Janies, to publifh fuch little Pieces of theirs as had cafually got abroad, there was added to them the Treatife of the Bathos, or the Art of finking in Poetry,. It happened that in one Chapter of this Piece, the feveral Species of bad Poets were ranged into Claffes, to which were prefix'd almost all the Letters of the Alphabet (the greateft Part of them 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 à Fury, that for half a Year, or more, the common News-Papers (in most of which they had fome Property, as being hired Writers) were filled' with the moft abufive Falfhoods and Scurilities they could poffibly devife. A Liberty no Way to be wondered at in thofe People, and in thofe Papers, that, for many Years during the uncontrouled Liberty of the Prefs, had afperfed almost all the great Characters of the Age; and this with Impuni ty, their own Perfons and Names being utterly fecret and obfcure.

This gave Mr. Pope the Thought, that he had now an Opportunity of doing Good, by detecting and dragging into Light thefe common Enemies of Mankind; fince to invalidate this univerfal Slander, it fufficed to fhew what contemptible Men were the Authors of it. He was not without Hopes, that by manifefting the Dulnefs of thofe who had only Malice to recommend them, either the Bookfellers would not find their Account in employing them, or the Men themselves when 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 Slander on himfelf, he had acquired fuch a peculiar Right over their Names as was neceffary to this Defign.

On

On the 12th of March 1729, at St. James's, that Poem was prefented to the King and Queen (who had before been pleased to read it) by the Right Honourable Sir Robert Walpole: And fome Days after the whole Impreffion was taken and dispersed by several Noblemen and Perfons of the firft Diftinction.

It is certainly a true Observation, that no People are so impatient of Cenfure as those who are the greateft Slanderers: Which was wonderfully exemplified on this Occafion. On the Day the Book was first vended, a Crowd of Authors befieged the Shop; Entreaties, Advices, Threats of Law, and Battery, nay Cries of Treason were all employed to hinder the coming out of the Dunciad: On the other Side the Bookfellers and Hawkers made as great Effort to procure it: What could a few poor Authors do against so great a Majority as the Publick? There was no ftopping a Torrent with a Finger, fo out it

came.

Many ludicrous Circumstances attended it: The Dunces (for by this Name they were called) held weekly Clubs to confult of Hoftilities against the Author; one wrote a Letter to a great Minister, Mr. Pope was the greatest Enemy the Government had and another brought his Image in Clay, to execute him in Effigy; with which fad Sort of Satisfactions the Gentlemen were a little comforted.

;

Some falfe Editions of the Book having an Owl in their Frontispiece, the true one, to diftinguish it, fixed in its ftead an Afs laden with Authors. Then another furreptitious one being printed with the fame Afs, the new Edition in Octavo returned for Diftinction to the Owl again. Hence arose a great Contest of Bookfellers againft Bookfellers, and Advertisements against Advertisements; for some recommending the Edition of the Owl, and others the E

dition of the Afs; by which Names they came to be diftinguished, to the great Honour alfo of the Gentlemen of the Dunciad.

Your Lordship will not think these Particulars altogether unentertaining; nor are they impertinent, fince they clear fome Paffages in the following Collection. The Whole cannot but be of fome Use, to fhew the different Spirit with which good and bad Authors have ever acted, as well as written; and to evince a Truth, a greater than which was never advanced, that

"Each bad Author is as bad a Friend.

However, the Imperfection of this Collection cannot but be owned, as long as it wants that Poem, with which you, my Lord, have honour'd the Author of the Dunciad; but which I durft not presume to add in your Abfence. As it is, may it pleafe your Lordship to accept of it, as a diftant Teftimony, with what Refpect and Zeal I am,

My LORD,

Your most obedient,

and devoted Servant,
R. SAVAGE.

Even this abominable Blunder (which he never knew how to excufe, but by saying he did it without thinking, was wink'd at by Mr. Pope; a Thing not very common with him.

The Friendship even to Partiality shown to him by the greatest Poet of the Age, confequently drew on him the Malice and weak Rage of the little Writers, who had appear'd in Oppofition to Mr. Pope's Poetry, and good Tafte; but the good Opinion he had conceiv'd of Mr. Savage was more worth, than to be loft for the Praise of them all put together.

That

That Mr. Pope may not appear to have bestow'd his Pity and Bounty upon a Person wholly undeferving, Mr. Savage was a very good Critick and a middling Poet: His Poem of the Baftard gain'd him a confiderable Reputation, and fome other Pieces had the good Fortune to pleafe; fo that on the Death of Mr. Eufden he made all poffible Interest to obtain the Place of Poet-Laureat, which the King publickly declar'd his Intention of beftowing on him; but the Lord Chamberlain (it being in his Gift) not knowing the King's Mind, beftow'd the Laurel on Mr. Cibber.

Thus disappointed, he took a Refolution of applying to the Queen, that having once given him Life the would enable him to fupport it; and therefore publifh'd a fhort Poem on her Birth-day, and call'd it the Volunteer Laureat, which fucceeding to his Intention was the Means of Fifty Pounds per Ann. being paid to him, as long as the Queen liv'd. In this Poem, among others, are the following Lines:

Two Fathers join'd to rob my Claim of one!
My Mother too thought fit to have no Son!
The Senate next, whofe Aid the Helpless own,
Forgot my Infant Wrongs, and mine alone!
Yet Parents pitilefs, nor Peers unkind,
Nor Titles loft, nor Woes myfterious, join'd,
Strip me of Hope-by Heav'n thus lowly laid,
To find a Pharoah's Daughter in the Shade.

You cannot hear unmov'd, when Wrongs implore,
Your Heart is Woman, tho' your Mind be more ;
Kind, like the Pow'r who gave you to our Pray'rs,
You would not lengthen Life to fharpen Cares;
They who a barren Leave to live beftow,
Snatch but from Death to facrifice to Woe.

Hated

Hated by her from whom my Life I drew,
Whence fhould I hope, if not from Heav'n and you?
Nor dare I groan beneath Affliction's Rod,

My Queen, my Mother; and my Father, God.

And every Year as long as the Queen liv'd, he, by her Command, addrefs'd a Poem to her of this Nature; he being fure of the Pay took little Care about his Verses, and fome of his future Performances were mean enough, fo bad that he was afham'd of them, and feldom printed more than what were juft proper to be seen at Court.

His Penfion as foon as receiv'd was spent, and he in a very short Time in all his former Diftrefs, lodging moftly by Accident; fometimes in Cellars and fometimes on a Bulk in the Summer; or in the Winter, with his Affociates in Poverty among the Ashes of a Glafs-Houfe.

Through Mis'ry leads to Fortitude and Truth,
Unequal to the Load this languid Youth,
(O! let none cenfure if untried by Grief,
Or amidst Woes untempted by Relief.)

He stoop'd, reluctant, to mean Acts of Shame,
Which then, ev'n then, he fcorn'd, and blufh'd to

name.

Thefe are his own Lines in the Poem call'd the Wanderer, and poffibly might be a Reflection on himfelf in a cool Hour.

Thus liv'd Mr. Savage, in Expectation of promifed Places, which however never were made good to him, but he continued to be only the VoluntierLaureat; and the Queen dying, even that was taken from him and his Penfion fufpended, the Bounty of the Queen at laft withdrawn from him, and from him only.

He