very precepts themselves." He then produces some should most admire the justness to the original, or instances of a particular beauty in the numbers, and the force and beauty of the language, or the sounding concludes with saying, that 'there are three poems in variety of the numbers: but when I find all these our tongue of the same nature, and each a master- meet, it puts me in mind of what the poet says of piece in its kind! the Essay on Translated Verse; the one of his heroes, "That he alone raised and flung Essay on the Art of Poetry; and the Essay on Criti- with ease a weighty stone, that two common men could not lift from the ground; just so, one single cism.' Of Windsor Forest, positive is the judgment of the person has performed in this translation, what I once affirmative. Mr. John Dennis, That it is a wretched rhapsody, impudently writ in emulation of the Cooper's Hill of sir John Denham: the author of it is obscure, is ambiguous, is affected, is temerarious, is barbarous !? But the author of the Dispensary,3 Dr. Garth, despaired to have seen done by the force of several masterly hands.' Indeed the same gentleman appears to have changed his sentiment in his Essay on the Art of Sinking in Reputation, (printed in Mist's Journal, March 30, 1728,) where he says thus: 'In order to sink in reputation, let him take it into his head to descend into Homer (let the world wonder, as it will, how the devil he got there,) and pretend to do him manner how.' Strange variation! We are told in into English, so his version denote his neglect of the Mist's Journal, (June 8,) in the preface to his poem of Claremont, differs from this opinion: Those who have seen these two excellent poems of Cooper's Hill, and Windsor Forest, the one written by sir John Denham, the other by That this translation of the Iliad was not in all reMr. Pope, will show a great deal of candour if they spects conformable to the fine taste of his friend Mr. Addison; insomuch that he employed a younger muse approve of this.' Of the Epistle of Eloïsa, we are told by the obscure in an undertaking of this kind, which he supervised writer of a poem called Sawney, 'That because himself.' Whether Mr. Addison did find it conformPrior's Henry and Emma charmed the finest tastes, able to his taste, or not, best appears from his own our author writ his Eloïsa in opposition to it; but for- testimony the year following its publication, in these got innocence and virtue. If you take away her ten-words: der thoughts, and her fierce desires, all the rest is of no value.' In which, methinks, his judgment resembleth that of a French tailor on a villa and garden by the Thames: All this is very fine; but take away the river, and it is good for nothing.' But very contrary hereunto was the opinion of Mr. Prior, himself, saying in his Alma.4 'O Abelard! ill-fated youth, Its colours; gently has he laid The mantle o'er thy sad distress, And Venus shall the texture bless,' &c. Mr. Addison's Freeholder, No. 40. 'When I consider myself a British freeholder, I am in a particular manner pleased with the labours of those who have improved our language with the translations of old Greek and Latin authors.We have already most of their historians in our own tongue, and, what is more for the honour of our language, it has been taught to express with elegance the greatest of their poets in each nation. The illiterate among our own countrymen may learn to judge from Dryden's Virgil, of the most perfect epic performance. And those parts of Homer which have been published already by Mr. Pope, gives us reason to think that the Iliad will appear in English with as little disadvantage to that immortal poem.' As to the rest, there is a slight mistake; for this younger muse was an elder; nor was the gentleman (who is a friend of our author) employed by Mr. Addison to translate it after him, since he saith himself that he did it before. Contrariwise, that Mr. Ad Come we now to his translation of the Iliad, celebrated by numerous pens; yet shall it suffice to men-dison engaged our author in this work appeareth by tion the indefatigable Sir Richard Blackmore, Knt. who (though otherwise a severe censurer of our author) yet styleth this a ‘laudable translation.'5 That ready writer Mr. Oldmixon, declaration thereof in the preface to the Iliad, printed some time before his death, and by his own letters of it is his opinion that no other person was equal to it. October 26, and November 2, 1713, where he declares Next comes his Shakspeare on the stage: 'Let him (quoth one, whom I take to be Mr. Theobald, Mist's Journal, June 8, 1728,) in his forementioned Essay, frequently commends the publish such an author as he has least studied, and same. And the painful Mr. Lewis Theobald thus extols it, The spirit of Homer breathes all 1 Spectator, No. 253. Bomer, 1717. 4 Alma, Cant. 2. 3 Printed 1728, p. 12. 5 In his Essays, vol. i. printed for E. Curll. 6 Censor, vol. ii. n. 33. forget to discharge even the dull duty of an editor. In this project let him lend the bookseller his name (for an exorbitant subscription.' Gentle reader, be pleased a competent sum of money) to promote the credit of to cast thine eye on the proposal below quoted, and on what follows (some months after the former assertion) in the same Journalist of June 8: "The book 1 Vid. Pref. to Mr. Tickell's translation of the first book of the Iliad, 4to. seller proposed the book by subscription, and raised hand to Mr. Addison himself, and never made public, some thousands of pounds for the same: I believe till after their own Journals, and Curll had printed the gentleman did not share in the profits of this ex- the same. One name alone, which I am here autravagant subscription.' 'After the Iliad, he undertook (saith Mist's Journal, June 8, 1728,) the sequel of that work, the Odyssey; and having secured the success by a numerous subscription, he employed some underlings to perform what, according to his proposals, should come from his own hands.' To which heavy charge we can in truth oppose nothing but the words of thorized to declare, will sufficiently evince this truth, that of the right honourable the earl of Burlington. Next is he taxed with a crime (in the opinion of some authors, I doubt, more heinous than any in morality,) to wit, plagiarism, from the inventive and quaint-conceited James Moore Smith, Gent. Upon reading the third volume of Pope's Miscellanies, I found five lines which I thought excellent; and happening to praise them, a gentleman produced Mr. Pope's Proposal for the Odyssey, (printed by J. a modern comedy (the Rival Modes) published last Watts, Jan. 10, 1724 :) year, where were the same verses to a tittle. 'I take this occasion to declare that the subscrip"These gentlemen are undoubtedly the first plagiation for Shakspeare belongs wholly to Mr. Tonson: ries, that pretend to make a reputation by stealing and that the benefit of this proposal is not solely for from a man's works in his own life-time, and out of a my own use, but for that of two of my friends, who public print." Let us join to this what is written by have assisted me in this work.' But these very gen- the author of the Rival Modes, the said Mr. James tlemen are extolled above our poet himself in another Moore Smith, in a letter to our author himself, who of Mist's Journals, March 30, 1728, saying, 'That he had informed him a month before that play was would not advise Mr. Pope to try the experiment acted, Jan. 27, 1726-7, that, 'These verses, which he again of getting a great part of a book done by as- had before given him leave to insert in it, would be sistants, lest those extraneous parts should unhappily known for his, some copies being got abroad. He ascend to the sublime, and retard the declension of desires, nevertheless, that since the lines had been the whole. Behold! these underlings are become read in his comedy to several, Mr. P. would not degood writers! prive it of them,' &c. Surely, if we add the testimo If any say, that before the said Proposals were mies of the lord Bolingbroke, of the lady to whom printed, the subscription was begun without declara- the said verses were originally addressed, of Hugh tion of such assistance; verily those who set it on Bethel, esq. and others, who knew them as our aufoot, or (as the term is) secured it, to wit, the right thor's long before the said gentleman composed his honourable the lord viscount Harcourt, were he living, play, it is hoped, the ingenuous, that affect not error, would testify, and the right honourable the lord Ba- will rectify their opinion by the suffrage of so hothurst, now living, doth testify, the same is a falsehood. nourable personages. Sorry I am, that persons professing to be learned, or of whatever rank of authors, should either falsely tax, or be falsely taxed. Yet let us, who are only reporters, be impartial in our citations, and proceed. Mist's Journal, June 8, 1728. And yet followeth another charge, insinuating no less than his enmity both to church and state, which could come from no other informer than the said Mr. James Moore Smith. "The Memoirs of a Parish Clerk was a very dull 'Mr. Addison raised this author from obscurity, ob- and unjust abuse of a person who wrote in defence tained him the acquaintance and friendship of the of our religion and constitution, and who has been whole body of our nobility, and transferred his pow-dead many years.' This seemeth also most untrue; erful interests with those great men to this rising being known to divers that these memoirs were bard, who frequently levied by that means unusual written at the seat of the lord Harcourt, in Oxfordcontributions on the public.' Which surely cannot shire, before that excellent person (bishop Burnet's) be, if, as the author of the Dunciad Dissected report- death, and many years before the appearance of that eth, Mr. Wycherley had before 'introduced him into history, of which they are pretended to be an abuse. a familiar acquaintance with the greatest peers and Most true it is, that Mr. Moore had such a design, brightest wits then living. and was himself the man who pressed Dr. Arbuthnot No sooner (saith the same journalist) was his body and Mr. Pope to assist him therein; and that he borlifeless, but this author, reviving his resentment, libel- rowed those memoirs of our author, when that history led the memory of his departed friend; and what was came forth, with intent to turn them to such abuse. still more heinous, made the scandal public.' Griev- But being able to obtain from our author but one sinous the accusation! unknown the accuser! the per-gle hint, and either changing his mind, or having more son accused no witness in his own cause; the person, mind than ability, he contented himself to keep the in whose regard accused, dead! But if there be liv- said memoirs, and read them as his own to all his acing any one nobleman whose friendship, yea any one quaintance. A noble person there is, into whose gentleman whose subscription Mr. Addison procured company Mr. Pope once chanced to introduce him, to our author, let him stand forth, that truth may ap- who well remembereth the conversation of Mr. pear! Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, sed magis Moore to have turned upon the 'contempt he had for amica veritas. In verity, the whole story of the libel the work of that reverend prelate, and how full he is a lie; witness those persons of integrity, who se- was of a design he declared himself to have, of exveral years before Mr. Addison's decease, did see and approve of the said verses, in no wise a libel, but a friendly rebuke sent privately in our author's ownl 1 Daily Journal, March 18, 1728. 2 Daily Journal, April 3, 1728. posing it.' This noble person is the earl of Peterborough. 'Now fired by Pope and virtue, leave the age Here in truth should we crave pardon of all the foresaid right honourable and worthy personages, for having mentioned them in the same page with such weekly riff-raff railers and rhymers; but that we had their ever-honoured commands for the same; and in his elegant and philosophical poem the Seasons : that they are introduced not as witnesses in the controversy, but as witnesses that cannot be controverted; not to dispute, but to decide. Certain it is, that dividing our writers into two classes, of such who were acquaintance, and of such who were strangers to our author; the former are those who speak well, and the other those who speak evil of him. Of the first class, the most noble John Duke of Buckingham sums up his character in these lines: And yet so wondrous, so sublime a thing, The Hon. Simon Harcourt. 'Say, wondrous youth, what column wilt thou choose, Recorded in like manner for his virtuous tion, and gentle bearing, by the ingenious Mr. Walter Hart, in this apostrophe: 'Although not sweeter his own Homer sings, To the same tune also singeth that learned clerk, of Mr. William Broome: 'Thus, nobly rising in fair virtue's cause, 'A soul with every virtue fraught, By patriots, priests, and poets taught: A genius for each business fit; Whose meanest talent is his wit,' &c. Let us now recreate thee by turning to the other side, and showing his character drawn by those with whom he never conversed, and whose countenances he could not know, though turned against him: First again commencing with the high-voiced and neverenough quoted Mr. John Dennis, who, in his Reflections on the Essay on Criticism, thus describeth him: 'A little affected hypocrite, who has nothing in his mouth but candour, truth, frienddisposi-ship, good-nature, humanity, and magnanimity. He is so great a lover of falsehood, that whenever he has a mind to calumniate his contemporaries, he brands them with some defect which was just contrary to some good quality for which all their friends and acquaintance commend them. He seems to have a particular pique to people of quality, and authors of that rank.-He must derive his religion from St. Omer's.-But in the character of Mr. P. and his writings (printed by S. Popping, 1716) he saith, Though he is a professor of the worst religion, yet he laughs at it;' but that nevertheless he is a virulent papist; and yet a pillar of the church of England.' 'Oh! ever worthy, ever crown'd with praise! Dr. Edward Young, wishing some check to the corruption and evil manners of the times, calleth out upon our poet to undertake a task so worthy of his virtue : 'Why slumbers Pope, who leads the Muses' train, Nor hears that virtue, which he loves, complain ?'4 Mr. Mallet, in his epistle on Verbal Criticism: 'Whose life, severely scann'd, transcenas his lays; For wit supreme, is but his second praise.' Mr. Hammond, that delicate and correct imitator of Tibullus, in his Love Elegies, Elegy xiv. 1 Verses to Mr. P. on his translation of Homer. Poem prefixed to his works. 3 In his poems, printed for B. Lintot. 4 Universal Passion, sat. 1. Of both which opinions Mr. Lewis Theobald seems also to be; declaring in Mist's Journal of June 22, 1718, 'That if he is not shrewdly abused, he made it his practice to cackle to both parties in their own sentiments.' But as to his pique against people of quality, the same journalist doth not agree, but saith (May 8, 1728,) He had by some means or other, the acquaintance and friendship of the whole body of our nobility.' However contradictory this may appear, Mr. Dennis and Gildon, in the character last cited, make it all plain, by assuring us, 'That he is a creature that reconciles all contradictions: he is a beast, and a man; a Whig and a Tory; a writer (at one and the same time) of Guardians and Examiners;2 an assertor of liberty, and of the dispensing power of kings; a 1 In his poems at the end of the Odyssey. 2 The names of two weekly papers Mr. Oldmixon Jesuitical professor of truth; a base and foul pre-] tender to candour.' So that, upon the whole account, calls him a great master of our tongue; declares 'the we must conclude him either to have been a great purity and perfection of the English language to be hypocrite, or a very honest man; a terrible impostor found in his Homer; and, saying there are more good upon both parties, or very moderate to either. verses in Dryden's Virgil than in any other work, except this of our author only." par Mr. Thomas Cooke, Be it as to the judicious reader shall seem good. Sure it is, he is little favoured of certain authors, whose wrath is perilous; for one declares he ought The Author of a Letter to Mr. Cibber to have a price set on his head, and to be hunted says: Pope was so good a versifier [once] that, his down as a wild beast. Another protests that he predecessor Mr. Dryden, and his contemporary Mr. does not know what may happen; advises him to Prior excepted, the harmony of his numbers is equal insure his person; says he has bitter enemies, and to any body's. And, that he had all the merit that a expressly declares it will be well if he escapes with man can have that way.'2 And his life. One desires he would cut his own throat, or hang himself.3 But Pasquin seemed rather inclined it should be done by the government, representing after much blemishing our author's Homer, crieth him engaged in grievous designs with a lord of out: liament then under prosecution. Mr. Dennis himself hath written to a minister, that he is one of the most dangerous persons in this kingdom;5 and assureth the public, that he is an open and mortal enemy to his country; a monster that will one day show as daring a soul as a mad Indian, who runs a-muck to kill the first Christian he meets.6 Another gives information of treason discovered in his poem.7 Mr. the maker of certain verses to Duncan Campbell, in Curll boldly supplies an imperfect verse with kings that poem, which is wholly a satire upon Mr. Pope, and princesses and one Matthew Concanen, yet more impudent, publishes at length the two most sacred names in this nation, as members of the Dunciad !? This is prodigious! yet it is almost as strange, that in the midst of these invectives his greatest enemies have (I know not how) borne testimony to some merit in him. Mr. Theobald, 'But in his other works what beauties shine, confesseth, H. Stanhope, "Tis true, if finest notes alone could show That we should fame to these mere vocals give; in censuring his Shakspeare, declares, He has so Mist's Journal, June 8, 1728. great an esteem for Mr. Pope, and so high an opinion Although he says, 'The smooth numbers of the Dun of his genius and excellences, that, notwithstanding ciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other he professes a veneration almost rising to idolatry for merit; yet that same paper hath these words: The the writings of this inestimable poet, he would be author is allowed to be a perfect master of an easy very loath even to do him justice, at the expence of and elegant versification. In all his works we i that other gentleman's character.'10 Mr. Charles Gildon, the most happy turns, and natural similes, wonderfi ly short and thick sown.' The Essay on the Dunciad also owns, p. 25, it very full of beautiful images. But the panegyri which crowns all that can be said on this poem, i bestowed by our laureate, Mr. Colley Cibber, after having violently attacked him in many pieces, at last came to wish from his heart, That Mr. Pope would be prevailed upon to give us Ovid's Epistles by his hand; for it is certain we see the original of Sappho to Phaon with much more life and likeness in his version, than in that of sir Car Scrope. And who 'grants it to be a better poem of its kind that this (he adds) is the more to be wished, because in ever was writ;' but adds, 'it was a victory over å the English tongue we have scarcely any thing truly parcel of poor wretches, whom it was almost cow and naturally written upon love." He also, in taxing ardice to conquer.-A man might as well triumph for sir Richard Blackmore for his heterodox opinions of having killed so many silly flies that offended him. Homer, challengeth him to answer what Mr. Pope Could he have let them alone, by this time, poor souls! hath said in his preface to that poet. they had all been buried in oblivion.' Here we scẻ our excellent laureate allows the justice of the sate on every man in it, but himself; as the great Mr. Dennis did before him. 1 Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22, 1728. 2 Smedley, pref. to Gulliveriana, p. 14, 16. 3 Gulliveriana, p. 332. 4 Anno 1723. 5 Anno 1729. 6 Preface to Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, p. 12; and in the last page of that treatise. 7 Page 6, 7, of the Preface, by Concanen, to a book The said Mr. Dennis and Mr. Gildon, called, A Collection of all the Letters, Essays, Verses in the most furious of all their words (the forecited and Advertisements, occasioned by Pope and Swift's Miscellanies. Printed for A. Moore, 8vo. 1712. 8 Key to the Dunciad, 3d edit. p 18. 9 A list of Persons, &c. at the end of the foremen· tioned Collection of all the Letters, Essays, &c. 10 Introduction to his Shakspeare Restored, in 4to. p 3. 11 Commentary on the Duke of Buckingham's Essay, 8vo, 1721, p. 97, 98. 1 In his prose Essay on Criticism. 2 Printed by J. Roberts, 1742, p. 11. 3 Battle of the Poets, folio, p. 15. 4 Printed under the title of the Progress of Dulness, 12mo, 17:8. 5 Cibber's Letter to Mr. Pope, p. 9. 12. Character, p. 5,) do in concert confess, 'that some Otway, and others) have received from this country, men of good understanding value him for his rhymes.' for these last hundred years, I should shift the scene, And (p. 17) that he has got, like Mr. Bayes in the and show all that penury changed at once to riot Rehearsal, (that is, like Mr. Dryden,) a notable knack and profuseness; and more squandered away upon at rhyming, and writing smooth verse.' one object, than would have satisfied the greater part On his Essay on Man, numerous were the praises of those extraordinary men; the reader to whom this bestowed by his avowed enemies, in the imagination one creature should be unknown, would fancy him a that the same was not written by him, as it was print- prodigy of art and nature, would believe that all the ed anonymously. great qualities of these persons were centered in him alone. But if I should venture to assure him, that the people of England had made such a choice-the reader would either believe me a malicious enemy, and slanderer, or that the reign of the last (Queen Anne's) ministry was designed by fate to encourage fools.'1 Thus sang of it even Bezaleel Morris: 'Auspicious bard! while all admire thy strain, Alike informs the soul, and charms the ear,' &c. And Mr. Leonard Welstead But it happens that this our poet never had any place, pension, or gratuity, in any shape, from the said glorious queen, or any of her ministers. All he owed, in the whole course of his life, to any court, was a subscription for his Homer, of £200, from King George I. and £100 from the prince and princess. thus wrote to the unknown author, on the first pub- However, lest we imagine our author's success beation of the said Essay; I must own, after the re- was constant and universal, they acquaint us of cerception which the vilest and most immoral ribaldry tain works in a less degree of repute, whereof, alhath lately met with, I was surprised to see what I though owned by others, yet do they assure us he is had long despaired, a performance deserving the name the writer. Of this sort Mr. Dennis2 ascribes to him of a poet. Such, sir, is your work. It is, indeed, two farces, whose names he does not tell, but assures above all commendation, and ought to have been pub- us that there is not one jest in them; and an imitation lished in an age and country more worthy of it. If of Horace, whose title he does not mention, but asmy testimony be of weight any where, you are sure sures us it is much more execrable than all his works.3 to have it in the amplest manner,' &c. &c. &c. The Daily Journal, May 11, 1728, assures us, 'He is below Tom Durfey in the drama, because (as that Thus we see every one of his works hath been ex-writer thinks) the Marriage-Hater Matched, and the tolled by one or other of his most inveterate enemies; Boarding School, are better than the What-d'ye-calland to the success of them all they do unanimously it; which is not Mr. P.'s, but Mr. Gay's. Mr. Gilgive testimony. But it is sufficient instar omnium, to don assures us, in his New Rehearsal, p. 48, "That behold the great critic, Mr. Dennis, sorely lamenting he was writing a play of the Lady Jane Grey:' but it it, even from the Essay on Criticism to this day of the afterwards proved to be Mr. Rowe's. We are assurDunciad! A most notorious instance (quoth he) of ed by another, ' He wrote a pamphlet called Dr. Anthe depravity of genius and taste, the approbation this say meets with.3-1 can safely affirm, that I never Mr. Theobald assures us, in Mist of the 27th of April, drew Tripe;'4 which proved to be one Dr. Wagstaff's. tacked any of these writings, unless they had suc-That the treatise of the Profound is very dull, and ess infinitely beyond their merit. This, though an that Mr. Pope is the author of it.' The writer of empty, has been a popular scribbler. The epidemic Gulliveriana is of another opinion; and says, "The nadness of the times has given him reputation.4-If, whole, or greatest part, of the merit of this treatise After the cruel treatment so many extraordinary men must and can only be ascribed to Gulliver.5 [Here, Spenser, lord Bacon, Ben Jonson, Milton, Butler, gentle reader! cannot I but smile at the strange blind 1 In concert] Hear how Mr. Dennis hath proved ourness and positiveness of men? knowing the said mistake in this case: As to my writing in concert with treatise to appertain to none other but to me, MarMr. Gildon, I declare upon the honour and word of a tinus Scriblerus.] gentleman, that I never wrote so much as one line in We are assured, in Mist of June 8th, "That his own concert with any one man whatsoever. And these two letters from Gildon will plainly show, that we are not plays and farces would better have adorned the Dunwriters in concert with each other. "Sir, "I had not the opportunity of hearing of your excellent Pamphlet till this day. I am infinitely satisfied and pleased with it, and hope you will meet with that en couragement your admirable performance deserves, &c. "CH. GILDON." Now is it not plain, that any one who sends such compliments to another, has not been used to write in partnership with him to whom he sends them? Dennis, Remarks on the Dunciad, p 50. Mr. Dennis is there. fore welcome to take this piece to himself. 2 In a letter under his own hand, dated March 12, 1733. 3 Dennis, Preface to his Reflections on the Essay on Criticism. 4 Preface to his Remarks on Homer. Y ciad, than those of Mr. Theobald; for he had neither But from all that has been said, he discerning |