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or may

have

gratify thofe who either never read, forgotten them; together with fome of the parodies and allufions to the most excellent of the Moderns. If, from the frequency of the former, any man think the poem too much a Cento, our poet will but appear to have done the fame thing in jeft which Boileau did in earnest; and upon which Vida, Fracaftorius, and many of the most eminent Latin poets, profeffedly valued themselves.

IV.

ADVERTISEMENT

To the FIRST EDITION of

The FOURTH BOOK of the DUNCIAD, when printed separately in the Year 1742.

W

E 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 meerly 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 fhewed 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 faid, that the defign is more extenfive, 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 Duncid. 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 laft fix books of the Æneid, tho' perhaps inferior to the former.

If any perfon 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 fent us (tho' not to the purpose) shall yet be printed under the title of Epiftola Obfcurorum Virorum; 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.

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I

To the complete EDITION of 1743.

HAVE long had a defign 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 Essay on Man, and have fince finished another on the Essay on Criticifm. There was one already on the Dunciad, which had met with general approbation: but I ftill thought fome additions were wanting (of a more ferious kind) to the humerous 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 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 Perfonal 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

VIL

A

PARALLEL

OF THE

CHARACTERS

OF

Mr. DRYDEN and Mr. POPE.

As drawn by certain of their Contemporaries.

Mr. DRYDEN,

His POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

M

R. Dryden is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good sense. A true republican fon of monarchical Church". A republican Atheist. Dryden was from the beginning

a Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo. 1698, p; 6.

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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.

M

R. Pope is an open and mortal enemy to his country, and the commonwealth of learning. Some call him a popish whig, which is directly inconfiftent. Pope, as a papist, must

a Dennis's Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, Pref. p. xii. • Dunciad diffected.

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