All thefe, and more, the cloud-compelling Queen Beholds through fogs, that magnify the scene. 80 She, tinfel'd o'er in robes of varying hues, With felf-applause her wild creation views; Sees momentary monsters rife and fall, And with her own fools-colours gilds them all. 'Twas on the day, when * * rich and grave, 85 Like Cimon triumph'd both on land and wave: VARIATION. Ver. 85. in the former Editions, 90 Now 'Twas on the day, when Thorold, rich and grave. Sir George Thorold, Lord Mayor of London in the year 1720. REMARKS. Ver. 85, 86. 'Twas on the Day, when * * rich and grave-Like Cimon triumph'd] Viz. a Lord Mayor's Day; his name the author had left in blanks, but most certainly could never be that which the Editor foisted in formerly, and which no way agrees with the chronology of the poem. BENTL. The proceffion of a Lord Mayor is made partly by land, and partly by water-Cimon, the famous Athenian General, obtained a victory by fea, and another by land, on the fame day, over the Perfians and Barbarians. Ver. 90. But liv'd, in Settle's numbers, one day more.] A beautiful manner of speaking, ufual with poets in praife of poetry. Ibid. But liv'd, in Settle's numbers, one day more.] Settle was poet to the City of London. His office was In each the marks her Image full expreft, But chief in Bays's monster-breeding breast ; VARIATIONS. Bays, Ver. 108. But chief in Bays's, &c.] In the former Ed. thus, But chief in Tibbald's monster-breeding breast; Var. Tibbald] Author of a pamphlet intituled, Shakefpeare reftored. During two whole years while Mr. Pope was preparing his edition of Shakespeare, he published Advertisements, requesting affiftance, and promifing fatisfaction to any who could contribute to its greater perfection. But this Reftorer, who was at that time foliciting REMARKS. The fame plea might alfo ferve for his Succeffor, Mr. In merry Old England it once was a rule, But now we're so frugal, I'd have you to know it, Of Blackmore, fee Book ii. Of Philips, Book i. ver. 262. and Book iii. prope fin. Nahum Tate was Poet Laureate, a cold writer, of no invention; but fometimes tranflated tolerably when befriended by Mr. Dryden. In his fecond part of Abfalom and Achitophel are above two hundred admirable lines together of that great hand, which strongly shine through the infipidity of the reft. Something parallel may be observed of another author here mentioned. Bays, form'd by nature Stage and Town to bless, VARIATIONS. 110 Dulness citing favours of him by letters, did wholly conceal his defign, till after its publication: (which he was fince not ashamed to own, in a Daily Journal of Nov. 26, 1728.) And then an outcry was made in the prints, that our author had joined with the Bookfeller to raise an extravagant fubfcription; in which he had no share, of which he had no knowledge, and against which he had publicly advertised his own propofals for Homer. Probably that proceeding elevated Tibbald to the dignity he holds in this Poem, which he feems to deferve no other way better than his brethren; unless we impute it to the hare he had in the Journals, cited among the Teftimonies of Authors prefixed to this work. REMARKS. Ver. 106. And all the mighty Mad in Dennis rage.] Mr. Theobald, in the Cenfor, vol. ii. N. 33. calls Mr. Dennis by the name of Furius. "The modern Furius "is to be looked upon more as an object of pity, than "of that which he daily provokes, laughter and con66 tempt. Did we really know how much this poor "man" [I wish that reflection on poverty had been fpared] "fuffers by being contradicted, or, which is the fame thing in effect, by hearing another praised; "we fhould, in compaffion, fometimes attend to him "with a filent nod, and let him go away with the tri"umphs of his ill-nature.-Poor Furius (again) when "any of his contemporaries are spoken well of, quit"ting the ground of the prefent difpute, fteps back a "thousand years to call in the fuccour of the ancients. "His very panegyric is fpiteful, and he uses it for the "fame reafon as fome Ladies do their commendations "of a dead beauty, who would never have had their "good word, but that a living one happened to be men ❝tioned " Now Mayors and Shrieves all hush'd and fatiate lay, And Eusden eke out Blackmore's endless line; REMARKS. 95 100 She to compofe yearly panegyrics upon the Lord Mayors, and verfes to be spoken in the Pageants: But that part of the fhows being at length frugally abolished, the employment of City-poet ceafed; fo that upon Settle's demife, there was no fucceffor to that place. Ver. 98. John Heywood, whofe Interludes were printed in the time of Henry VIII. Ver. 103. Old Pryn in reftlefs Daniel] The first edition had it, She faw in Norton all his father fhine: a great Mistake! for Daniel de Foe had parts, but Norton de Foe was a wretched writer, and never attempted Poetry. Much more juftly is Daniel himself made fucceffor to W. Pryn, both of whom wrote Verses as well as Politics; as appears by the Poem de Jure divino, &c. of De Foe, and by fome lines in Cowley's Mifcellanies on the other. And both these authors had a refemblance in their fates as well as their writings, having been alike fentenced to the Pillory. She faw flow Philips creep like Tate's poor page, 105 And all the mighty Mad in Dennis rage. REMARKS. In Ver. 104. And Eusden eke out, &c.] Laurence Eufden Poet Laureate. Mr. Jacob gives a catalogue of fome few only of his works, which were very numerous. Mr. Cooke, in his Battle of Poets, faith of him, “Eusden, a laurel'd Bard, by fortune rais'd, "By very few was read, by fewer prais'd.” Mr. Oldmixon, in his Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, p. 413, 414. affirms, "That of all the Galimatia's he 66 ever met with, none comes up to fome verfes of this "poet, which have as much of the Ridiculum and the "Fuftian in them as can well be jumbled together, and are "of that fort of nonfenfe, which so perfectly confounds "all ideas, that there is no diftinct one left in the mind." Farther he fays of him, "That he hath prophefied his own poetry fhall be fweeter than Catullus, Ovid, and "Tibullus; but we have little hope of the accomplish"ment of it, from what he hath lately published." Upon which Mr. Oldmixon has not fpared a reflection, "That the putting the laurel on the head of one who "writ fuch verfes, will give futurity a very lively idea "of the judgment and justice of those who bestowed it.” Ibid. p. 417. But the well-known learning of that noble Perfon, who was then Lord Chamberlain, might have screened him from this unmannerly reflection. Nor ought Mr. Oldmixon to complain, fo long after, that the laure! would have better become his own brows, or any other's: It were more decent to acquiefce in the opinion of the Duke of Buckingham upon this matter : "In rush'd Eufden, and cry'd, who shall have it, "But I, the true Laureate, to whom the King gave it? "Apollo begg'd pardon, and granted his claim, "But vow'd that till then he ne'er heard of his name." Seffion of Poets. |