MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS HIS Prolegomena and Illustrations TO THE DUNCIA D: WITH THE Hypercritics of ARISTARCHUS. DENNIS' Remarks on PR. ARTHUR. I Cannot but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to diftinguish good writers, by discouraging the bad. Nor is it an ill-natured thing, in relation even to the very persons upon whom the reflections are made. It is true, it may deprive them, a little the fooner, of a short profit and a transitory reputation; but then it may have a good effect, and oblige them (before it be too late) to decline that for which they are so very unfit, and to have recourse to something in which they may be more fuccessful. CHARACTER of Mr. P. 1716. THE Persons whom Boileau has attacked in his writings, have been for the most part Authors, and most of those Authors, Poets: and the censures he hath passed upon them have been confirmed by all Europe. GILDON, Pref. to his NEW REHEARSAL. IT is the common cry of the Poetafters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an ill-natured thing to expofe the Pretenders to wit and poetry. The Judges and Magistrates may with full as good reason be reproached with Ill-nature for putting the Laws in execution against a Thief or Impostor. The same will hold in the republic of Letters, if the Critics and Judges will let every ignorant pretender to scribbling pass on the World. VOL. III. C THEO THEOBALD, Letter to Mist, June 22, 1728. ATTACKS may be leveled, either against Failures in Genius, or against the Pretenfions of writing without one. CONCANEN, Ded. to the Author of the DUNCIAD. A Satire upon Dulness is a thing that has been ufed and allowed in All Ages. Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribbler! TESTIMONIES OF AUTHORS CONCERNING Our POET and his WORK S. M. SCRIBLERUS Lectori S. B EFORE we present thee with our exercitations on this most delectable Poem (drawn from the many volumes of our Adverfaria on modern Authors) we shall here, according to the laudable usage of editors, collect the various judgments of the Learned concerning our Poet: Various indeed, not only of different authors, but of the fame author at different seasons. Nor shall we gather only the Testimonies of such eminent Wits, as would of course descend to posterity, and confequently be read without our collection; but we shall likewife with incredible labour seek out for divers others, which, but for this our diligence, could never at the distance of a few months appear to the eye of the most curious. Hereby thou mayst not only receive |