THE DUNCIA D. BOOK the FOURTH. ARGUMEN T. 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 Jung. He fhews the Goddefs coming in her Majesty, to deftroy Order and Science, and to fubftitute the Kingdom of the Dull upon earth. How he leads captive the Sciences, and filenceth the Muses; and what they be who fucceed in their ftead. All ber Children, by a wonderful attraction, are drawn about her, and bear along with them divers others, who promote her Empire by connivance, weak refiftance, or difcouragement of Arts; fuch as Half-wits, taftelefs Admirers, vain Pretenders, the Flatterers of Dunces, or the Patrons of them. All these crowd around her; one of them offering to approach her, is driven back by a Rival, but fhe commends and encourages both. The first who speak in form are the Genius's of the Schools, who affur: her of their care to advance ber Caule by confining Youth to Words, and keeping them out of the way of real Knowledge. Their Addrefs, and her gracious Anfwer; with her Charge to them and the Univ.rfities. The Univerfities appear by their proper Deputies, and affure ber that the fame method is obferved in the progrefs of Education. The Speech of Ariftarchus on this fubject. They are driven off by a band of young Gentlemen returned from Travel with their Tutors; one of whom delivers to the Goddess, in a polite oration, an account of the whole Conduct and Fruits of their Travels: prefenting to her at the fame time a young Nobleman perfectly accomplished. She receives bim graciously, and indues him with the happy quality of Want of Shame. She fees loitering about ber a number of Indolent Perfons abandoning all business anl duty, and dying with laziness: To thefe approaches the Antiquary Annius, intreating her to make them Virtuofos, and align them over to him: But Mummius, another Antiquary, complaining of his fraudulent proceeding, fhe finds a method to reconcile their difference. Then enter a Troop of people fantastically adorn'd, offering her ftrange and exotic prefents: Amongst them, one ftands forth and demands juftice on another, who had deprived him of one of the greatest Curiofities in nature: but he justifies himfelf fo well, that the Goddefs gives them both her approbation. She recommends to them to find proper employment for the Indolents before mention d, in the study of Butterflies, Shells, Birds-nefts, Mofs, &c. but with particular caution, not to proceed beyond Trifles, to any useful or extenfive views of Nature, or of the Author of Nature. Against the last of thefe apprehenfions, he is fecured by a hearty Addrefs from the Minute Philofophers and Free-thinkers, one of whom fpeaks in the VOL. V. R name of the reft. The Youth thus inftructed and principled, are delivered to her in a body, by the hands of Silenus; and then admitted to taste the Cup of the Magus ber High Priest, which causes a total oblivion of all Obligations, divine, civil, moral, or rational. To thefe ber Adepts fhe fends Priests, Attendants, and Comforters, of various kinds; confers on them Orders and Degrees; and then dismissing them with a Speech, confirming to each his Privileges, and telling what she expects from each, concludes with a Yawn of extraordinary virtue: The Progrefs and Effects whereof on all Orders of men, and the Confummation of all, in the Reftoration of Night and Chaos, conclude the Poem. |