"At the Laundreffes, at the Hole in the Wall in Curfitors-alley, up three pair of ftairs, the author of my Church-history, if his flux be over- You may also speak to the gentleman who lies by him in the flock-bed, my index-maker.

b

"The Cook's wife in Buckingham-court: bid her bring along with her the fimiles, that were lent her for her next new play.

"Call at Budge-row for the gentleman you used to go to in the cockloft; I have taken away the ladder, but his landlady has it in keeping.

"I don't much care if you ask at the Mint for the old beetle-browed critic, and the purblind poet at the Alley over againft St. Andrew's Holborn. But this as you have time."

All these gentlemen appeared at the hour appointed in Mr. Curll's dining-room, two excepted; one of whom was the gentleman in the cockloft, his landlady being out of the way, and the gradus ad Parnassum taken down; the other happened to be too clofely watched by the bailiffs.

They no fooner entered the room, but all of them shewed in their behaviour fome fufpicion of each other; fome turning away their heads with an air of contempt; others fquinting with a leer, that fhewed at once fear and indignation, each with a haggard abstracted mien, the lively picture of fcorn, folitude, and Short

Mrs. Centlivre.

fhort commons. So when a keeper feeds his hungry charge of vultures, panthers, and of Libyan leopards, each eyes his fellow with a fiery glare: high hung, the bloody liver tempts their maw. Or as a houfewife stands before her pales, furrounded by her geefe; they fight, they hifs, they gaggle, beat their wings, and down is scattered as the winter's fnow, for a poor grain of oat, or tare, or barley. Such looks fhot through the room tranfverfe, oblique, direct ; fuch was the stir and din, till Curll thus fpoke, (but without rifing from his close-stool.)

"Whores and authors must be paid beforehand to put them in good humour; therefore here is half a crown apiece for you to drink your own healths, and confufion to Mr. Addison, and all other fuccessful writers.

"Ah, Gentlemen! what have I not done? what have I not suffered, rather than the world fhould be deprived of your lucubrations? I have taken involuntary purges, I have been vomited, three times have I been caned, once was I hunted, twice was my head broke by a grenadier, twice was I toffed in a blanket; I have had boxes on the ear, flaps on the chops; I have been frighted, pumped, kicked, flandered, and befhitten.--I hope, Gentlemen, you are all convinced, that this author of Mr. Lintot's could mean nothing else but starving you, by poifoning me. It remains for us to confult the best and speedieft methods of revenge."

He

He had fcarce done fpeaking, but the hiftorian proposed a history of his life. The Exeter-Exchange gentleman was for penning articles of his faith. Some pretty smart Pindaric, fays the red-stocking poet, would effectually do his bufinefs. But the index-maker faid, there was nothing like an index to his Homer.

After feveral debates, they came to the following refolutions.

Refolved, That every member of this fociety, according to his feveral abilities, fhall contribute fome way or other to the defamation of Mr. Pope.

"Refolved, That towards the libelling of the faid Pope there be a fum employed not exceeding fix pounds fixteen fhillings and nine-pence (not including advertisements).

Refolved, That he has on purpose, in feveral paffages, perverted the true ancient Heathen fenfe of Homer, for the more effectual propagation of the Popish religion.

Refolved, That the printing of Homer's battles, at this juncture, has been the occafion of all the difturbances of this kingdom.

"Ordered, That Mr. Barnevelt be invited to be a member of this fociety, in order to make further discoveries.

Refolved, That a number of effective errata's be raised out of Pope's Homer (not exceeding 1746), and that every gentleman, who fhall fend in one

error,

error, for his encouragement fhall have the whole works of this fociety gratis.

"Refolved, That a fum not exceeding ten fhillings and fixpence be diftributed among the members of this fociety for coffee and tobacco, in order to enable them the more effectually to defame him in coffeebouses.

Refolved, That towards the further leffening the character of the faid Pope, fome perfons be deputed to abuse him at ladies tea-tables, and that in confideration our authors are not well dressed enough, Mr. Cy and Mr. Ke-1 be deputed for that fervice.

"Refolved, That a ballad be made against Mr. Pope, and that Mr. Oldmixion, Mr. Gildon ‘, and Mrs. Centlivre, do prepare and bring in the fame.

66

Refolved, That, above all, some effectual ways and means be found to encrease the joint stock of the reputation of this fociety, which at present is exceeding low, and to give their works the greater currency; whether by raifing the denomination of the faid works by counterfeit title-pages, or mixing a greater quantity of the fine metal of other authors with the alloy of this fociety.

Refolved,

• See Oldmixon's character and exploits in the Dunciad, book ii. v. 283.

d Of Gildon, fee Dunciad, book i. v. 296.

e Mrs. Sufanna Centlivre, is the slip-shod sybil in the Dunciad, book iii. v. 15.

Refolved, That no member of this fociety for the future mix ftout in his ale in a morning, and that Mr. B—— remove from the Hercules and Still.

Refolved, That all our members (except the cook's wife) be provided with a fufficient quantity of the vivifying drops, or Byfield's fal volatile.

f

"Refolved, That Sir Richard Blackmore be appointed to endue this fociety with a large quantity of regular and exalted ferments, in order to enliven their cold fentiments (being his true receipt to make wits ".)"

These refolutions being taken, the affembly was ready to break up, but they took fo near a part in Mr. Curll's afflictions, that none of them could leave him without giving him some advice to reinstate him in his health.

Mr. Gildon was of opinion, that in order to drive a Pope out of his belly, he fhould get the mummy of fome deceased Moderator of the general affembly in Scotland, to be taken inwardly, as an effectual antidote against Antichrift; but Mr. Oldmixon did conceive, that the liver of the person who administered the poison, boiled in broth, would be a more certain cure.

While

f Sir Richard Blackmore, in his Effays, vol. ii. p. 270. accufed Mr. Pope in very high and fober terms, of profaneness and immorality, on the mere report of Curll, that he was author of a traveftie on the first Pfalm.