A Newton's genius, or a Milton's flame: The source of Newton's Light, of Bacon's Sense. That beams on earth, each Virtue he inspires, But, Learn, ye DUNCES! not to scorn your God 1."" 220 225 230 235 Hell rises, Heav'n descends, and dance on Earth 4: 'Till one wide conflagration swallows all. Thence a new world to Nature's laws unknown, 240 And other planets circle other suns. The forests dance, the rivers upward rise, 245 Whales sport in woods, and dolphins in the skies; And last, to give the whole creation grace, Lo! one vast Egg produces human race. Joy fills his soul, joy innocent of thought; 'What pow'r,' he cries, 'what pow'r these wonders wrought?' 250 "Son, what thou seek'st is in thee! Look, and find 1 But, Learn, ye Dunces! not to scorn your God.'] Virg. Æn. vi. [v. 619]. The hardest lesson a Dunce can learn. For being bred to scorn what he does not understand, that which he understands least he will be apt to scorn most. Of which, to the disgrace of all Government, and (in the Poet's opinion) even of that of DULNESS herself, we have had a late example in a book intitled, Philosophical Essays concerning human Understanding. P. 'not to scorn your God.'] See this subject pursued in Book IV. P. 2 (Not half so pleas'd when Goodman prophesy'd] Mr Cibber tells us, in his Life, p. 149, that Goodman being at the rehearsal of a play, in which he had a part, clapped him on the shoulder and cried, "If he does not make a good actor, I'll be d-d."-And (says Mr Cibber) I make it a question, whether Alexander himself, or Charles the Twelfth of Sweden, when at the head of their first victorious armies, could feel a greater_transport in their bosoms than I did in mine. P. All the ex 3 a sable Sorc'rer] Dr Faustus, the subject of a set of Farces, which lasted in vogue two or three seasons, in which both Play-houses strove to outdo each other for some years. travagances in the sixteen lines following were introduced on the Stage, and frequented by persons of the first quality in England, to the twentieth and thirtieth time. P. [Probably revivals of Mountfort's harlequinade founded on Marlowe's tragedy.] 4 Hell rises, Heav'n descends, and dance on Earth:] This monstrous absurdity was actually represented in Tibbald's Rape of Proserpine. P. 5 Lo! one vast Egg] In another of these Farces, Harlequin is hatched upon the stage out of a large Egg. P. Each monster meets his likeness in thy mind. 3 On grinning dragons thou shalt mount the wind 5. 255 260 265 Here shouts all Drury, there all Lincoln's-inn ; Alike their labours, and alike their praise. 270 "And are these wonders, Son, to thee unknown? 1 Immortal Rich!] Mr John Rich, Master of the Theatre Royal in Covent-garden, was the first that excelled this way. P. 2 [Join their dark encounter in mid-air. Milton Par. Lost, II. v. 718.] 3 Booth and Cibber were joint managers of the Theatre in Drury-lane. P. [as Harlequin.] 5 On grinning dragons thou shalt mount the wind.] In his Letter to Mr P. Mr C. solemnly declares this not to be literally true. We hope therefore the reader will understand it allegorically only. P. [The Theatre called the Duke's was built in Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, at the time of the Restoration. It was here Rich first brought out his harlequinades; but soon after his removal it was closed (1737.)] 7 After ver. 274 in the former Edd, followed: For works like these let deathless Journals tell "None but thyself can be thy parallel." Warburton. Var. None but thyself can be thy parallel] A marvellous line of Theobald; unless the Play 275 280 called the Double Falsehood be (as he would have it believed) Shakespear's. P. 8 Annual trophies, on the Lord-mayor's day; and monthly wars in the Artillery-ground. P. 9 Tho' long my Party] Settle, like most Party-writers, was very uncertain in his political principles. He was employed to hold the pen in the Character of a popish successor, but afterwards printed his Narrative on the other side. He had managed the ceremony of a famous Popeburning on Nov. 17, 1680; then became a trooper in King James's army, at Hounslow-heath. After the Revolution he kept a booth at Bartholomewfair, where, in the droll called St George for England, he acted in his old age in a Dragon of green leather of his own invention; he was at last taken into the Charter-house, and there died, aged sixty years. P. [Carruthers observes that Settle was really seventy-six at the time of his death (1724).] 10 After ver. 284 in the former Edd. followed: 'Diff'rent our parties, but with equal grace The Goddess smiles on Whig and Tory race.' Warburton. Yet lo! in me what authors have to brag on! 285 290 Coach'd, carted, trod upon, now loose, now fast, And carry'd off in some Dog's tail at last. Happier thy fortunes! like a rolling stone, Thy giddy dulness still shall lumber on, 295 But lick up ev'ry blockhead in the way. Thee shall the Patriot, thee the Courtier taste1, And ev'ry year be duller than the last. Till rais'd from booths, to Theatre, to Court, Her seat imperial Dulness shall transport. 300 The sure fore-runner of her gentle sway: Let her thy heart, next Drabs and Dice, engage, 305 To aid our cause, if Heav'n thou can'st not bend, 310 For new abortions, all ye pregnant fair! 315 "Now, Bavius, take the poppy from thy brow, And place it here! here all ye Heroes bow! This, this is he, foretold by ancient rhymes: Th' Augustus born to bring Saturnian times. Signs following signs lead on the mighty year! See! the dull stars roll round and re-appear. See, see, our own true Phoebus wears the bays 8! Thee shall the Patriot, thee the Courtier taste,] It stood in the first edition with blanks * * and ** Concanen was sure "they must needs mean no body but King GEORGE and Queen CAROLINE; and said he would insist it was so, till the Poet cleared himself by filling up the blanks otherwise, agreeably to the context, and consistent with his allegiance." P. Polypheme] He translated the Italian Opera of Polifemo; but unfortunately lost the whole jest of the story. P. [Part om.] 3 Faustus, Pluto, &c.] Names of miserable Farces, which it was the custom to act at the end of the best Tragedies, to spoil the digestion of the audience. P. 4 [Congreve's tragedy.] 320 5 ensure it but from Fire.] In Tibbald's farce of Proserpine, a corn-field was set on fire: whereupon the other play-house had a barn burnt down for the recreation of the spectators. They also rival'd each other in showing the burnings of hell-fire, in Dr Faustus. P. 6 Another schylus appears! It is reported of Eschylus, that when his Tragedy of the Furies was acted, the audience were so terrified that the children fell into fits. P. 1 like Semele's,] See Ovid, Met. III. P. 8 Ver. 323. See, see, our own &c.] In the former Edd.: 'Beneath his reign shall Eusden wear the bays, 2 Our Midas sits Lord Chancellor of Plays! 325 330 Cibber preside Lord Chancellor of plays, Proceed great days, &c.' 1 On Poets' Tombs see Benson's Titles writ!] W-m Benson (Surveyor of the Buildings to his Majesty King George I.) gave in a report to the Lords, that their House and the Painted-chamber adjoining were in immediate danger of falling. Whereupon the Lords met in a committee to appoint some other place to sit in, while the House should be taken down. But it being proposed to cause some other builders first to inspect it, they found it in very good condition. In favour of this man, the famous Sir Christopher Wren, who had been Architect to the Crown for above fifty years, who built most of the churches in London, laid the first stone of St Paul's, and lived to finish it, had been displaced from his employment at the age of near ninety years. P. [Part om.] 2 Ambrose Philips] "He was (saith Mr JACOB) one of the wits at Button's and a justice of the peace;" But he hath since met with higher preferment in Ireland. He endeavoured to create some misunderstanding between our Author and Mr Addison, whom also soon after he abused as much. His constant cry was, that Mr P. was an Enemy to the government; and in particular he was the avowed author of a report very industriously spread, that he had a hand in a Partypaper called the Examiner: A falsehood wellknown to those yet living, who had the direction and publication of it. P. [As to the reasons for Pope's aversion from A. P. see Introductory Memoir, pp. xv, xxviii.] 3 While Jones' and Boyle's united Labours fall;] At the time when this poem was written, the banqueting-house at White-hall, the church and piazza of Čovent-garden, and the palace and chapel of Somerset-house, the works of the famous Inigo Jones, had been for many years so neglected, as to be in danger of ruin. The portico of Covent-garden church had been just then restored and beautified at the expense of the earl of Burlington and [Richard Boyle]; who, at the same time, by his publication of the designs of that great Master and Palladio, as well as by many noble buildings of his own, revived the true taste of Architecture in this kingdom. P. [As to Ripley, Sir Robert Walpole's architect who, according to Wakefield, was employed in repairing Whitehall, cf. Moral Essays, Ép. IV. V. 18 and note.] 4 [Sir Christopher Wren died in 1723, at the age of 91. 'The length of his life enriched the reigns of several princes, and disgraced the last of them.' Horace Walpole, Anecdotes of Printing, quoted by Warton.] 5 Gay dies unpension'd &c.] See Mr Gay's fable of the Hare and many Friends. This gentleman was early in the friendship of our Author, which continued to his death. He wrote several works of humour with great success, the Shepherd's Week, Trivia, the What-d'ye-call-it, Fables; and, lastly, the celebrated Beggar's Opera; a piece of satire which hits all tastes and degrees of men, from those of the highest quality to the very rabble. That verse of Horace, Primores populi arripuit, populumque tributim, could never be so justly applied as to this. The vast success of it was unprecedented, and almost incredible: What is related of the wonderful effects of the ancient music or tragedy hardly came up to it: Sophocles and Euripides were less followed and famous. It was acted in London sixtythree days, uninterrupted; and renewed the next season with equal applauses. It spread into all the great towns of England, was played in many places to the thirtieth and fortieth time, at Bath and Bristol fifty, &c. It made its progress into Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, where it was performed twenty-four days together: It was last acted in Minorca. The fame of it was not confined to the Author only; the ladies carried about with them the favourite songs of it in fans; and houses were furnished with it in screens. The person who acted Polly, till then obscure, became all at once the favourite of the town; her pictures were engraved, and sold in great numbers; her life written, books of letters and verses to her published; and pamphlets made even of her sayings and jests. Furthermore, it drove out of England, for that season, the Italian Opera, which had carried all before it for ten years. That idol of the Nobility and people, which the great Critic Mr Dennis by the labours and outcries of a whole life could not overthrow, was demolished by a single stroke of this gentleman's pen. This happened in the year 1728. Yet so great was his modesty, that he constantly prefixed to all the editions of it this motto, Nos hæc novimus esse nihil. P. [See Epitaph No. xii. and Introductory Memoir, p. xxvi.] Hibernian Politics, O Swift! thy fate1; And Pope's, ten years to comment and translate 2. 335 Enough! enough!' the raptur'd Monarch cries; 340 THE DUNCIAD. BOOK THE FOURTH. ARGUMENT. The Poet being, in this Book, to declare the Completion of the Prophecies mentioned at the end of the former, makes a new Invocation; as the greater Poets are wont, when some high and worthy matter is to be sung. He shews the Goddess coming in her Majesty, to destroy Order and Science, and to substitute the Kingdom of the Dull upon earth. How she leads captive the Sciences, and silenceth the Muses, and what they be who succeed in their stead. All her Children, by a wonderful attraction, are drawn about her; and bear along with them divers others, who promote her Empire by connivance, weak resistance, or discouragement of Arts; such as Half-wits, tasteless Admirers, vain Pretenders, the Flatterers of Dunces, or the Patrons of them. All these crowd round her; one of them offering to approach her is driven back by a Rival; but she commends and encourages both. The first who speak in form are the Geniuses of the Schools, who assure her of their care to advance her Cause, by confining Youth to Words, and keeping them out of the way of real Knowledge. Their Address, and her gracious Answer; with her Charge to 1 Ver. 33O Swift! thy doom, in the former Editions thus: And Pope's, translating ten whole years with On which was the following Note, "He con- the value of One hundred more. The Author only seems to lament, that he was employed in Translation at all." P. Hibernian Politics, O Swift! thy fate;] See Book 1. ver 26. P. 2 And Pope's, ten years to comment and translate.] The Author here plainly laments that he was so long employed in translating and commenting. He began the Iliad in 1713, and finished it in 1719. The edition of Shakespear (which he undertook merely because no body else would) took up near two years more in the drudgery of comparing impressions, rectifying the Scenery, &c., and the translation of half the Odyssey employed him from that time to 1725. 3 [Cf. Book IV. V. 202.] P. |