and fword; and fuch were all thofe unhappy Wits whom he facrificed to his accurfed Popish Principles '. It deferved Vengeance to fuggeft, that Mr. Pope had lefs Infallibility than his Namefake at Rome 2. Mr. POPE only a Verfifier. The fmooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit 3. It must be owned that he hath got a notable knack of rhyming and writing fmooth verfe 4. Mr. POPE's HOMER. The Homer which Lintot prints, does not talk like Homer, but like Pope; and he who tranflated him, one would fwear, had a hill in Tipperary for his Parnaffus, and a puddle in fome Bog for his Hippocrene . He has no admirers among thofe that can diftinguish, difcern, and judge. He hath a knack at fmooth verfe, but without either Genius or good Senfe, or any tolerable knowledge of English. The qualities which distinguish Homer are the beauties of his Diction and the Harmony of his Verfification-But this little author, who is fo much in vogue, has neither Senfe in his Thoughts nor English in his expreffions 7. Mr. POPE underftood no Greck.. He hath undertaken to tranflate Homer from the Greek, of which he knows not one word, into Englifh, of which he underftands as little. I wonder how this Gentleman would look, fhould it be discovered, that 1 Preface to Gulliveriana, p. II. Verfes, Letters, etc. p. 9. 2 Dedication to the Collection of 3 Mift's Journal of June 8, 1728. Character of Mr. P. and Dennis on Hom. 5 Dennis's Remarks on Pope's Homer, p. 12. 6 Ibid. p. 14. 7. Character of Mr. P. p. 17. and Remarks on Homer, p. 91. 8 Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 12. The faults are innumerable, and convince me that Mr. Dryden did not, or would not understand his Author'. This fhews how fit Mr. D. may be to tranflate Homer! A mistake in a fingle letter might fall on the Printer well enough, but exp for ixup must be the error of the Author: Nor had he art enough to correct it at the Prefs. Mr. Dryden writes for the Court Ladies-He writes for the Ladies, and not for use 3. The Tranflator puts in a little Burlesque now and then into Virgil, for a ragout to his cheated Subfcribers Mr. DRYDEN trick'd his Subfcribers. I wonder that any man, who could not but be confcious of his own unfitness for it, fhould go to amuse the learned world with fuch an undertaking! A man ought to value his Reputation more than Money; and not to hope that those who can read for themselves, will be impofed upon, merely by a partially and unfeasonably celebrated Name 5. Poetis quidlibet audendi shall be Mr. Dryden's Motto, though it should extend to picking of pockets". Names beftowed on Mr. DRYDEN. An APE.] A crafty Ape dreft up in a gawdy gown -Whips put into an Ape's paw, to play pranks with -None but Apifh and Papifh brats will heed him 7. An Ass.] A camel will take upon him no more burden than is fufficient for his ftrength, but there is another beaft that crouches under all. A FROG.] Poet Squab endued with Poet Maro's Spirit! an ugly, croaking kind of Vermin, which would fwell to the bulk of an Ox 9. he has not tranflated ten verses together in any book of Homer with juftice to the Poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow-writers with not understanding Greek '. He has ftuck fo little to his Original as to have his knowledge in Greek called in question 2. I fhould be glad to know which it is of all Homer's Excellencies which has fo delighted the Ladies, and the Gentlemen who judge like Ladies 3. But he has a notable Talent at Burlefque; his genius flides fo naturally into it, that he hath burlesqued Homer without defigning it *. Mr. POPE trick'd his Subfcribers. 'Tis indeed fomewhat bold, and almost prodigious, for a fingle man to undertake fuch a work: But 'tis too late to diffuade by demonftrating the madness of the Project. The Subscribers expectations have been raised in proportion to what their Pockets have been drained. of 5. Pope has been concerned in Jobs, and hired out his Name to Booksellers . Names beftowed on Mr. POPE. An APE.] Let us take the initial letter of his Christian name, and initial and final letters of his furname, viz. APE, and they give you the fame Idea of an Ape as his Face 7, etc. An Ass.] It is my duty to pull off the Lion's skin from this little Afs 8. A FROG.] A fquab fhort Gentleman-a little creature that, like the Frog in the Fable, fwells, and is angry that it is not allowed to be as big as an Ox 9. 3 1 Daily Jour. April 23, 1728. 2 Suppl. to the Profund, Pref. Oldmixon, Effay on Criticifm, p. 66. 4 Dennis's Remarks, p. 28. s Homerides, p. 1, etc. 6 British Journal, Nov. 25, 1727. 7 Dennis, Daily Journal, May 11, 1728. 8 Dennis's Rem. on Hom. Pref 9 Dennis's Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, Pref. p. 9. VOL. II, X X A COWARD.] 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 Jefus Chrift: And if I mistake not, I've read fomewhere of John Dryden, Servant to his Majesty 2. A FooL.] Had he not been fuch a felf-conceited Fool 3.-Some great Poets are pofitive Blockheads 4. A THING.] So little a Thing as Mr. Dryden 3. 1 Milb. pag. 176. P. 34. 2 Pag. 57. 3 Whip and Key, Pr. 4 Milb |