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IV.-ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE DUNCIAD,

WHEN PRINTED SEPARATELY IN THE YEAR 1742.

WE apprehend it can be deemed no injury to the author of the three first books of the Dunciad that we publish this fourth. It was found merely by accident in taking a survey of the library of a late eminent nobleman; but in so blotted a condition, and in so many detached pieces, as plainly showed it to be not only incorrect, but unfinished. That the author of the three first books had a design to extend and complete his poem in this manner appears from the dissertation prefixed to it, where it is said that the design is more extensive, and that we may expect other episodes to complete it; and from the declaration in the argument to the third book, that the accomplishment of the prophecies therein would be the theme hereafter of a greater Dunciad. But whether or no he be the author of this, we declare ourselves ignorant. If he be, we are no more to be blamed for the publication of it than Tucca and Varius for that of the last six books of the Æneid, though perhaps inferior to the former.

If any person be possessed of a more perfect copy of this work, or of any other fragments of it, and will communicate them to the publisher, we shall make the next edition more complete: in which we also promise to insert any criticisms that shall be published (if at all to the purpose) with the names of the authors; or any letters sent us (though not to the purpose) shall yet be printed under the title of Epistolæ Obscurorum Virorum; which, together with some others of the same kind formerly laid by for that end, may make no unpleasant addition to the future impressions of this poem.

V.-ADVERTISEMENT TO THE COMPLETE EDITION of 1743.

I HAVE long had a design of giving some sort of Notes on the works of this poet. Before I had the happiness of his acquaintance, I had written a commentary on his Essay on Man, and have since finished another on the Essay on Criticism. There was one already on the Dunciad, which had met with general approbation; but I still thought some additions were wanting (of a more serious kind) to the humorous notes of Scriblerus, and even to those written by Mr Cleland, Dr Arbuthnot, and others. I had lately the pleasure to pass some months with the author in the country, where I prevailed upon him to do what I had long desired, and favour me with his explanation of several passages in his works. It happened that just at that juncture was published a ridiculous book against him, full of personal reflections, which furnished him with a lucky opportunity of improving this poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted-a more considerable hero. He was always sensible of its defect in that particular, and owned he had let it pass with the hero it had purely for want of a better; not entertaining the least expectation that such an one was reserved for this post as has since obtained the Laurel: but since that had happened, he could no longer deny this justice either to him or the Dunciad.

And yet I will venture to say, there was another motive which had still more weight with our author. This person was one who from every folly (not to say vice) of which another would be ashamed has constantly derived a vanity; and therefore was the man in the world who would least be hurt by it.

W. W.

VI.-ADVERTISEMENT PRINTED IN THE JOURNALS, 1730.

WHEREAS, upon occasion of certain pieces relating to the gentlemen of the Dunciad, some have been willing to suggest, as if they looked upon them as an abuse we can do no less than own it is our opinion, that to call these gentlemen bad authors is no sort of abuse, but a great truth. We cannot alter this opinion without some reason; but we promise to do it in respect to every person who thinks it an injury to be represented as no wit, or poet, provided he procures a certificate of his being really such, from any three of his companions in the Dunciad, or from Mr Dennis singly, who is esteemed equal to any three of the number.

VII-A PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF MR DRYDEN AND MR POPE,

AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES.

MR DRYDEN HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

MR DRYDEN is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good sense-a true republican son of monarchical Church 2-a republican atheist. Dryden was from the beginning an ἀλλοπρόσαλλος, and I doubt not will continue so to the last."

In the poem called Absalom and Achitophel are notoriously_traduced, the King, the Queen, the Lords and Gentlemen, not only their honourable persons exposed, but the whole nation and its representatives notoriously libelled. It is scandalum magnatum, yea of majesty itself."

He looks upon God's gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor. His very Christianity may be questioned." He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his own reflections on others. With as good a right as his holiness, he sets up for poetical infallibility."

1 Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, Svo, 1698, p. 6. Ibid. p. 38. Ibid. p. 192. Ibid. p. 8.- Whip and Key, 4to, printed for R. Janeway, 1682, preface.- Ibid.- Milbourn, p. 9.-8 Ibid. p. 175.- Ibid. p. 39.

VOL. II.

VII.-A PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF MR POPE AND MR DRYDEN,

AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES.

MR POPE-HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

1

MR POPE is an open and mortal enemy to his country, and the commonwealth of learning. Some call him a Popish Whig, which is directly inconsistent. Pope, as a papist, must be a Tory and High-flyer. He is both a Whig and Tory.'

He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one party in their own sentiments."

In his miscellanies, the persons abused are the King, the Queen, his late Majesty, both Houses of Parliament, the Privy Council, the Bench of Bishops, the Established Church, the present Ministry, &c. To make sense of some passages, they must be construed into royal scandal."

He is a popish rhymester, bred up with a contempt of the Sacred Writings. His religion allows him to destroy heretics, not only with his pen, but with fire and sword; and such were all those unhappy wits whom he sacrificed to his accursed popish principles.R It deserved vengeance to suggest that Mr Pope had less infallibility than his namesake at Rome."

1 Dennis's Remarks on the Rape of the Lock, preface, p. xii.-2 Dunciad Dissected. Preface to Gulliveriana.- Dennis, Character of Mr P.- Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22, 1728. List at the end of a Collection of Verses, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo, printed for A. Moore, 1728, and the preface to it, p. 6.-7 Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 27.-8 Preface to Gulliveriana, p. 11.- Dedication to the Collection of Verses, Letters, &c., p. 9.

X

MR DRYDEN ONLY A VERSIFIER.

His whole libel is all bad matter, beautified (which is all that can be said of it) with good metre.1 Mr Dryden's genius did not appear in any thing more than his versification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only is a question."

MR DRYDEN'S VIRGIL. Tonson calls it Dryden's Virgil, to show that this is not that Virgil so admired in the Augustæan age; but a Virgil of another stamp, a silly, impertinent, nonsensical writer. None but a Bavius, a Mævius, or a Bathyllus carped at Virgil; and none but such unthinking vermin admire his translator. It is true, soft and easy lines might become Ovid's Epistles or Art of Love; but Virgil, who is all great and majestic, &c., requires strength of lines, weight of words, and closeness of expressions-not an ambling muse running on carpet-ground, and shod as lightly as a Newmarket racer. He has numberless faults in his author's meaning, and in propriety of expression.

MR DRYDEN UNDERSTOOD NO GREEK NOR LATIN.

6

Mr Dryden was once, I have heard, at Westminster school. Dr Bushby would have whipped him for so childish a paraphrase. The meanest pedant in England would whip a lubber of twelve for construing so absurdly." The translator is mad, every line betrays his stupidity. The faults are innumerable, and convince me that Mr Dryden did not, or would not understand his author. This shows how fit Mr D. may be to translate Homer! A mistake in a single letter might fall on the printer well enough, but exwp for ixop must be the error of the author. Nor had he art enough to correct it at the press." 10 Mr Dryden writes for the court ladies. He writes for the ladies, and not for use."

The translator puts in a little burlesque now and then into Virgil, for a ragout to his cheated subscribers.12

1 Whip and Key, preface.-2 Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism, p. 84.-3 Milbourn, p. 2. Ibid. p. 35.- Ibid. pp. 22, 192 - Ibid. p. 72.- Ibid. p. 203.-8 Ibid, p. 78.- Ibid. p. 206.-10 Ibid. p. 19.-11 Ibid. p. 144, 190.12 Ibid. p. 67.

MR POPE ONLY A VERSIFIER. The smooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit. It must be owned that he hath got a notable knack of rhyming and writing smooth verse."

MR POPE'S HOMER.

The Homer which Lintot prints does not talk like Homer, but like Pope; and he who translated him, one would swear, had a hill in Tipperary for his Parnassus, and a puddle in some bog for his Hippocrene. He has no admirers among those that can distinguish, discern, and judge.1

He hath a knack at smooth verse, but without either genius or good sense, or any tolerable knowledge of English. The qualities which distinguish Homer are the beauties of his diction and the harmony of his versification. But this little author, who is so much in vogue, has neither sense in his thoughts nor English in his expressions."

MR POPE UNDERSTOOD NO GREEK.

I

He hath undertaken to translate Homer from the Greek, of which he knows not one word, into English, of which he understands as little. wonder how this gentleman would look, should it be discovered that he has not translated ten verses together in any book of Homer with justice to the poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow-writers with not understanding Greek.' He has stuck so little to his original as to have his knowledge in Greek called in question. I should be glad to know which it is of all Homer's excellencies which has so delighted the ladies, and the gentlemen who judge like ladies."

But he has a notable talent at burlesque; his genius slides so naturally into it, that he hath burlesqued Homer without designing it.10

1 Mist's Journal of June 8, 1728-2 Character of Mr P. and Dennis on Homer.$ Dennis's Remarks on Pope's Homer, p. 12. - Ibid. p. 14.- Character of Mr P., p. 17, and Remarks on Homer, p. 91.- Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 12.- Daily Journal, April 23, 1728.8 Supplement to the Profund, preface. Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism, p. 66.-10 Dennis's Remarks, p. 28.

MR DRYDEN TRICKED HIS SUB-
SCRIBERS.

I wonder that any man, who could not but be conscious of his own unfitness for it, should go to amuse the learned world with such 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 imposed upon, merely by a partially and unseasonably celebrated name.' Poetis quidlibet audendi shall be Mr Dryden's motto, though it should extend to picking of pockets.2

NAMES BESTOWED ON MR DRYDEN.

An Ape.-A crafty ape dressed up in a gaudy gown-whips put into an ape's paw, to play pranks with-none but apish and papish brats will heed

him.3

An Ass.-A camel will take upon him no more burden than is sufficient for his strength, but there is another beast that crouches under all."

A Frog.-Poet Squab endued with Poet Maro's spirit! an ugly croaking kind of vermin, which would swell to the bulk of an ox.s

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 Jesus Christ; and, if I mistake not, I've read somewhere of John Dryden, servant to his Majesty.'

A Fool. Had he not been such a self-conceited fool.-Some great poets are positive blockheads.

A Thing. So little a thing as Mr Dryden.10

1 Milbourn, p. 192. Ibid. p. 125.- Whip and Key, preface. Milbourn, p. 105.Ibid. p. 11.- Ibid. p. 176. Ibid. p. 57.--8 Whip and Key, preface.- Milbourn, p. 34. 10 Ibid. p. 35.

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INDEX

OF

PERSONS CELEBRATED IN THIS POEM.

THE FIRST NUMBER SHOWS THE BOOK; THE SECOND, THE VERSE.

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