T

Of the POE M.

HIS poem, as it celebrateth the most grave and ancient of things, Chaos, Night, and Dulness; fo is it of the moft grave and ancient kind. Homer (faith Aristotle) was the first wha gave the Form, and (faith Horace) who adapted the Measure, to heroic poefy. But even before this, may be rationally prefumed from what the Ancients have left written, was a piece by Homer compofed, of like nature and matter with this of our Poet. For of Epic fort it appeareth to have been, yet of matter furely not unpleasant, witness what is reported of it by the learned archbishop Euftathius, in Odyff. x. And accordingly Ariftotle, in his Poetic, chap. iv. doth further fet forth, that as the Iliad and Odyssey gave example to Tragedy, fo did this poem to Comedy its firft idea.

From these authors also it should feem, that the Hero, or chief perfonage of it was no less obfcure, and his understanding and sentiments no less quaint and ftrange (if indeed not more fo) than any of the actors of our poem. MARGITES was the name of this perfonage, whom Antiquity recordeth to have been Dunce the firft; and furely from what we hear of him, not unworthy to be VOL. V. Ε

the root of fo fpreading a tree, and fo numerous a pofterity. The poem therefore celebrating him was properly and abfolutely a Dunciad; which though now unhappily loft, yet is its nature fufficiently known by the infallible tokens aforefaid. And thus it doth appear, that the first Dunciad was the firft Epic poem, written by Homer himself, and anterior even to the Iliad or Odyffey.

Now, forafmuch as our poet hath translated those two famous works of Homer which are yet left, he did conceive it in fome fort his duty to imitate that alfo which was loft: and was there'fore induced to bestow on it the fame form which Homer's is reported to have had, namely that of Epic poem; with a title alfo framed after the ancient Greek manner, to wit, that of Dunciad.

Wonderful it is, that fo few of the moderns have been stimulated to attempt fome Dunciad! fince in the opinion of the multitude, it might coft lefs pain and oil than an imitation of the greater Epic. But poffible it is alfo, that, on due reflection, the maker might find it easier to paint a Charlemagne, a Brute, or a Godfrey, with just pomp and dignity heroic, than a Margites,

a Codrus, or a Fleckno.

Wefhall next declare the occafion and the cause which moved our poet to this particular work. He lived in those days, when (after Providence had permitted the invention of Printing as a fcourge for the fins of the learned) Paper alfo became fo cheap, and Printers fo numerous, that a deluge of Authors covered the land: whereby not only the peace of the honeft unwriting fub

ject was daily molested, but unmerciful demands were made of his applause, yea of his money, by fuch as would neither earn the one, nor deferve the other. At the fame time, the licence of the Prefs was such, that it grew dangerous to refuse them either: for they would forthwith publish flanders unpunished, the authors being anonymous, and skulking under the wings of Pub→ lishers, a fet of men who never fcrupled to vend either calumny or blafphemy, as long as the Town would call for it.

• Now our author, living in thofe times, did conceive it an endeavour well worthy an honest fatyrift, to diffuade the dull, and punish the wicked, the only way that was left. In that public-fpirited view he laid the plan of this poem, as the greatest service he was capable (without much hurt, or being flain) to render his dear country. First taking things from their original, he confidereth the causes creative of fuch Authors, namely Dulness and Poverty; the one born with them, the other contracted by neglect of their proper talents, through felf-conceit of greater abilities. This truth he wrappeth in an Allegory (as the conftruction of Epic poefy requireth) and feigns that one of these Goddesses had taken up her abode with the other, and that they jointly infpired all fuch writers and fuch works. He proceedeth to fhew the qualities they bestow on these authors, and the effects they produce: then the materials, or stock, with b Bolfu, chap.

b

2 Vide Boffu, Du Poeme Epique ch. viii. vii. Book. I. ver. 32, &c. d Ver. 45 to 54.

which they furnish them; and (above all) that felf-opinion', which causeth it to seem to themselves vaftly greater than it is, and is the prime motive of their setting up in this fad and forry merchandise. The great power of these Goddeffes acting in alliance (whereof as the one is the mother of Industry, fo is the other of Plodding) was to be exemplified in fome one, great and remarkable action: And none could be more fo than that which our poet hath chofen, viz. the restoration of the reign of Chaos and Night, by the miniftry of Dulnefs their daughter, in the removal of her imperial feat from the City to the polite World; as the action of the Eneid is the restoration of the empire of Troy, by the removal of the race from thence to Latium. But as Homer finging only the wrath of Achilles, yet includes in his Poem the whole history of the Trojan War; in like manner our author hath drawn into this fingle action the whole history of Dulness and her children.

A Perfon muft next be fixed upon to fupport this Action. This Phantom in the poet's mind muft have a Name: He finds it to be; and he becomes of course the Hero of the

poem. The Fable being thus, according to the best example, one and entire, as contained in the propofition; the Machinery is a continued chain. of Allegories, fetting forth the whole Power, Ministry, and Empire of Dulness, extended f Ver. 80. • Ibid, chap. Boffu, chap. viii. Vide Ariftot. Poetic.

Ver. 57 to 77. vii, viii. chap ix.

through her fubordinate instruments, in all her various operations.

This is branched into Epifodes, each of which hath its Moral apart, though all conducive to the main end. The Crowd affembled in the fecond book, demonftrates the defign to be more extensive than to bad poets only, and that we may expect other Epifodes of the Patrons, Encouragers, or Paymafters of fuch authors, as occafion shall bring them forth. And the third book, if well confidered, feemeth to embrace the whole World. Each of the Games relateth to fome or other vile clafs of writers: The first concerneth the plagiary, to whom he giveth the name of More; the fecond the libelous Novellift, whom he styleth Eliza; the third, the flattering Dedicator; the fourth, the bawling Critic, or noify Poet; the fifth, the dark 'and dirty Party-writer; and fo of the reft; affigning to each fome proper name or other, fuch as he

could find.

As for the Characters, the public hath already acknowledged how juftly they are drawn: The manners are so depicted, and the fentiments fo peculiar to those to whom applied, that surely to transfer them to any other or wifer perfonages, would be exceeding difficult: And certain it is, that every person concerned, being confulted apart, hath readily owned the resemblance of every portrait, his own excepted. So Mr. Cibber calls them," a parcel of poor wretches, fo many filly flies: but adds, our Author's Wit

i Cibber's Letter to Mr. P. p. 9, 12, 41.