Did the dead letter unsuccessful prove? Hold-to the minister I more incline; To serve his cause, O queen! is serving thine. This gray-goose weapon must have made her stand. Cibberian forehead, and Cibberian brain. What can I now? Fletcher cast aside, my Take up the Bible, once my better guide? REMARKS. 220 This brazen brightness, to the 'squire so dear; 210 Ver. 198. Gray-goose weapon.] Alluding to the old English weapon, the arrow of the long-bow, which was fletched with the feathers of the gray-goose. Ver. 199. My Fletcher] A familiar manner of speaking, used by modern critics, of a favourite author. Bays might as justly speak this of Fletcher, as a French wit did of Tully, seeing his works in a library, Ah! mon cher Ciceron! je le connois bien: c'est le meme que Mare Tulle. But he had a better title to call Fletcher his own, having made so free with him. Ver. 200. Take up the Bible, once my better guide?] When, according to his father's intention, he had been a clergyman, or (as he thinks himself,) a bishop of the church of England. Hear his own words: At the time that the fate of King James, the prince of Orange, and myself, were on the anvil, Providence thought fit to postpone mine, till theirs were determined: but had my father carried me a month sooner to the university, who knows but that purer fountain might have washed my imperfections into a capacity of writing, instead of plays and annual odes, sermons, and pastoral letters ?-Apology for his Life, chap. iii. Ver. 203. At White's amidst the doctors] These doctors had a modest and upright appearance, no air of overbear ing; but, like true masters of art, were only habited in black and white: they were justly styled subtiles and graves, but not always irrefragabiles, being sometimes examined, and by a nice distinction, divided and laid open. Scribl. This learned critic is to be understood allegorically. The doctors in this place mean no more than false dice, a caut phrase used among gamesters. So the meaning of these four sonorous lines is only this, 'Shall I play fair or foul?" Ver. 208. Ridpath-Mist.] George Ridpath, author of a Whig paper, called the Flying-post; Nathaniel Mist of a famous Tory journal. Ver. 211 Or rob Rome's ancient geese of all their glories,] Relates to the well-known story of the geese that saved the Capitol; of which Virgil, Æn. viii. 'Atque hic auratis volitans argenteus anser A passage I have always suspected. Who sees not the antithesis of auratis and argenteus to be unworthy the Virgilian majesty? And what absurdity to say a goose sings canebat. Virgil gives a contrary character of the voice of this silly bird, in Ecl. ix. -argutos inter strepere anser olores." Read it, therefore, adesse strepebat. And why auratis porticibus? does not the very verse preceding this inform us, 'Romuleoque recens horrebat regia culmo.' Is this thatch in one line, and gold in another, consistent? I scruple not (repugnantibus omnibus manuscriptis) to correct it auritis. Horace uses the same epithet in the same sense, O born in sin, and forth in folly brought! Go, purified by flames, ascend the sky, REMARKS. 230 Not out of any preference or affection to the Tories. For what Hobbes so ingeniously confesses of himself, is true of all ministerial writers whatsoever: That he defends the supreme powers, as the geese by their cackling defended the Romans, who held the Capitol; for they favoured them no more than the Gauls, their enemies; but were as ready to have defended the Gauls if they had been possessed of the Capitol.' Epis. Dedic. to the Leviathan. Ver. 215. Gazetteers.] A band of ministerial writers, hired at the prices mentioned in the note on book ii. ver. 316, who, on the very day their patron quitted his post, laid down their paper, and declared they would never more meddle in politics. Ver. 218. Cibberian forehead.] So indeed all the MSS. read; but I make no scruple to pronounce them all wrong, the laureate being elsewhere celebrated by our poet for his great modesty-modest Cibber-Read, therefore, at my peril, Cerberian forehead. This is perfectly classical, and, what is more, Homerical; the dog was the ancient, as the bitch is the modern symbol of impudence: (Kuros oμμat' xv, says Achilles to Agamemnon:) which, when in a superlative degree, may well be denominated from Cerberus, the dog with three heads-But as to the latter part of this verse, Cibberian brain, that is certainly the genuine reading. Bentl. Ver. 225. O born in sin, &c.] This is a tender and passionate apostrophe to his own works, which he is going to sacrifice, agreeable to the nature of man in great afflietion: and reflecting, like a parent, on the many miserable fates to which they would otherwise be subject. Ver. 228. My better and more christian progeny!] 'It may be observable, that my muse and my spouse were equally prolific! that the one was seldom the mother of a child, but in the same year the other made me the father of a play. I think we had a dozen of each sort between us; of both which kinds, some died in their infancy, &c.' Life of C. C. p. 217, 8vo. edit. Ver. 131. Gratis-given Bland,-Sent with a pass,] It was a practice so to give the Daily Gazetteer and ministerial pamphlets (in which this B. was a writer,) and to send them post-free to all the towns in the kingdom. Ver. 233. With Ward, to ape and monkey climes.] 'Edward Ward, a very voluminous poet in Hudibrastic verse, but best known by the London Spy, in prose. He has of late years kept a public-house in the city (but in a genteel way,) and with his wit, humour, and good liquor (ale,) afforded his guests a pleasurable entertainment, especially those of the high church-party.' Jacob, Lives of Poets, vol. ii. p. 225. Great numbers of his works were yearly sold into the Plautations.-Ward, in a book, called Apollo's Maggot, declared this account to be a great falsity, protesting that his public-house was not in the city, but in Moorfields. How index-learning turns no student pale, O! pass more innocent, in infant state, 250 260 Roused by the light, old Dulness heaved the head, REMARKS. 280 Small thanks to France, and none to Rome or Greece, The goddess then, o'er his anointed head, REMARKS. 290 Ver. 286. Tibbald.] Lewis Tibbald (as pronounced) or Theobald (as written) was bred an attorney, and son to an attorney, says Mr. Jacob, of Sittenburn, in Kent. He was the author of some forgotten plays, translations, and other pieces. translation of Ovid. There is a notorious idiot, one hight He was concerned in a paper called the Censor, and a Wachum, who from an under-spur-leather to the law, is become an understrapper to the playhouse, who has lately. burlesqued the Metamorphoses of Ovid by a vile translation, &c. This fellow is concerned in an impertinent paper called the Censor.'-Dennis, Rem. on Pope's Homer, p. 9, 10. Ibid. Ozell.] 'Mr. John Ozell, if we credit Mr. Jacob, did go to school in Leicestershire, where somebody left him 270 something to live on, when he shall retire from business. Ver. 238.210. Tate-Shadwell.] Two of his predecessors in the laurel. He was designed to be sent to Cambridge, in order for priesthood; but he chose rather to be placed in an office of accounts, in the city, being qualified for the same by his skill in arithmetic, and writing the necessary hands. He has obliged the world with many translations of French plays.'--Jacob, Lives of Dram. Poets, p. 198. Mr. Jacob's character of Mr. Ozell seems vastly short of his merits, and he ought to have further justice done him, having since confuted all sarcasms on his learning and genius, by an advertisement of Sept. 20, 1729, in a paper called the Weekly Medley, &c. As to my learning, this envious wretch knew, and every body knows, that the whole bench of bishops, not long ago, were pleased to give me a purse of guineas, for discovering the erroneous translations of the Common-prayer in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, &c. As for my genius, let Mr. Cleland show better Ver. 250. Now flames the Cid, &c.] In the first notes verses in all Pope's works, than Ozell's version of Boileau's on the Dunciad it was said, that this author was particular- Lutrin, which the late lord Halifax was so pleased with, that ly excellent at tragedy. This,' says he, is as unjust as to he complimented him with leave to dedicate it to him, &c. Bay I could not dance on a rope. But certain it is, that he Let him show better and truer poetry in the Rape of the had attempted to dance on this rope, and fell most shame- Lock, than in Ozell's Rape of the Bucket, (la Secchia fully, having produced no less than four tragedies (the rapita.) And Mr. Toland and Mr. Gildon publicly declared names of which the poet preserves in these few lines ;) the Ozell's translation of Homer to be, as it was prior, so likethree first of them were fairly printed, acted, and damned; wise superior to Pope's.-Surely, surely, every man is free the fourth suppressed in fear of the like treatment. to deserve well of his country !-John Özell. Ver. 253, 254. The dear Nonjuror-Moliere's old stubble.] We cannot but subscribe to such reverend testimonies, as A comedy thrashed out of Moliere's Tartuffe, and so much those of the bench of bishops, Mr. Toland, and Mr. Gildon. the translator's favourite, that he assures us all our author's Ver. 290. A beidegger] A strange bird from Switzerdislike to it could only arise from disaffection to the govern- land, and not, as some have supposed, the name of an emiment. He assures us, that when he had the honour to nent person who was a man of parts, and, as was said of kiss his majesty's hand, upon presenting his dedication of it, Petronius, arbiter elegantiarum. he was graciously pleased out of his royal bounty, to order him two hundred pounds for it. And this, he doubts not, grieved Mr. P.' Ver. 296. Withers.] See on ver. 146. Ibid. Gildon] Charles Gildon, a writer of criticisms and libels in the last age, bred at St. Omer's with the Jesuits; Ver. 258. Thale] An unfinished poem of that name, of but renouncing popery, he published Blount's books against which one sheet was printed many years ago, by Ambrose the divinity of Christ, the Oracles of Reason, &c. He signaPhillips, a northern author. It is an usual method of putting lized himself as a critic, having written some very bad plays; out a fire, to cast wet sheets upon it. Some critics have abused Mr. P. very scandalously in an anonymous pamphlet been of opinion that this sheet was of the nature of the of the life of Mr. Wycherley, printed by Curll; in another, asbestos, which cannot be consumed by fire; but I rather called the New Rehearsal, printed in 1744; in a third, entithink it an allegorical allusion to the coldness and heaviness tled the Complete Art of English Poetry, in two volumes: of the writing. and others. Ver. 269. Great mother] Magna mater here applied to Ver. 297. Howard] Hon. Edward Howard, author of Dulness. The quidnuncs, a name given to the ancient the British Princes, and a great number of wonderful pieces, members of several political clubs, who were constantly in- celebrated by the late earls of Dorset and Rochester, duke quiring quid nunc? What news? lof Buckingham, Mr. Waller, &c. 300 Thou Cibber! thou, his laurel shall support, And all be sleep, as at an ode of thine!' 320 She ceased. Then swells the chapel-royal throat: So when Jove's block descended from on high, 330 BOOK THE SECOND. The king being proclaimed, the solemnity is graced with public games and sports of various kinds; not instituted by the hero, as by Æneas in Virgil, but, for greater honour, by the goddess in person, (in like manner as the games of Pythia, Isthmia, &c. were an ciently said to be ordained by the gods, and as Thetis herself appearing, according to Homer, Odyss. xxiv. proposed the prizes in honour of her son Achilles.) Hither flock the poets and critics, attended, as is but just, with their patrons and booksellers. The goddess is first pleased, for her disport, to propose games to the booksellers, and setteth up the phantom of a poet, which they contend to overtake. The races described, with their divers accidents. Next the game for a poetess. Then follow the exercises for the poets, of tickling, vociferating, diving. The first holds forth the arts and practices of dedicators, the second of disputants and fustian poets, the third of profound, dark, and dirty party-writers Lastly, for the critics, the goddess proposes, (with great propriety, an exercise, not of their parts, but their patience, in hearing the works of two voluminous authors, one in verse, and the other in prose, deliberately read, without sleeping: the various effects of which, with the several degrees and manners of their operation, are here set forth; till the whole number, not of critics only, but of spectators, actors, and all present, fall asleep; which naturally and necessarily ends the games. BOOK II. And the hoarse nation croak'd, 'God save king Log.' HIGH on a gorgeous seat, that far out-shone REMARKS. Ver. 309, 310. Under Archer's wing,-Gaming, &c.] When the statute against gaming was drawn up, it was represented, that the king, by ancient custom, plays at hazard one night in the year; and therefore a clause was inserted, with an exemption as to that particular. Under this pretence, the groom-porter had a room appropriated to gaming all the summer the court was at Kensington, which his majesty accidentally being acquainted with, with a just indignation prohibited. It is reported the same practice is yet] continued wherever the court resides, and the hazard table there open to all the professed gamesters in town. 'Greatest and justest sovereign! know you this? Alas! no more than Thames' calm head can know, Whose meads his arms drown, or whose corn o'erflow.' Donne to Queen Eliz. Ver. 319. Chapel-royal.] The voices and instruments used in the service of the chapel-royal being also employed in the performance of the birth-day and new-year odes. · REMARKS. But how much all indulgence is lost upon these people may appear from the just reflection made on their constant conduct and constant fate, in the following epigram: 'Ye little wits, that gleam'd awhile, To compass Phobus' car about, 'Alas! those skies are not your sphere; There he shall ever burn: Weep, weep, and fall! for earth ye were, And must to earth return.' Ver. 324. But pious Needham.] A matron of great fame, Two things there are, upon the supposition of which the and very religious in her way; whose constant prayer it was, very basis of all verbal criticism is founded and supported: that she might get enough by her profession to leave it off The first, that an author could never fail to use the best in time, and make her peace with God.' But her fate was word on every occasion: the second, that a critic cannot not so happy; for being convicted, and set in the pillory, she choose but know which that is. This being granted, whenwas, (to the lasting shame of all her great friends and vota-ever any word doth not fully content us, we take upon us to ries) so ill used by the populace, that it put an end to her days. conclude, first, that the author could never have used it; Ver. 325. Back to the Devil.] The Devil Tavern in and, secondly, that he must have used that very one, which Fleet-street, where these odes are usually rehearsed before we conjecture, in its stead. they are performed at court. Upon which a wit of those times makes this epigram: We cannot, therefore, enough admire the learned Scriblerus, for his alteration of the text in the last two verses of the preceding book, which in all the former editions stood thus: Hoarse thunder to its bottom shook the bog, 'When laureates make odes, do you ask of what sort? Do you ask if they're good, or are evil? You may judge-from the Devil they come to the court, And go from the court to the devil.' And the loud nation croak'd, 'God save king Log!' Ver. 328.-Ogilby-God save king Log!] See Ogilby's He has, with great judgment, transposed these two episop's Fables, where, in the story of the Frogs and their thets; putting hoarse to the nation, and loud to the thunder; King, this excellent hemistich is to be found. and this being evidently the true reading, he vouchsafed not Our author manifests here, and elsewhere, a prodigious so much as to mention the former: for which assertion of tenderness for the bad writers. We see he selects the only the just right of a critic he merits the acknowledgment of good passage, perhaps, in all that ever Ogilby writ! which all sound commentators. shows how candid and patient a reader he must have been. Ver. 2. Henley's gilt tub,] The pulpit of a dissenter is What can be more kind and affectionate than the words in the preface to his poems, where he labours to call upon all our humanity and forgiveness towards these unlucky men, by the most moderate representation of their case that has ever been given by any author? usually called a tub; but that of Mr. Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had also a fair altar, and over it this extraordinary inscription: 'The primitive eucharist.' See the history of this person, book iii. Ver. 2. or Fleckno's Irish throne,] Richard Fleckno was With authors, stationers obey'd the call: Or that where on her Curlls the public pours, Great Cibber sat: the proud Parnassian sneer, On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze. Not with more glee, by hands pontific crown'd, And now the queen, to glad her sons, proclaims Glory and pain the industrious tribe provoke ; 20 So like, that critics said, and courtiers swore, Amid that area wide they took their stand, REMARKS. 30 REMARKS. 50 joy. He was ever after a constant frequenter of the pope's table, drank abundantly, and poured forth verses without number. Paulus Jovius, Elog. Vir. Doct. chap. lxxxiii. Some idea of his poetry is given by Fam. Strada in his Prolusions. species of mirth, called a joke, arising from a mal-entendu Ver. 34. And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke.] This may be well supposed to be the delight of Dulness. Ver. 47. Never was dash'd out, at one lucky hit.] Our author here seems willing to give some account of the possibility of Dulness making a wit (which could be done no other way than by chance.) The fiction is the more reconciled to probability by the known story of Apelles, who, an Irish priest, but had laid aside (as himself expressed it) being at a loss to express the foam of Alexander's horse, the mechanic part of priesthood. He printed some plays, dashed his pencil in despair at the picture, and happened to poems, letters, and travels. I doubt not, our author took do it by that fortunate stroke. occasion to mention him in respect to the poem of Mr. Dry-1 Ver. 50. And call'd the phantom More.] Curll, in his den, to which this bears some resemblance, though of a cha- Key to the Dunciad, affirmed this to be James Moore racter more different from it than that of the Eneid from the Smith, Esq. and it is probable (considering what is said of Iliad, or the Lutrin of Boileau from the Defait de Bouts Ri-him in the testimonies) that some might fancy our author mées of Sarazin. obliged to represent this gentleman as a plagiary, or to pass It may be just worth mentioning, that the eminence from for one himself. His case, indeed, was like that of a man I whence the ancient sophists entertained their auditors, was have heard of, who, as he was sitting in company, perceiv called by the pompous name of a throne. Themistius, ed his next neighbour had stolen his handkerchief: 'Sir, Orat. i. said the thief, finding himself detected, 'do not expose me, Ver. 3. Or that whereon her Curlls the public pours.] did it for mere want; be so good but to take it privately out Edmund Curll stood in the pillory at Charing-cross, in March, of my pocket again, and say nothing.' The honest man did 1727-8. This,' saith Edmund Curll, 'is a false assertion-so, but the other cried out, See, gentlemen, what a thief I had, indeed, the corporal punishment of what the gentle- we have among us! look, he is stealing my handkerchief! men of the long robe are pleased jocosely to call mounting Some time before, he bad borrowed of Dr. Arbuthnot a the rostrum for one hour: but that scene of action was not paper called a Historico-physical account of the South Sea; in the month of March, but in February.' (Curliad, 12mo. and of Mr. Pope the memoirs of a Parish Clerk, which for heath, Here, beriberty of his being tossed in a blanket, two years he kept, and read to the Rev. Dr. Young, F. Bilhe saith, Here, Scriblerus! thou leesest in what thou as- lers, Esq. and many others, as his own. Being applied to sertest concerning the blanket: it was not a blanket but a for them, he pretended they were lost; but there happening rug, p. 25. Much in the same manner Mr. Cibber remon- to be another copy of the latter, it came out in Swift's and strated, that his brothers, at Bedlam, mentioned Book i. Pope's Miscellanies. Upon this, it seems, he was so far were not brazen, but blocks; yet our author let it pass un-mistaken as to confess his proceeding by an endeavour to altered, as a trifle that no way altered the relationship. hide it: unguardedly printing (in the Daily Journal of April We should think, gentle reader, that we but ill performed 3, 1723,) That the contempt which he and others had for our part, if we corrected not as well our own errors now, as those pieces, (which only himself had shown, and handed formerly those of the printer; since what moved us to this about as his own,) occasioned their being lost, and for that work, was solely the love of truth, not in the least any vain cause only not returned.' A fact, of which as none but he glory, or desire to contend with great authors. And fur-could be conscious, none but he could be the publisher of it. ther, our mistakes, we conceive, will the rather be pardoned, The plagiarisms of this person gave occasion to the followas scarce possible to be avoided in writing of such persons ing epigram: and works as do ever shun the light. However, that we may not any how soften or extenuate the same, we give them thee in the very words of our antagonists; not defending, but retracting them from our heart, and craving excuse of the parties offended: for surely in this work, it hath been above all things our desire to provoke no man. Scribl. 'Moore always smiles whenever he recites; He smiles (you think) approving what he writes. A modest man may like what's not his own.' This young gentleman's whole misfortune was too inorVer. 15. Rome in her Capitol saw Querno sit.] Camillo instance attested by Mr. Savage, son of the late Earl Rivers; dinate a passion to be thought a wit. Here is a very strong Querno was of Apulia, who hearing the great encourage who having shown some verses of his in manuscript to Mr. ment which Leo X gave to poets, travelled to Rome with a Moore, wherein Mr. Pope was called first of the tuneful harp in his hand, and sung to it twenty thousand verses of a train, Mr. Moore the next morning sent to Mr. Savage to poem called Alexias. He was introduced as a buffoon to desire him to give those verses another turn, to wit, That Leo, and promoted to the honour of the laurel; a jest which Pope might now be the first, because Moore had left him the court of Rome and the pope himself entered into so far, as to cause him to ride on an elephant to the Capitol, and unrivalled, in turning his style to comedy." This was during to hold a solemn festival on his coronation; at which it is the rehearsal of the Rival Modes, his first and only work; recorded the poet himself was so transported as to weep for * See Life of C. C. chap. vi. p. 149. All gaze with ardour: some a poet's name, This prize is mine; who 'tempt it are my foes: REMARKS. The race by vigour, not by vaunts is won: 60 the town condemned it in the action, but he printed it in Which Curll's Corinna chanced that morn to make; 1726-7, with this modest motto: Hie cæstus, artemque repono.' The smaller pieces which we have heard attributed to this author are, An Epigram on the Bridge at Blenheim, by Dr. Evans: Cosmelia, by Mr. Pit, Mr. Jones, &c. The Mock Marriage of a mad Divine, with a Cl. for a Parson, by 71 (Such was her wont, at early dawn to drop Dr. W. The Saw pit, a Sunile, by a Friend. Certain Obscene with filth the miscreant lies bewray'd, 80 Notwithstanding what is here collected of the person ima-The caitiff vaticide conceived a prayer: gined by Curll to be meant in this place, we cannot be of 'Hear, Jove! whose name my bards and I adore, that opinion; since our poet had certainly no need of vinAs much at least as any gods or more; dicating half a dozen verses to himself, which every reader had done for him; since the name itself is not spelled Moore, And him and his if more devotion warms, but More; and, lastly, since the learned Scriblerus has so Down with the Bible, up with the pope's arms. well proved the contrary. A place there is, betwixt earth, air, and seas, Where, from ambrosia, Jove retires for ease. There in his seat two spacious vents appear, On this he sits, to that he leans his ear, Scribl. Ver. 50. The phantom More.] It appears from hence, that this is not the name of a real person, but fictitious. More from pos stultus, pwpiz, stultitia, to represent the folly of a plagiary. Thus Erasmus: Admonuit me Mori cog nomen tibi, quod tam ad Moriæ vocabulum accedit quam es ipse a re alienus. Dedication of Moria Encomium to And hears the various vows of fond mankind; sir Thomas More; the farewell of which may be our au- Some beg an eastern, some a western wind; thor's to his plagiary, Vale, More! et moriam tuam gnaviter defende. Adieu, More! and be sure strongly to defend All vain petitions mounting to the sky, thy own folly. With reams abundant this abode supply; Amused he reads, and then returns the bills Sign'd with that ichor which from gods distills In office here fair Cloacina stands, And ministers to Jove with purest hands. Forth from the heap she pick'd her votary's prayer, And placed it next him, a distinction rare! Oft had the goddess heard her servant's call, Ver. 53. But lofty Lintot.] We enter here upon the episode of the booksellers; persons, whose names being more known and famous in the learned world than those of the authors in this poem, do therefore need less explanation. The action of Mr. Lintot here imitates that of Dares in Virgil, rising just in this manner to lay hold of a bull. This eminent bookseller printed the Rival Modes before men tioned. Ver. 58. Stood dauntless Curll:] We come now to a and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profes-of link-boys vile, and waterman obscene; distinction from each. As oil'd with magic juices for the course, 100 It will be owned that he is here introduced with all possible dignity. He speaks like the intrepid Diomede; he runs like the swift footed Achilles: if he fails, 'tis like the beloved Nisus; and (what Homer makes to be the chief of all praises) he is favoured of the gods: he says but three words, and his prayer is heard; a goddess conveys it to the seat of Jupiter: And now the victor stretch'd his eager hand though he loses the prize, he gains the victory; the great Where the tall nothing stood or seem'd to stand: 110 mother herself comforts him, she inspires him with expe- A shapeless shade, it melted from his sight, dients, she honours him with an immortal present (such as Achilles receives from Thetis, and Eneas from Venus,) at Like forms in clouds, or visions of the night. once instructive and prophetical: after this he is unrivalled, and triumphant. REMARKS. The tribute our author here pays him is a grateful return for several unmerited obligations; many weighty animadversions on the public affairs, and many excellent and divert- Ver. 70. Curl's Corinna.] This name, it seems, was ing pieces on private persons, has he given to his name. If taken by one Mrs. Thomas, who procured some private ever he owed two verses to any other, he owed Mr. Curletters of Mr. Pope, while almost a boy, to Mr. Cromwell, some thousands. He was every day extending his fame, and sold them without the consent of either of those gentleand enlarging his writings: witness innumerable instances; men, to Curll, who printed them in 12mo, 1727. He disbut it shall suffice only to mention the Court Poems, which covered her to be the publisher, in his Key, p. 11. We only he meant to publish as the work of the true writer, a lady take this opportunity of mentioning the manner in which of quality; but being threatened firs, and afterwards pun-those letters got abroad, which the author was ashamed of ished for it by Mr. Pope, he generously transferred it from as very trivial things, full not only of levities, but of wrong her to him, and ever since printed it in his name. The single judgments of men and books, and only excusable from the time that ever he spoke to Mr. C. was on that affair, and youth and inexperience of the writer. to that happy incident he owed all the favour since received from him so true is the saying of Dr. Sydenham, that any one shell be, at some time or other, the better or the worse, for having but seen or spoken to a good or bad man.' Ver. 82. Down with the Bible, up with the pope's arms.] |