Mr. Curll, 12mo. price 6 d. With the Metamorphofis of P. into a stinging Nettle. By Mr. Fox ton, 12mo. The Metamorphofis of Scriblerus into Snarlerus. By. J. Smedley, printed for A. Moore, folio, price 6 d. The Dunciad diffected. By Curll and Mrs. Tliomas, 12mo. An Essay on the Taste and Writings of the fent Times. Said to be writ by a gentleman of C. C. C. Oxon, printed for J. Roberts, 8vo. The Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, partly taken from Bouhours, with new Reflections, &c. By John Oldmixon, 8vo. WI. To the firft Edition with Notes, in 4to, 1729. IT will be fufficient to say of this edition, that the reader has here a much more correct and complete copy of the Dunciad, than has hitherto appre-peared. I cannot answer but some mistakes may have flipt into it, but a vast number of others will be prevented by the names being now not only fet at length, but justified by the authorities and reafons given. I make no doubt, the author's own motive to ufe real rather than feigned names, was his care to preferve the innocent from any falfe application; whereas, in the former editions, which had no more than the initial letters, he was made, by keys printed here, to hurt the inoffenfive, and (what was worse) to abuse his friends, by an impreffion at Dublin. Remarks on the Dunciad. By Mr. Dennis, dedicated to Theobald, 8vo. A Supplement to the Profund. Anon. by Matthew Concannen, 8vo. Mift's Weekly Journal, June 8. A long letter, figned W. A. Writ by fome or other of the club of Theobald, Dennis, Moore, Concannen, Cooke, who for fome time held conftant weekly meetings for thofe kind of performances. Daily Journal, June 11. A letter figned Philoferiblerus, on the name of Pope.-Letter to Mr. Theobald, in verfe, figned B. M. [Bezaleel Morris] against Mr. P—. Many other little epigrams, about this time in the fame papers, by James Moore, and others. Mift's Journal, June 22. A letter by Lewis Theobald. Daily Journal, Auguft 8. Letter charging the author of the Dunciad with treafon. Durgen: A plain fatire on a pompous fatirift. By Edward Ward, with a little of James Moore. Apollo's Maggot in his cups. By E. Ward. Gulliveriana Secunda. Being a collection of many of the libels in the newspapers, like the former volume, under the fame title, by Smedley. Advertised in the Craftsman, Nov. 9. 1728, with this remarkable promife, that "any thing which any body fhould fend as Mr. Pope's or Dr. “Swift's, should be inserted and published as "theirs." Pope Alexander's fupremacy and infallibility examined, &c. By George Ducket and John Dennis, 4to. Dean Jonathan's Paraphrase on the fourth chapter of Genefis. Writ by E. Roome, folio, 1729. Labeo: A paper of verfes by Leonard Welfted, which after came into one epiftle, and was published by James Moore, 4to, 1730. Another part of it came out in Welfted's own name, under the just title of Dulnefs and Scandal, folio, 1731. There have been fince publified, Verfes on the imitator of Horace. By a lady [or between a lady, a lord, and a court 'Tquire] printed for J. Roberts, folio. An epiftle from a nobleman to a doctor of divinity, from Hampton-court [Lord H-y.] Printed for J. Roberts alfo, folio. A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope, Printed for W. Lewis in Covent-garden, 8vo. The commentary which attends this poem, was fent me from feveral hands, and confequently must be unequally written; yet will have one advantage over most commentaries, that it is not made upon conjectures, or at a remote distance of time: and the reader cannot but derive one pleasure from the very obscurity of the perfons it treats of, that it partakes of the nature of a fecret, which most people love to be let into, though the men or the things be ever fo inconfiderable or trivial. Of the perfons it was judged proper to give fome account: for fince it is only in this monument that they must expect to furvive (and here furvive they will, as long as the English tongue fhall remain fuck as it was in the reigns of Queen Anne and King George), it feemed but humanity to bestow a word or two upon each, just to tell what he was, what he writ, when he lived, and when he died. If a word or two more are added upon the chief offenders, it is only as a paper pinned upon the breast, to mark the enormities for which they fuffered; left the correction only fhould be remembered, and the crime forgotten. In fome articles it was thought fufficient, barely to transcribe from Jacob, Curll, and other writers of their own rank, who were much better acquainted with them than any of the authors of this comment can pretend to be. Most of them had drawn each other's characters on certain occafions; but the few here inferted, are all that could be faved from the general destruction of fuch works. Of the part of Scriblerus I need fay nothing; his manner is well enough known, and approved by all but those who are too much concerned to be judges. IV. ADVERTISEMENT To the first Edition of the fourth Book of the Dunciad, when printed feparately in the Year 1742. We apprehend it can be deemed no injury to the author of the three firft books of the Dunciad, that we publish this fourth. It was found merely by accident, in taking a furvey of the library of a late eminent nobleman; but in fo blotted a condition, and in fo many detached pieces, as plainly fhowed it to be not only incorrect, but unfinished. That the author of the three first books had a defign to extend and complete his poem in this manner, appears from the differtation prefixed to it, where it is said, that the design is more extenfive, and that we may expect o her epifodes 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 fix books of the Æneid, though perhaps inferior to the former. If any perfon be poffeffed of a more perfect copy of this work, or of any other fragments of it, and will communicate them to the publisher, we fhall make the next edition more complete: In which we also promife to infert any criticifms that fhall be published (if at all to the purpose) with the names of the authors; or any letters fent us (though not to the purpofe) fhall yet be printed under the title of " Epiftola Obfcurorum Viro rum;" which, together with fome others of the fame kind, formerly laid by for that end, may make no unpleasant addition to the future impreffions of this poem. V. ADVERTISEMENT To the complete Edition of 1743. I HAVE long had a design of giving fome fort of notes on the works of this poet. Before I had the happiness of his acquaintance, I had written a commentary on his Effay on Man, and have fince finish ed another on the Effay on Criticifm. There was one already on the Dunciad, which had met with general approbation: But I still thought fome ad |ditions were wanting (of a more ferious 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 pafs fome months with the author in the country, where { prevailed upon him to do what I had long defired, and favour me with his explanation of feveral paffages in his works. It happened, that just at that juncture was published a ridiculous book against him, full of perfonál reflections, which furnished him with a lucky opportunity of improving this poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted, a more confiderable hero. He was always fenfible of its defect in that particular, and owned he had let it pafs with the hero it had, purely for want of a better, not entertaining the least expectation that fuch an one was reserved for this post, as has fince obtained the laurel : But fince that had happened, he could no longer deny this juftice either to him or the Dunciad. And yet I will venture to fay, there was another motive which had still more weight with our au thor: l'his perfon was one, who from every folly (not to fay vice) of which another would be afhamed, has conftantly derived a vanity and therefore was the man in the world who would leaft be hurt by it. W. W. VI. Printed in the Journals, 1730. WHEREAS, upon occasion of certain pieces relat ing to the gentlemen of the Dunciad, fome have been willing to fuggeft, as if they looked upon them as an abufe: We can do no lefs than own it is our opinion, that to call these gentlemen bad authors is no fort of abufe, but a great truth. We cannot alter this opinion without some reason; but we promife to do it in respect to every person who thinks it an injury to be reprefented as no wit or poet, provided he procures a certificate of his being really fuch, from any three of his companions in the Dunciad, or from Mr. Dennis, fingly, whe is esteemed equal to any three of the number. Dryden was from the beginning an aλompóradãos, and I doubt not will continue fo to the last (d). In the poem called Abfalom and Achitophel, are notoriously traduced the King, the Queen, the Lords and Gentlemen, not only their honourable perfons exposed, but the whole Nation and its Reprefentatives notorioufly libelled. It is fcandalum magnatum, yea of Majesty itself (e). He looks upon God's Gofpel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor (ƒ). His very Chriftianity may be queftioned (g). He ought to expect more feverity than other men, as he is moft unmerciful in his own reflections on others (b) with as good a right as his Holiness, he fets up for poetical infallibility (i). MR DRYDEN only a Verfifier. His whole libel is all bad matter, beautified (which is all that can be faid of it) with good metre (k). Mr. Dryden's genius did not appear in any thing more than his verfification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only, is a queftion (/). MR DRYDEN'S Virgil. Tonfon calls it Dryden's Virgil, to show that this is not that Virgil fo admired in the Auguftian age; but a Virgil of another ftamp, a filly, impertinent, nonfenfical writer. None but a Bavius, a Mævius, or a Bathyllus, carped at Vir. gil (m); and none but fuch unthinking vermin admire his tranflator (#). It is true, foft and eafy lines might become Ovid's Epiftles or Art of Love-But Virgil, who is all great and majestic, &c. requires ftrength of lines, weight of words, and closeness of expreffion; not an ambling muse running on carpet ground, and fhod as lightly as a Newmarket racer. He has numberless faults in his author's meaning, and in propriety of expres fion (•). -- MR. DRYDEN underflood no Greek nor Latin. Mr. Dryden was once, I have heard, at Weftminster school: Dr. Bufby would have whipt him for fo childish a paraphrase (p). The meaneft pedant in England would whip a lubber of twelve for conftruing fo abfurdly (9). The tranflator is mad every line betrays his ftupidity (r). 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 (d) Milbourne on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo, 1698, p. 8. (e) Whip and Key, 4to, printed for R. Janeway, 1682. Pref. (f) Ibid. (g) Milbourne, p.9. (b) Ibid. p. 175. (i) Pag. 39. (k) Whip and Key, Pref. (1) Oldmixon, Effay on Criticism, p. 84. (1) Milbourne, p. 2. (n) Page 35. (o) Milb. p. 22, and 192. (p) Page 72. (g) Page 203. (†) Page 78. (5) Page 206. inconfiftent (b). Pope, as a Papist, must be a tory and high flyer (). He is both whig and tory (d). He hath made it his cuftom to cackle to more than one party in their own fentiments (e). In his mifcellanies, the persons abused are, The King, the Queen, his late Majefty, both Houses of Parliament, the Privy-Council, the Bench of Bishops, the established Church, the present Mi. nifter, &c. To make fenfe of fome paffages, they must be construed into Royal Scandal (ƒ). He is a Popish rhymester, bred up with a contempt of the facred writings (g). His religion allows him to destroy heretics, not only with his pen, but with fire and fword; and fuch were all thofe unhappy wits whom he sacrificed to his accurfed Popish principles (b). It deferved vengeance to fuggeft, that Mr. Pope had lefs infalli bility, than his namefake at Rome (i). MR. POPE only a Verfifier. The smooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit (4). It must be owned that he hath got a notable knack of rhyming and writing smooth verse (1), 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 (m). He has no admirers, among those that can diftinguish, difcern, and judge (~). He hath a knack at smooth verfe, but without either genius or good fenfe, 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 fo much in vogue, has neither sense in his thoughts, nor English in his expreffions (•). MR. POPE understood no Greek. He hath undertaken to translate Homer from the Greek, of which he knows not one word, into English, of which he understands as little (p). I (b) Dunciad diffected. (c) Pref. to Gulliveriana. (d) Dennis, Character of Mr. P. (e) Theobald, Letter in Mift's Journal, June 22, 1728. (f) Lift, at the end of a Collection of Verfes, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo, printed for A. Moore, 1728, and the Preface to it, p. 6. (g) Dennis's Remarks on . Homer, p. 27. (b) Preface to Guiliveriana, p. 11. (i) Dedication to the Collection of Verfes, Letters, C. p. 9. (k) Mifi's Journal of June 8. 1728. (1) Character of Mr. P. and Dennis on Hom. (m) Dennis's Remarks on Pope's Homer, p. 12. (n) lb. p. 14. (0) Character of Mr. P. p. 17. and Remarks an Homer, p. 91. (p) Dennis's Remarks on Homer, f, 12. APPENDIX. MR DRYDEN tricked his Subfcribers. I wonder that any man, who could not but be confcious of his own unfitness for it, should go to amufe 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 partiality and unfeasonably celebrated name (x). "Poetis quidlibet audendi" fhall be Mr. Dryden's motto, though it should extend to picking of pockets (v). 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 Papish brats will heed him (z). An Afs.] A camel will take upon him no more burden than is fufficient for his ftrength, but there is another beast that crouches under all (@). A Frog Poet squab endued with poet Maro's fpirit: an ugly, croaking kind of vermin, which would fwell to the bulk of an ox (6). A Coward.] A Clinias or a Damætas, or a man of Mr. Dryden's own courage (c). 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 Majefty (d). A Fool. Had he not been fuch a felf-conceited fool (e)-Some great poets are pofitive blockheads (ƒ). A Thing.] So little a thing as Mr. Dryden (g). (t) Milb. p. 19. (u) Page 144, 190. 67. wonder how this gentleman would look, fhould i But he has a notable talent at burlesque; his MR. POPE tricked bis Subscribers. It is indeed somewhat bold, and almost prodi- Names beflowed on MR. POPE. An Ape. Let us take the initial letter of his Chriftian name, and initial and final letters of his idea of an ape as his face (x), &c furname, viz. APE. and they give you the fame An Afs. It is my duty to pull off the lion's fkin from this little ass (y). 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 (z). A Coward.] A lurking, way-laying coward (a). A Knave. He is one whom God and nature A Fool Great fools will be chriftened by the have marked for want of common honesty (b). names of great poets, and Pope will be called Homer (). A Thing A little abject thing (4). (q) Daily Journal, April 23 1728 072 (r) Suppl. (s) Oldmixon, Efay (t) Dennis's Remarks, p. 28. (w) Britife Four(x) Dennis, Daily Jour(y) Dennis's Rem. on Hom (u) Homerides, p. 1, Ve. nal, Nov 25. 1727 (w) Page (x) Page 192. (y) Page 125. (x) Whip (b) Page 11. nal, May 11. 1728. (e) Whip Pref. and Key, Pref. (a) (c) Page 176. and Key, Pr. P. 35 (z) Dennis's Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, (b) lbid Pref. p. 9. (a) Char of Mr. P. p. 3. (e) Dennis's Rem. on Homer, p 37. (d) Ibid. p. 8. Qüij INDEX OF PERSONS CELEBRATED IN THIS POEM. The firft Number Shows the Book, the fecond the Verfe. Banks, i. 146. Broome, ibid. Bond, ii. 126. Brown, iii. 28. Bladen, iv. 560. Budgel, Efq. ii. 397. Bentley, Richard, iv. 201. Bentley, Thomas, ii. 205. Boyer, Abel, ii. 413. Bland, a Gazetteer, i. 231. Breval, J. Durant, ii. 126. 238. Benlowes, iii. 21. Bavius, ibid. Burmannus, iv. 237. Benfon, William, Efq. iii. 325. iv. 110. Boeotians, iii. 50. Bruin and Bears, i. 101. Bear and fidd::, i. 224. |