APPENDIX. İ. PREFACE Prefixed to the five first imperfect Editions of the DUNCIAD, in three books, printed at DUBLIN and LONDON, in octavo and duodecimo, 1727. I 2 The PUBLISHER to the READER. T will found a true obfervation, tho' fomewhat furprizing, that when any scandal is vented against a man of the high eft diftinction and character, either in the ftate or in literature, the public in general afford it a moft quiet reception; and the larger part accept it as favourably as if it were fome kindnefs done to themfelves: whereas if a known fcoundrel or blockhead but chance to be touch'd upon, a whole legion is up in arms, and it becomes the common caufe of all feriblers, bookfellers, and printers whatsoever. cified in the preface to their Mifcellanies) determined to own the moft trifling pieces in which they had any hand, and to deftroy all that remained in their power; the first sketch of this poem was inatched from the fire written by Dr. Swift, who, whe-by Dr. Swift, who perfuaded his ther publisher or not, may be faid in a fort to be author of the poem For when he, together with Mr. Pope (for reafons fpe friend to proceed in it, and to him it was therefore infcribed. But the occafion of printing it was as follows: U Not to fearch too deeply into the reafon hereof, I will only o' ferve as a fact, that every week for thefe two months paft, the town has been perfecuted with pamphlets, advertisements, letters, and weekly effays, not only against the wit and writings, but against the character and person of Mr. Pope. And that of all thofe men who have received pleasure from his works, which by modeft computation may be about a hundred thoufand in thefe kingdoms of England and Ireland; (not to mention Jerfey, Guernsey, the Orcades, thofe in the new world, were the authors of it. He was not without hopes, that by manifefting the dulness of those who had only malice to recommend them; either the bookfellers would not find their account in employing difcovered, want courage to proceed in fo unlawful an occupation. This it was that gave birth to the Dunciad; and he thought it an happiness, that by the late flood of flander on himself, he had acquired fuch a peculiar right over their Names as was neceffary to his design. There was published in thofe Mifcellanies, a Treatife of the Eathos, or Art of Sinking in Poetry, in which was a chapter, where the fpecies of bad writers were ranged in claffes, and initial letters of names pre-them, or the men themselves,when fixed, for the most part at random. But fuch was the Number of Poets eminent in that art, that fome one or other took every letter to himfelf. All fell into fo violent a fury, that for half a year, or more, the common News-papers (in moft of which they had fome property, as being hired writers) were filled with the most abufive falfehoods and fcurrilities they could poffibly devife; a liberty no ways to be wondered at in thofe people, and in thofe papers, that, for many years, during the uncontrolled Licence of the prefs, had afperfed almoft all the great characters of the age; and this with impunity, their own perfons and names being utterly fecret and obfcure. This gave Mr. Pope the thought, that he had now fome opportunity of doing good, by detecting and dragging into light these common Enemies of mankind; fince to invalidate this univerfal flander, it fufficed to fhew what contemptible men b pamphlets, advertisements, &c.] See the Lift of those anonymous papers, with their dates and authors annexed, inserted be fore the Poem. c about a hundred thousand] It is furprizing with what stupidity this preface, which is almost a continued irony, was taken by thofe authors. All fuch paffages as these were understood by Curl, Cook, Cibber, and others, to be ferious. Hear the Laureate (Letter to Mr. Pope, p. 9) "Tho' "I grant the Dunciad a better 66 poem of its kind than ever was "writ; yet, when I read it "with thofe vain-glorious en"cumbrances of Notes and Re"marks upon it, &c. it is and foreigners who have tranflated him into their languages) of all this number not a man hath stood up to fay one word in his defence. d The only exception is the author of the following poem, who doubtless had either a better infight into the grounds of this clamour, or a better opinion of Mr. Pope's integrity, join'd with a greater perfonal love for him, than any other of his numerous friends and admirers. Farther, that he was in his peculiar intimacy, appears from the knowledge he manifefts of the most private authors of all the anonymous pieces against him, and from his having in this poem attacked no man living, who had not before printed, or published, some scandal against this gentleman. How I came poffeft of it, is no concern to the reader; but it would have been a wrong to him had I detain'd the publication; fince thofe names which are its chief ornaments die of daily fo faft, as muft render it too foon unintelligible. If it provoke the author to give us a more perfect edition, I have my end. f Who he is I cannot fay, and (which is a great pity) there is certainly nothing in his ftyle and manner of writing, which can diftinguish or difcover him: For if it bears any refemblance to that of Mr. Pope, 'tis not improbable but it might be done on purpose, with a view to have it pafs for his. But by the frequency of his allufions to Virgil, and a labour'd (not to fay affected) Shortnefs in imitation of him, I fhould think him more an admirer of the Roman poet than of the Grecian, and in that not of the fame tafte with his friend. 66 66 amazing, that you, who have "writ with fuch mafterly fpirit upon the ruling Paflion, fhould be fo blind a flave to your own, as not to fee how far a "low avarice of Praife," &c. (taking it for granted that the notes of Scriblerus and others, were the author's 'own.) The author of the following poem, &c.] A very plain irony, fpeaking of Mr. Pope himself. The publisher in thefe words went a little too far; But it is certain, whatever names the rea |