...been so utterly extirpated that he has become nothing but an empty container of the image of Dulness: She saw, with joy, the line immortal run, Each sire...growing lump, and brings it to a Bear. She saw old Pryn in restless Daniel shine, And Eusden eke out Blackmore's endless line; She saw slow Philips creep...

...Heywood's days. She saw, with joy, the line immortal run, Each sire impressed and glaring in his son: 100 So watchful Bruin forms, with plastic care, Each growing...lump, and brings it to a bear. She saw old Prynne in resdess Daniel shine, And Eusden eke out Blackmore's endless line; She saw slow Philips creep like...

...their mother licked a shapeless form into being: [Dulness] saw, with joy, the line immortal [of dunces] run, Each sire imprest and glaring in his son: So...care, Each growing lump, and brings it to a Bear. (11. 99-102) In this passage another numberless succession of indistinguishable dunces, an assembly...

...walls; Much she revolves their arts, their ancient praise, And sure succession4 down from Heywood's days. She saw with joy the line immortal run, Each sire imprest and glaring in his son ... She saw old Pryn in restless Daniel shine, And Eusden eke out Blackmore's endless line; She saw...

...shapeless flesh and fur of the mythic cubs attended by their "watchful Bruin" who, in Pope's words, "forms, with plastic care, / Each growing lump, and brings it to a Bear,"3 Elia's essays never fall heir to any wholly authoritative principle of ordering. If the essays...