And

" on my Follies as the best part of my Fortune e." with good reafon: We fee to what they have brought him!

Secondly, as to Buffoonry, "Is it (faith he) a time of "day for me to leave off thefe fooleries, and set up a "new character? I can no more put off my Follies than 66 my Skin; I have often tried, but they flick too close "to me; nor am I fure my friends are displeased with "them, for in this light I afford them frequent matter of "mirth, &c. &c. f." Having then fo publickly declared himself incorrigible, he is become dead in law, (I mean the law Epopaian) and devolveth upon the Poet; is now his property; and may be taken and dealt with like an old egyptian Hero; that is to fay, emboweled and embalmed for Pofterity.

Nothing therefore (we conceive) remaineth to hinder his own prophecy of himself from taking immediate effect. A rare felicity! and what few Prophets have had the fatisfaction to fee, alive! Nor can we conclude better than with that extraordinary one of his, which is conceived in thefe Oraculous words, MY DULNESS WILL FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT RIGHT g.

Tandem PHEBUS adeft, morfufque inferre parentem
Congelat, et patulos, ut erant, INDURAT hiatus h.

f P. 17.

eP. 19. g Ibid, p. 243, octavo edit. of the ferpent biting at Orpheus's head.

W.

hOvid

By AUTHORITY.

By virtue of the Authority in Us veed by the Act for fubjecting Poets to the Power of a Licenfer, we have revised this Piece; where finding the style and appellation of KING to have been given to a certain Pretender, Pfeudo-Poet, or Phantom, of the name of TIBBALD; and apprehending the fame may be deemed in Come fort a Reflexion on Majefty, or at leaf an infult on that Legal Authority which has beflowed on another Person the Crown of Poefy: Wehave ordered the faid Pretender, Pfeudo-Poet, or Phantom, utterly to vanish and evaporate out of this Work: And do declare the laid Throne of Poely from henceforth to be abdicated and vacant, unless duly and lawfully fupplied by the LAUREATE himself. And it is hereby enafted, that no other person Do prefume to fill the fame.

OC. Ch.

ARGUMEN T.

THE Propofition, the Invocation, and the Infcription. Then the Original of the great Empire of Dulnefs and caufe of the continuance thereof. The College of the Goddess in the City, with her private Academy for Poets in particular; the Governors of it, and the four Cardinal Virtues. Then the Poem haftes into the midst of things, prefenting her, on the evening of a Lord Mayor's day, revolving the long fucceffion of her Sons, and the glories paft and to come. She fixes her eye on Bays to be the Inftrument of that great Event which is the Subject of the Poem. He is defcribed penfive among his Books, giving up the Caufe, and apprehending the Period of her Empire: After VOL. V.

A

debating whether to betake himself to the Church, or to Gaming, or to Party-writing, he raises an Altar of proper books, and (making first his folemn prayer and declaration) purposes thereon to facrifice all his unsuccessful writings. As the pile is kindled, the Goddefs, beholding the flame from her feat, flies and puts it out by cafting upon it the poem of Thule. She forthwith reveals herfelf to him, tranfports him to ber Temple, unfolds her Arts, and initiates him into ber Myfteries; then announcing the death of Eufden the Poet Laureate, anoints him, carries him to Court, and proclaims him Succeffor.