Page images
PDF
EPUB

Phyfic of Metaphyfic begs defence,

645

And Metaphyfic* calls for aid on Senfe!

See Mystery to Mathematics fly + !

In vain! they gaze, turn giddy, rave, and die.

though at the extent of our ideas, and on the maxim of the great founder of this Philofophy, Bacon, who fays, Circa ultimates rerum fruftranea eft inqui fitio, was mistaken by foreign philosophers as recurring to the occult qualities of the Peripatetics.

"Pulfantes equidem vires intelligo nufquam
"Occultas magicifque pares-

"Sed gravitas etiam crefcat, dum corpora centro
"Accedunt propius. Videor mihi cernere terra
"Emergens, quicquid caliginis ac tenebrarum
"Pellæi Juvenis Doctor conjecerat olim

"In Phyficæ ftudium: folitum dare nomina rebus,
"Pro caufis, unoque fecans problemata verbo.

Anti-Luer.

To avoid which imaginary difcredit to the new theory, it was thought proper to feek for the cause of gravitation in a certain elastic fluid, which pervaded all body. By this means, instead of really advancing in natural enquiries, we were brought back again, by this ingenious expedient, to an unfatisfactory fecond caufe.

Philofophy that lean'd on Heav'n before,

Shrinks to her fecond cause, and is no more.

For it might still, by the fame kind of objection, be asked, what was the caufe of that elafticity? See this folly cenfured, v. 475.

* Certain writers, as Malbranche, Norris, and others, have thought it of importance, in order to fecure the existence of the foul, to bring in question the reality of body; which they have attempted to do by a very refined metaphyfical reafoning: While others of the fame party, in order to perfuade us of the neceffity of a Revelation which promises immortality, have been as anxious to prove that those qualities which are commonly supposed to belong only to an immaterial Being, are but the refult from the fenfations of matter, and the foul naturally mortal. Thus, between thefe different reafonings, they have left us neither Soul nor Body; nor, the Sciences of Phyfics and Metaphysics the least support, by making them depend upon, and go a begging to, one another.

A fort of men, who make human reafon the adequate measure of all Truth, having pretended that whatsoever is not fully comprehended by it, is contrary to it; certain defenders of Religion, who would not be outdone in a paradox, have gone as far in the oppofite folly, and attempted to shew that the mysteries of Religion may be mathematically demonftrated; as the authors of Philofophic, or Aftronomic Principles of Religion, natural and revealed; who have much prided themselves on reflecting a fantastic light upon religion from the frigid fubtilty of school moonshine.

Religion

*

Religion blushing veils her facred fires,
And unawares Morality + expires.

650

Nor public Flame, nor private, dares to fhine;

Nor human Spark is left, nor Glimpfe divine!

Lo! thy dread Empire, CHAOS! is reftor'd,

Light dies before thy uncreating word:

Thy hand, great Anarch! lets the curtain fall:
And univerfal Darkness buries All.

655

*Blushing as well at the memory of the past overflow of Dulness, when the barbarous learning of fo many ages was wholly employed in corrupting the fimplicity, and defiling the purity of Religion, as at the view of these her falfe fupports in the prefent; of which it would be endless to recount the particulars. However, amidst the extinction of all other Lights, she is faid only to withdraw hers; as hers alone in its own nature is unextinguishable and eternal.

It appears from hence that our Poet was of very different fentiments from the Author of the Characteristics, who has written a formal treatise on Virtue, to prove it not only real but durable, without the fupport of Religion. The word unawares alludes to the confidence of those men, who fuppofe that Morality would flourish beft without it, and confequently to the furprize fuch would be in (if any fuch there are) who indeed love Virtue, and Yet do all they can to root out the Religion of their Country.

The END of the FOURTH BOOK.

1

[blocks in formation]

WHEREAS certain Haberdashers of Points and Particles, being instigated by the spirit of Pride, and afluming to themselves the name of Critics and Reftorers, have taken upon them to adulterate the common aud current sense of our Glorious Ancestors, Poets of this Realm, by clipping, coining, defacing the images, miring their own base allay, or other, wise falsifying the same; which they publish, utter, and vend as genuine Che said haberdashers having no right thereto, as neitheir heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, or in any fort related to such Poets, to all or any of them: Now We, having carefully revised this our Dunciad, 1 beginning with the words The Mighty Mother, and ending with the words buries All, containing the entire sum of One thoufand

:

I Read thus confidently, instead of “ beginning with the word Books, and ending with the word flies," as formerly it stood: Read alfo,"containing "the entire fum of one thoufand, even hundred, and fifty-four verses," inftead of " one thousand and twelve lines;" fuch being the initial and final words, and fuch the true and entire contents of this poem.

Thou art to know, reader! that the firft Edition thereof, like that of Milton, was never seen by the Author (though living and not blind :) The Editor himself confefs'd as much in his preface: And no two poems were ever published in fo arbitrary a manner. The Editor of this, had as boldly fuppreffed whole Passages, yea the entire last book, as the Editor of Paradife Loft, added and augmented. Milton himself gave but ten books, his Editor twelve; this Author gave four books. his Editor only three. But we have happily done juftice to both; and presume we shall live, in this our last labour, as long as in any of our others.

[merged small][ocr errors]

BENTL.

fevon

feven hundred and fifty-four verses, declare every word, kgure, point, and comma of this impression to be authentic; And do therefore strictly enjoin and forbid any person or persons whats soever, to erase, reverse, put between hooks, or by any other means, directly or indirectly, change or mangle any of them. And we do hereby earnestly exhort all our brethren to follow this our example, which we heartily with our great Predeceffors had heretofore set, as a remedy and prevention of all such abuses. Provided always, that nothing in this Declaration fhall be conftrued to limit the lawful and undoubted right of every subject of this Realw, to judge, censure, or condemn, in the whole or in part, any Poem or Poet whatsoeber.

Given under our hand at London, this third day of Janu-
ary, in the
year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
thirty and two.

Declarat' cor' me,

JOHN BARBER, Mayor.

« PreviousContinue »