I Dennis, Remarks on Pr. Arthur. CANNOT but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to distinguish good writers, by difcouraging the bad. Nor is it an ill-natured thing, in relation even to the very perfons upon whom the reflections are made. It is true, it may deprive them, a little the fooner, of a short profit and a transitory reputation; but then it may have a good effect, and oblige them (before it be too late) to decline that for which they are so very unfit, and to have recourse to fomething in which they may be more fuccessful. Character of Mr. P. 1716. THE Perfons whom Boileau has attacked in his writings, have been for the moft part Authors, and most of those Authors, Poets: And the cenfures he hath paffed upon them have been confirmed by all Europe. Gildon, Pref. to his New Rehearsal. IT is the common cry of the Poetafters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an ill-natured thing to expose the Pretenders to wit and poetry. The Judges and Magiftrates may with full as good reafon be reproached with Ill-nature for putting the laws in execution against a thief or impoftor-The fame will hold in the republic of Letters, if the Critics and Judges will let every ignorant pretender to fcribbling pass on the world. VOL. V. C Theobald, Theobald, Lett. to Mift, June 22, 1728. ATTACKS may be levelled, either against Failures in Genius, or against the Pretenfions of writing without one. Concanen, Ded. to the Author of the Dunciad. A Satire upon Dullness is a thing that has been ufed and allowed in all ages. Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribbler! TESTIMONIES OF AUTHORS CONCERNING OUR POET AND HIS WORKS. M. SCRIBLERUS Lectori S. EFORE we present thee with our exercitations on BEFOR this most delectable poem (drawn from the many volumes of our Adverfaria on modern authors) we fhall here, according to the laudable usage of editors, collect the various judgments of the learned concerning our Poet: Various indeed, not only of different authors, but of the fame author at different feafons. Nor fhall we gather only the teftimonies of fuch eminent wits, as would of course descend to posterity, and confequently be read without our collection; but we shall likewife with incredible labour feek out for divers others, which, but for this our diligence, could never at the distance of a few months appear to the eye of the most curious. Hereby thou may'st not only receive the delectation of variety, but also arrive at a more certain judgment, by a grave and circumfpect comparison of the witneffes with each other, or of each with himself. Hence alfo thou wilt be enabled to draw reflections, not only of a critical C 2 critical but a moral nature, by being let into many particulars of the perfon as well as genius, and of the fortune as well as merit, of our Author: In which if I relate fome things of little concern peradventure to thee, and fome of as little even to him; I entreat thee to confider how minutely all true critics and commentators are wont to infift upon fuch, and how material they seem to themselves, if to none other. Forgive me, gentle reader, if (following learned example) lever and anon become tedious: allow me to take the fame pains to find whether my author were good or bad, well or ill-natured, modest or arrogant ; as another, whether his author was fair or brown, fhort or tall, or whether he wore a coat or a caffock. We purposed to begin with his Life, Parentage, and Education: But as to thefe, even his contemporaries do exceedingly differ. One faith, he was educated at home; another, that he was bred at St. Omer's by Jefuits; a third, not at St. Omer's, but at Oxford; a fourth, that he had no university education at all. Those who allow him to be bred at home, differ as much concerning his Tutor: One faith, he was kept by his father on purpose; a fecond', that he was an itinerant priest; a third 3, that a Giles Jacob's Lives of Poets, vol. ii. in his Life. • Dunciad diffected, p. 4. d Guardian, No 40. f Dunciad diffected, p. 4 |