Bless'd with his father's front and mother's tongue, Thus the soft gifts of sleep conclude the day, And to mere mortals seem'd a priest in drink : While others, timely, to the neighbouring Fleet (Haunt of the Muses) made their safe retreat? IMITATIONS. 418 And all was hush'd, as Folly's self lay dead] Alludes to Dryden's verse in the Indian Emperor : 'All things are hush'd, as Nature's self lay dead.' 305 BOOK III. ARGUMENT. After the other persons are disposed in their proper places of rest, the goddess transports the king to her temple, and there lays him to slumber with his head on her lap; a position of marvellous virtue, which causes all the visions of wild enthusiasts, projectors, politicians, inamoratos, castle builders, chymists, and poets. He is immediately carried on the wings of fancy, and led by a mad poetical sibyl to the Elysian shade; where, on the banks of Lethe, the souls of the dull are dipped by Bavius, before their entrance into this world. There he is met by the ghost of Settle, and by him made acquainted with the wonders of the place, and with those which he himself is destined to perform. He takes him to a mount of vision, from whence he shows him the past triumphs of the empire of Dulness; then, the present; and, lastly, the future: how small a part of the world was ever conquered by science, how soon those conquests were stopped, and those very nations again reduced to her dominion. Then distinguishing the island of Great Britain, shows by what aids, by what persons, and by what degrees, it shall be brought to her empire. Some of the persons he causes to pass in review before his eyes, describing each by his proper figure, character, and qualifications. On a sudden the scene shifts, and a vast number of miracles and prodigies appear, utterly surprising and unknown to the king himself, till they are explained to be the wonders of his own reign now commencing. On this subject Settle breaks into a congratulation, yet not unmixed with concern, that his own times were but the types of these. He prophesies how first the nation shall be overrun with farces, operas, and shows; how the throne VOL. III. X of Dulness shall be advanced over the theatres, and set up even at court; then how her sons shall preside in the seats of arts and sciences; giving a glimpse, or Pisgah-sight, of the future fulness of her glory, the accomplishment whereof is the subject of the fourth and last book. BUT in her temple's last recess inclos'd, He hears loud oracles, and talks with gods; And now, on Fancy's easy wing convey'd, IMITATIONS. 78 Hence from the straw where Bedlam's prophet nods, Et varias audit voces, fruiturque deorum 15 A slipshod sibyl, &c.] 'Conclamat vates VIRG. EN. VIII. -Furens antro se immisit aperto.' VIRG. N. VI. Her tresses staring from poetic dreams, And never wash'd but in Castalia's streams. Taylor, their better Charon, lends an oar,1 19 (Once swan of Thames, though now he sings no more ;) Benlowes, propitious still to blockheads, bows; 21 And Shadwell nods, the poppy on his brows.22 Here in a dusky vale, where Lethé rolls,23 REMARKS. 19 Taylor] John Taylor the Water-poet, an honest man, who owns he learned not so much as the accidence: a rare example of modesty in a poet! I must confess I do want eloquence, And never scarce did learn my accidence; I there was gravell'd, could no farther get.' He wrote fourscore books in the reign of James I. and Charles I. and afterwards (like Edward Ward) kept an alehouse in Long Acre. He died in 1654. 21 Benlowes] A country gentleman, famous for his own bad poetry, and for patronizing bad poets, as may be seen from many dedications of Quarles and others to him. Some of these anagramed his name Benlowes into Benevolus; to verify which he spent his whole estate upon them. 22 And Shadwell nods, the poppy, &c.] Shadwell took opium for many years, and died of too large a dose, in the year 1692. IMITATIONS. Here in a dusky vale, &c.] -Videt Æneas in valle reducta Seclusum nemus VIRG. EN. VI. Lethæumque domos placidas qui prænatat amnem, Hunc circum innumeræ gentes,' &c. VIRG. EN. VI. Old Bavius sits to dip poetic souls,24 And blunt the sense, and fit it for a skull Instant, when dipt, away they wing their flight, Where Browne and Mears unbar the gates of light,28 REMARKS. 24 Old Bavius sits] Bavius was an ancient poet, celebrated by Virgil for the like cause as Bayes by our author, though not in so Christian-like a manner: for heathenishly it is declared by Virgil of Bavius, that he ought to be hated and detested for his evil works: Qui Bavium non odit? whereas we have often had occasion to observe our poet's great good nature and mercifulness through the whole course of this poem. SCRIB. 28-Browne and Mears] Booksellers, printers for any body. -The allegory of the souls of the dull coming forth in the form of books dressed in calf's leather, and being let abroad in vast numbers by booksellers, is sufficiently intelligible. IMITATIONS. 24 Old Bavius sits to dip poetic souls] 28 'At pater Anchises penitus convalle virenti VIRG. EN. VI. —unbar the gates of light] A hemistich of Milton. 31 32 Millions and millions-Thick as the stars] Quam multa in sylvis autumni frigore primo Lapsa cadunt folia, aut ad terram gurgite ab alto Quam multæ glomerantur aves,' &c. VIRG. EN. VI. |