those of the lesser epic hero should be vanity, assurance, and debauchery, from which happy assemblage results heroic dulness, the never-dying subject of the poem. Having laid down this position, Warburton traces all these characteristics in Cibber's character and conduct, quoting largely from the Apology for his Life, in which Colley's vanity and carelessness laid him open to ridicule and misrepresentation. There is, of course, no recognition of the merits of Cibber's "Apology," which is one of the most delightful gossiping works in the language, and exhibits no inconsiderable portion of discrimination and acuteness in the delineation of character. In altering the poem to instal Cibber as its hero Pope had little difficulty. His first emendation was to substitute "Bayes's monster-breeding breast," for Tibbalds', which, as both were dramatic authors, violated no rule of critical propriety. But when he described Bayes as dashing his pen on the ground, and

Sinking from thought to thought a vast profound,

every reader saw that the resemblance to the gay, vivacious laureate, who was never thoughtful nor profound, nor ever affected to be so, was lost. Still more unsuitable was the description of Bayes's Gothic library, the shelves of which groaned under dry bodies of divinity, the commentaries of De Lyra, and the translations of Philemon Holland, with black-letter treatises from the presses of Caxton and Wynkyn de Worde. Such a library might have been collected by Theobald, a professed antiquary, but was wholly foreign to the tastes, character, and pursuits of Colley Cibber. This capital error was irredeemable. Cibber might as well have acted Fondlewife in a professor's gown, or suit of tragic

commendation of the old bard; but it is only a poetical student of strong nerve and resolution that will get through the 30,000 Alexandrine verses which compose the Polyolbion. We may remark that Coleridge, or more likely the reporter of his "Table Talk," is mistaken in supposing that Lear was written subsequently to the Polyolbion. The latter was produced between 1613 and 1622; Lear was published in 1608.

ALTERATIONS IN THE DUNCIAD.

283

sables. But some of the minuter alterations show Pope's unrivalled artistic power. In ridicule of one of Theobald's translations, the poet, in describing the altar of Dulness, had this allusion

And last a little Ajax tips the spire.

To make the allusion applicable to Cibber one happy touch sufficed

A twisted Birth-day Ode completes the spire.

Where new lines were necessary to mark the individuality, the dovetailing will be found executed with equal success. Thus, in the second book, we had Theobald on his gorgeous

seat

Great Tibbald nods: the proud Parnassian sneer,

The conscious simper, and the jealous leer,

Mix on his look. All eyes direct their rays

On him, and crowds grow foolish as they gaze.
Not with more glee, &c.

Cibber was fond of boasting of his acquaintance with lords, and this foible was not forgotten in the new version

Great Cibber sate. The proud Parnassian sneer,
The conscious simper and the jealous leer,
Mix on his look: all eyes direct their rays
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
His Peers shine round him with reflected grace,

New edge their dulness and new bronze their face.

So from the sun's broad beam, in shallow urns

Heaven's twinkling sparks draw light and point their horns.
Not with more glee, &c.

Having sent his work to the press, the poet sought recreation at the country-seats of his noble friends. In September he accompanied Chesterfield to the Duchess of Marlborough's at Windsor, whence they proceeded to Lord Cobham's at Stowe. The complete poem in its newadapted and revised state was published in October. Cibber must have been astonished to find himself hero of the

satire!

He acknowledged the distinction in a second pamphlet, published with the voluminous title of "Another Occasional Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope, wherein the new hero's preferment to his throne, in the Dunciad, seems not to be accepted, and the author of that poem his more rightful claim to it is asserted. With an expostulatory address to the Rev. Mr. W. W-n, author of the new Preface, and adviser in the curious improvements of that satire. By Mr. Colley Cibber." The title-page also bore this motto,

Remember Sawney's fate,

Bang'd by the blockhead whom he strove to beat.

Parody on Lord Roscommon.

This second epistle is decidedly inferior to the first, but it no doubt had the effect of irritating and annoying the poet, which was the object Cibber had chiefly, if not solely in view. "I am told the laureate is going to publish a very abusive pamphlet," Pope writes to Warburton. "That is all I can desire; it is enough if it be abusive, and if it be his. He will be more to me than a dose of hartshorn." Johnson gives a comment on this. He had heard Richardson relate that he attended his father the painter, on a visit at Twickenham, when one of Cibber's pamphlets came into the hands of Pope, who said, "These things are my diversion." They sat by him while he perused it, and saw his features writhing with anguish; and young Richardson said to his father when they returned, that he hoped to be preserved from such diversion as had been that day the lot of Pope. The diversion was similar to the mirth excited by Dennis's first attack, and must have been recollected by Sheridan when he drew Sir Fretful Plagiary.

In the summer of this year (1743) the poet was again at Bath. He met Lord Chesterfield-then the only person at the fashionable resort whom he knew-and the peer, he says, made him dine en malade, though Pope's physician prescribed garlic. He visited, as usual, at Prior Park, and Martha Blount was invited to meet him. A quarrel un