And thou! his Aid-de-camp, lead on my sons, She ceas'd. Then swells the Chapel-royal' throat : Under Archer's wing,-Gaming, &c.] When the Statute against Gaming was drawn up, it was represented, that the King, by ancient custom, plays at Hazard one night in the year; and therefore a clause was inserted, with an exception as to that particular. Under this pretence, the Groom-porter had a room appropriated to Gaming all the summer the Court was at Kensington, which his Majesty accidentally being acquainted of with a just indignation prohibited. It is reported the same practice is yet continued wherever the Court resides, and the Hazard Table there open to all the professed Gamesters in town. 'Greatest and justest Sov'REIGN! know you this? Alas! no more than Thames' calm head can know Whose meads his arms drown or whose corn o'erflow.' Donne to Queen Eliz. P. [Cf. The Basset-Table, v. 99. The Groom-porter was an officer in the royal household who had succeeded to most of the functions of the Master 305 310 315 322 325 330 of the Revels. As to the practice referred to by Pope, see Evelyn's Diary, 8 Jan. 1667-8, et al.] Chapel-royal] The voices and instruments used in the service of the Chapel-royal being also employed in the performance of the Birth-day and New-year Odes. P. 3 But pious Needham] A Matron of great fame, and very religious in her way; whose constant prayer it was, that she might "get enough by her profession to leave it off in time, and make her peace with God." But her fate was not so happy; for being convicted and set in the pillory, she was (to the lasting shame of all her great Friends and Votaries) so ill used by the populace, that it put an end to her days. P. 4 Back to the Devil] The Devil Tavern in Fleet-street, where these Odes are usually rehearsed before they are performed at Court. P. [Cf. Imit. of Hor. Bk. 11. Ep. 1. v. 91.] 5 Ogilby-God save King Log!] See Ogilby's Esop's Fables, where, in the story of the Frogs and their King, this excellent hemistic is to be found. P. [Part om.] THE DUNCIAD. BOOK THE SECOND. ARGUMENT. The King being proclaimed, the solemnity is graced with public Games, and sports of various kinds; not instituted by the Hero, as by Eneas in Virgil, but for greater honour by the Goddess in person (in like manner as the games Pythia, Isthmia, &c. were anciently said to be ordained by the Gods, and as Thetis herself appearing, according to Homer, Odyss. xxiv. proposed the prizes in honour of her son Achilles). Hither flock the Poets and Critics, attended, as is but just, with their Patrons and Booksellers. The Goddess is first pleased, for her disport, to propose games to the Booksellers, and setteth up the Phantom of a Poet, which they contend to overtake. The Races described, with their divers accidents. Next, the game for a Poetess. Then follow the Exercises for the Poets, of tickling, vociferating, diving: The first holds forth the arts and practices of Dedicators, the second of Disputants and fustian Poets, the third of profound, dark, and dirty Party-writers. Lastly, for the Critics, the Goddess proposes (with great propriety) an Exercise, not of their parts, but their patience, in hearing the works of two voluminous Authors, one in verse, and the other in prose, deliberately read without sleeping: The various effects of which, with the several degrees and manners of their operation, are here set forth; till the whole number, not of Critics only, but of spectators, actors, and all present, fall asleep; which naturally and necessarily ends the games. BOOK II. IGH on a gorgeous seat, that far out-shone Henley's gilt tub,] The pulpit of a Dissenter is usually called a Tub; but that of Mr Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had also a fair altar, and over it this extraordinary inscription, The Primitive Eucharist. See the history of this person, Book III. v. 199]. P. 2 Or Fleckno's Irish throne,] Richard Fleckno was an Irish priest, but had laid aside (as himself expressed it) the mechanic part of priesthood. He printed some plays, poems, letters, and travels. I doubt not our Author took occasion to mention him in respect to the poem of Mr Dryden, to which this bears some resemblance, though of a character more different from it than that of the Eneid from the Iliad, or the Lutrin of Boileau from the Défait de Bouts rimées of Sara zin. P. [It is not known whether Flecknoe had actually died about the time (1682) when Dryden wrote his famous satire, or whether the latter with careless malice gave unenviable notoriety to a harmless living writer, who had to the best of his ability honoured Dryden himself. As to the relations between the Dunciad and Dryden's Satire see Introduction to Dunciad, p. 349.] It may be just worth mentioning, that the Eminence, from whence the ancient Sophists entertained their auditors, was called by the pompous name of a throne;—ἐπὶ θρόνον τινὸς υψηλοῦ μάλα σοφιστικῶς καὶ σοβαρῶς. Themistius, Orat. I. P. 3 Or that where on her Curls the Public pours,] Edmund Curl stood in the pillory at Charingcross, in March 1727—8. "This (saith Edmund Great Cibber sate: The proud Parnassian sneer, On him, and crowds turn Coxcombs as they gaze: New edge their dulness, and new bronze their face. 5 1Ο Heav'n's twinkling Sparks draw light, and point their horns. With scarlet hats wide-waving circled round, Rome in her Capitol saw Querno sit1, Thron'd on seven hills, the Antichrist of wit. And now the Queen, to glad her sons, proclaims, In silks, in crapes 2, in Garters, and in Rags, A Church collects the saints of Drury-lane 3. Curl) is a false assertion-I had indeed the corporal punishment of what the Gentlemen of the long robe are pleased jocosely to call mounting the Rostrum for one hour; but that scene of action was not in the month of March, but in February." And of the History of his being tost in a Blanket, he saith, "Here, Scriblerus! thou leeseth in what thou assertest concerning the blanket; it was not a blanket, but a rug." Much in the same manner Mr Cibber remonstrated, that his Brothers, at Bedlam, mentioned Book 1. were not Brazen, but Blocks; yet our Author let it pass unaltered, as a trifle that no way altered the relationship. Scriblerus. Rome in her Capitol saw Querno sit,] Camillo Querno was of Apulia, who, hearing the great Encouragement which Leo X. gave to poets, travelled to Rome with a harp in his hand, and sung to it twenty thousand verses of a poem called Alexias. He was introduced as a Buffoon to Leo, and promoted to the honour of the Laurel; a jest which the Court of Rome and the Pope himself entered into so far, as to cause him to ride on an elephant to the Capitol, and to hold a solemn festival on his coronation; at which it is recorded the Poct himself was so transported as 15 20 25 30 to weep for joy. He was ever after a constant frequenter of the Pope's table, drank abundantly, and poured forth verses without number. PAULUS Jovius. Some idea of his poetry is given by Fam. Strada, in his Prolusions. P. 2 [The material of an ordinary clergyman's gown. Cf. Moral Essays, Ep. 1. v. 137.] 3 [In front of the spot now occupied by St Mary-le-Strand, commonly called the New Church, anciently stood a cross, at which, says Stowe, "in the year 1294, and other times, the justices itinerant sat without London." In the place of this cross was set up a May-pole, which having been taken down in 1713, a new one was erected opposite Somerset House. This second May-pole had two gilt balls and a vane on the summit, and was decorated on holidays with flags and garlands. It was removed in 1718, probably being thought in the way of the new church which was then being erected. Sir Isaac Newton begged it of the parish, and afterwards sent it to the Rector of Wanstead, who set it up in Wanstead Park to support the then largest telescope in Europe.' Leigh Hunt's Town.] 4 [Stationers, i.e. booksellers.] A Poet's form she plac'd before their eyes, So like, that critics said, and courtiers swore, Fear held them mute. Alone, untaught to fear, So lab'ring on, with shoulders, hands, and head, 35 40 45 50 55 бо 65 1 [Pope has a note too long for insertion on the sins of this hated personage, James Moore Smythe, the son of Arthur Moore. James was an admirer of Teresa Blount, and intimate with her family, as well as an occasional associate of Pope's literary circle. He was the author of a comedy called the Rival Modes, in which he was accused by Pope of having plagiarised the lines addressed by the latter to Martha Blount on her birth-day. See note ad loc.] 2 But lofty Lintot] We enter here upon the episode of the Booksellers: Persons, whose names being more known and famous in the learned world than those of the Authors in this poem, do therefore need less explanation. The action of Mr Bernard Lintot here imitates that of Dares in Virgil, rising just in this manner to lay hold on a Bull. This eminent Bookseller printed the Rival Modes before-mentioned. P. [Young, in Spence's Anecdotes, calls Lintot 'a great sputtering fellow.'] 3 Stood dauntless Curl;] We come now to a character of much respect, that of Mr Edmund Curl. As a plain repetition of great actions is the best praise of them, we shall only say of this eminent man, that he carried the Trade many lengths beyond what it ever before had arrived at; and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profession. He possessed himself of a command over all authors whatever; he caused them to write what he pleased; they could not call their very Names their own. He was not only famous among these; he was taken notice of by the State, the Church, and the Law, and received particular marks of distinction from each. P. [Part om.] 4 [A dab-chick is a small water-fowl which is constantly dabbling under the water.] Which Curl's Corinna1 chanc'd that morn to make: 70 And "Bernard! Bernard!" rings thro' all the Strand. Obscene with filth the miscreant lies bewray'd, 75 "Hear, Jove! whose name my bards and I adore, 80 85 90 X Sign'd with that Ichor which from Gods distils 4. And ministers to Jove with purest hands. 95 Forth from the heap she pick'd her Vot'ry's pray'r, 100 105 1 Curl's Corinna] This name, it seems, was taken by one Mrs T who procured some private letters of Mr Pope, while almost a boy, to Mr Cromwell, and sold them without the consent of either of those Gentlemen to Curl, who printed them in 12m0, 1727. We only take this opportunity of mentioning the manner in which those letters got abroad, which the author was ashamed of as very trivial things, full not only of levities, but of wrong judgments of men and books, and only excusable from the youth and inexperience of the writer. P. Mrs Elizabeth Thomas was first styled Corinna by Dryden, to whom she sent a copy of verses. She died, in want, in 1730. Carruthers. [On the subject of this unwarranted publication' see Introductory Memoir, p. xxxiii.] Down with the Bible, up with the Pope's πρέε δ' άμβροτον αἷμα Θέοιο, 5 Cloacina] The Roman Goddess of the common-sewers. P. 6 Where as he fish'd &c.] See the preface to Swift's and Pope's Miscellanies. P. 7 As oild with magic juices] Alluding to the opinion that there are ointments used by witches to enable them to fly in the air, &c. P. |