any thing more than his versification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only is a question'.

MR. DRYDEN'S VIRGIL.

Tonson calls it Dryden's Virgil, to show that this is not that Virgil so admired in the Augustan age; but a Virgil of another stamp, a silly, impertinent, nonsensical writer. None but a Bavius, a Mævius, or a Bathyllus, carped at Virgil; and none but such unthinking vermin admire his translator. It is true, soft and easy lines might become Ovid's Epistles or Art of Love-But Virgil, who is all great and majestic, &c. requires strength of lines, weight of words, and closeness of expression; not an ambling Muse running on carpet ground, and shod as lightly as a Newmarket racer. He has numberless faults in his author's meaning, and in propriety of expression 1o.

MR. DRYDEN UNDERSTOOD NO GREEK NOR LATIN.

Mr. Dryden was once, I have heard, at Westminster school: Dr. Busby would have whipt him for so childish a paraphrase ". The meanest pedant in England would whip a lubber of twelve for construing so absurdly. The translator is mad: every line betrays his stupidity. The faults are innumerable, and convince me that Mr. Dryden did not, or would not understand his author 14. This shows how fit Mr. D. may be to translate Homer! A mistake in a single letter might fall on the printer well enough, but six for ixwe must be the errour of the author: Nor had he art enough to correct it at the press '. Mr. Dryden writes for the court ladies-He writes for the ladies, and not for use 16.

MR. DRYDEN TRICKED HIS SUBSCRIBERS.

I wonder that any man, who could not but be conscious of his own uufitness for it, should go to amuse the learned world with such an undertaking! ▲ man ought to value his reputation more than money; and not to hope that those who can read for themselves, will be imposed upon, merely by The translator puts in a little burlesque now and

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He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one party in their own sentiments 1.

In his Miscellanies, the persons abused are, the king, the queen, his late majesty, both houses of parliament, the privy-council, the bench of bishops, the established church, the present ministry, &c. To make sense of some passages, they must be construed into royal scandal'.

He is a popish rhymester, bred up with a contempt of the sacred writings. His religion allows him to destroy heretics, not only with his pen, but with fire and sword; and such were all those unhappy wits whom he sacrificed to his accursed popish principles. It deserved vengeance to suggest, that Mr. Pope had less infallibility, than his namesake at Rome".

MR. POPE ONLY A VERSIFIER.

The smooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit. It must be owned that he hath got a notable nack of rhyming and writing smooth verse'.

MR. POPE'S HOMER.

like Homer, but like Pope; and he who translated The Homer which Lintot prints, does not talk him, one would swear, had a hill in Tipperary for his Parnassus, and a puddle in some bog for his Hippocrene.

He has no admirers,

among those that can distinguish, discern, and judge o.

He hath a knack at smooth verse, but without either genius or good sense, or any tolerable knowHomer are the beauties of his diction, and the ledge of English. The qualities which distinguish harmony of his versification-but this little author, who is so much in vogue, has neither sense in his thoughts, nor English in his expressions 1o.

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: I wonder how this gentleman would look, should it be discovered, that he has not translated ten verses together in any book of Homer with justice to the poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow-writers with not understanding Greek 12. He has stuck so little to his original as to have his knowledge in Greek called in question 3. I should be glad to know which it is of all Homer's excellencies which has so delighted the ladies, and the gentlemen who judge like ladies14.

But he has a notable talent at burlesque ; his genius slides so naturally into it, that be hath burlesqued Homer without designing it".

Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22,

1728.

2 List, at the end of a Collection of Verses, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo. printed for A. Moore, 1728, and the Preface to it, p. 6. Homer, p. 27.

'Dennis's Remarks on 4 Preface to Gulliveriana, p. 11. • Dedication to the Collection of Verses, Letter, &c. p. 9.

racter of Mr. P. and Dennis on Hom.
"Mist's Journal of June 8, 1728.
Remarks on Pope's Homer, p. 12.

7 Cha-
* Dennis's
9 Ib. p. 14.
10Character of Mr. P. p. 17. and Remarks on Hom.
p. 91. 11 Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 12.
12 Daily Jour. April 23, 1728. Suppl. to the
Profound, Pref. 14 Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism,
"Dennis's Remarks, p. 28.

p. 66.

13

then into Virgil, for a ragout to his cheated sub-.
scribers1.

a partiality and unseasonably celebrated name?.
Poetis quidlibet audendi shall be Mr. Dryden's
motto, though it should extend to picking of
pockets'.

NAMES BESTOWED ON MR. DRYDEN.

An Ape.] A crafty ape drest 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.

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

A Frog.] Poet Squab endued with Poet Maro's
spirit! an ugly, croaking king of vermin, which would
swell to the bulk of an ox".

A Coward.] A Clinias or a Damætas, or a man
of Mr. Dryden's own courage'.

A Knave.] Mr. Dryden has heard of Paul the
knave of Jesus Christ: and if I mistake not, I've
read somewhere of John Dryden, servant to his
majesty.

A Fool.] Had he not been such a self-conceited
fool'.-Some great poets are positive block-
heads 10.

A thing.] So little a thing as Mr. Dryden".

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MR. POPE TRICKED HIS SUBCRIBERS.

It is indeed somewhat bold, and almost pro-
digious, for a single man to undertake such a work:
but it is too late to dissuade by demonstrating the
madness of the project. The subscribers expec-
tations 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
booksellers 2.

NAMES BESTOWED ON MR. POPE.

An Ape.] Let us take the initial letter of his
christian name, and initial and final letters of his
surname, viz. AP E, and they give you the same
idea of an ape as his face', &c.

An Ass.] It is my duty to pull off the lion's skin
from this little ass*.

A Frog.] A squab short 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'.

A Coward.] A lurking, way-laying coward".
A Knave.] He is one whom God and Nature have
marked for want of common honesty.

A Fool. Great fools will be christened by the
names of great poets, and Pope will be called
Homer.

A Thing.] A little abject thing".

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INDEX

OF PERSONS celebrated IN THIS, POEM.

Benson, William, Esq. iii. 325. iv. 110.
Burgersdick, iv. 198.

The first number shows the book, the second the Boeotians, iii. 50.

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Bruin and bears, i. 101.

Bear and fiddle, i. 224.

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