of squalid misery which baffles description. She lived in this abject condi tion, which in its most disgusting features appears to have been voluntary, until 1759, when death terminated a course of folly, suffering, and imprudence which it is charitable to suppose must have been in some degree the result of disturbed or injured intellects. The autobiography of this unhappy woman, although much less meritorious, may possibly, in the way of singularity, be entitled to as much attention as that of her father."] GILES JACOB. Ver. 149. Jacob, the scourge of grammar.] "This gentleman is son of a considerable maltster of Romsey, in Southamptonshire, and bred to the law under a very eminent attorney, who, between his more laborious studies, has diverted himself with poetry. He is a great admirer of poets and their works, which has occasioned him to try his genius that way. He has writ in prose the Lives of the Poets, Essays, and a great many law-books, The Accomplished Conveyancer, Modern Justice, &c."-GILES JACOB of himself. Lives of Poets, vol. i. He very grossly, and unprovoked, abused in that book the Author's friend, Mr. Gay. There may seem some error in these verses. Mr. Jacob having proved our author to have a respect for him, by this undeniable argument: "He had once a regard for my judgment; otherwise he would never have subscribed two guineas to me, for one small book in octavo.' -Jacob's Letter to Dennis, printed in Dennis's Remarks on the Dunciad, p. 49. Therefore I should think the appellation of blunderbuss to Mr. Jacob, like that of thunderbolt to Scipio, was meant in his honour. Mr. Dennis argues the same way: "My writings having made great impression on the minds of all sensible men, Mr. P. repented, and to give proof of his repentance, subscribed to my two volumes of select works, and afterwards to my two volumes of Letters."-Ibid. p. 80. We should hence believe, the name of Mr. Dennis hath also crept into this poem by some mistake. But from hence, gentle reader! thou mayest beware, when thou givest thy money to such authors, not to flatter thyself that thy motives are good-nature or charity. -" duo fulmina belli Scipiadas, cladem Libya!"-Virg. Æn. vi. In the first edition it was, "Woolston, the scourge of scripture, mark with awe! And mighty Jacob, blunderbuss of law!"— [Curll styles Jacob a Bristol attorney, the author of many useful law-books. The attack on Gay by Jacob, glanced also at Pope, for it was directed against the unsuccessful play, The What d'ye call it. Jacob died shortly before his satirist, May 8, 1744.] JAMES RALPH. Ver. 165. Silence, ye wolves! while Ralph to Cynthia howls.] James Ralph, a name inserted after the first editions, not known to our author till he writ a swearing piece, called Sawney, very abusive of Dr. Swift, Mr. Gay, and himself. These lines allude to a thing of his, entitled Night, a poem. "Visit thus the glimpses of the moon, Making night hideous". SHAKSP. This low writer attended his own works with panegyrics in the journals, and once in particular praised himself highly above Mr. Addison, in wretched remarks upon that author's account of English poets, printed in a London journal, Sept. 1728. He ended at last in the common sink of all such writers, a political newspaper, to which he was recommended by his friend Arnall, and received a small pittance for pay. [Ralph was an extensive political writer, author of innumerable essays and pamphlets, and editor of several newspapers. His principal work was a continuation of Guthrie's History of England. He was very ambitious of the fame of a dramatist, and produced several pieces, none of which were successful. At one time he was associated with Fielding in the management of the Haymarket Theatre. Walpole says that Ralph's pen was rejected by his father, Sir Robert, but retained by Dodington and Waller; from them he devolved to the Prince of Wales, in his second opposition. He had the good fortune to be bought off from his last journal, the Protester, for the only paper he did not write in it! The Earl of Bute, in 1760, rewarded the zealous partizanship of Ralph with a pension of 600l. per annum from the crown. He enjoyed it but a short time, dying at his house in Chiswick in the following year, 1761.] BURNET AND DUCKET. Ver. 179. Behold yon pair.] One of these was author of a weekly paper called The Grumbler, as the other was concerned in another called Pasquin, in which Mr. Pope was abused with the Duke of Buckingham and Bishop of Rochester. They also joined in a piece against his first undertaking to translate the Iliad, intituled Homerides, by Sir Iliad Doggrel, printed 1715. Of the other works of these gentlemen the world has heard no more than it would of Mr. Pope's, had their united laudable endeavours discouraged him from pursuing his studies. How few good works had ever appeared (since men of true merit are always the least presuming) had there been always such champions to stifle them in their conception? And were it not better for the public, that a million of monsters should come into the world, which are sure to die as soon as born, than that the serpents should strangle one Hercules in his cradle ?-C. [The "C," here was most likely meant to indicate Cleland. In the editions before 1742, the comment appears as one of the author's own notes. There was also this epigram: "Burnet and Ducket, friends in spite, Came hissing forth in verse; Both were so forward each would write, Thus amphisbana, I have read, At either end assails; None knows which leads, or which is led, For both heads are but tails." The following couplet followed verse 180: "Famed for good nature, Burnet, and for truth, "After Colonel Ducket, it is said, threatened to cane the poet unless his name were withdrawn. This was accordingly done, Pope adding another note. many editions of this poem, the author thought fit to omit the names of these two persons, whose injury to him was of so old a date. In the verses he omitted, it was said that one of them had a pious passion for the other. It was a literal translation of Virgil, Nisus amore pio pueri-and there, as in the original, applied to friendship: that between Nisus and Euryalus is allowed to make one of the most amiable episodes in the world, and surely was never interpreted in a perverse sense." Thomas Burnet was the third son of the Bishop. He was a wild and dissipated youth, but reformed, and died one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, in 1753. His father, Bishop Burnet, it is said, one day observing Tom (as he was usually called) graver than was his wont, asked the reason, when the scapegrace said he was meditating a greater work than his (the bishop's) History of the Reformation -the reformation of himself. Colonel Ducket lived at Hartham, near Corsham, Wilts, and was Member of Parliament for Calne. He died Dec. 13, 1749.] ANCIENT WORDS-STERNHOLD AND HOPKINS. Ver. 187. Right well mine eyes arede1 the myster wight? 1 Read, or peruse; though sometimes used for counsel. "Reade thy read, take thy consaile. Thomas Sternhold, in his translation of the first Psalm into English metre, hath wisely made use of this word, The man is blest that hath not bent To wicked read his ear. But in the last spurious editions of the singing Psalms the word read is changed into men. I say spurious editions, because not only here, but quite throughout the whole book of Psalms, are strange alterations, all for the worse; and yet the title-page stands as it used to do! and all (which is abominable in any book, much more in a sacred work) is ascribed to Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others; I am confident, were Sternhold and Hopkins now living, they would proceed against the innovators as cheats. -A liberty, which, to say no more of their intolerable alterations, ought by no means to be permitted or approved of by such as are for uniformity, and have any regard for the old English Saxon tongue."-HEARNE, Gloss. on Rob. of Gloc. artic. REDE. I do herein agree with Mr. Hearne Little is it of avail to object, that such words are become unintelligible: since they are truly English, men ought to understand them; and such as are for uniformity should think all alterations in a language strange, abominable, and unwarrantable. Rightly therefore, I say again, hath our poet used ancient words, and poured them forth as a precious ointment upon good old Wormius in this place. SCRIBLERUS. 2 Uncouth mortal. 8 Let not this name, purely fictitious, be conceited to mean the learned Olaus Wormius; much less (as it was unwarrantably foisted into the surreptitious editions) our own antiquary Mr. Thomas Hearne, who had no way aggrieved our Poet, but on the contrary published many curious tracts which he hath to his great contentment perused. Most rightly are ancient words here employed, in speaking of such who so greatly delight in the same. We may say not only rightly, but wisely, yea, excellently, inasmuch as for the like practice the like praise is given by Mr. Hearne himself.-Glossar. to Rob. of Glocester, Artic. BEHETT; "Others say behight, promised, and so it is used excellently well by Thomas Norton, in his translation into metre of the 116th Psalm, ver. 14. I to the Lord will pay my vows, That I to him behight. Where the modern innovators, not understanding the propriety of the word (which is truly English, from the Saxon) have most unwarrantably altered it thus: I to the Lord will pay my vows With joy and great delight. "In Cumberland they say to hight, for to promise, or vow; but hight usually signifies, was called; and so it does in the North even to this day, notwithstanding what is done in Cumberland."-HEARNE, ibid. ORATOR HENLEY. Ver. 199. Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo! Henley stands.] J. Henley, the orator: he preached on the Sundays upon theological matters, and on the Wednesdays upon all other sciences. Each auditor paid one shilling. He declaimed some years against the greatest persons, and occasionally did our author that honour. Welsted, in Oratory Transactions, N. 1, published by Henley himself, gives the following account of him. "He was born at Melton Mowbray, in Leicestershire. From his own parish-school he went to St. John's College, in Cambridge. He began there to be uneasy; for it shocked him to find he was commanded to believe against his own judgment in points of religion, philosophy, &c., for his genius leading him freely to dispute all propositions, and call all points to account, he was impatient under those fetters of the free-born mind. Being admitted to priest's orders, he found the examination very short and superficial, and that it was not necessary to conform to the Christian religion, in order either to deaconship or priesthood." He came to town, and after having for some years been a writer for booksellers, he had an ambition to be so for ministers of state. The only reason he did not rise in the church, we are told, "was the envy of others, and a disrelish entertained of him, because he was not qualified to be a complete spaniel." However, he offered the service of his pen to two great men, of opinions and interests directly opposite; by both of whom being rejected, he set up a new project, and styled himself the restorer of ancient eloquence. He thought "it as lawful to take a license from the king and parliament at one place as another; at Hickes's Hall, as at Doctors' Commons; so set up his Oratory in Newport Market, Butcher Row. There (says his friend) he had the assurance to form a plan, which no mortal ever thought of; he had success against all opposition; challenged his adversaries to fair disputations, and none would dispute with him; writ, read, and studied twelve hours a-day; composed three dissertations a-week on all subjects; undertook to teach in one year what schools and universities teach in five; was not terrified by menaces, insults, or satires, but still proceeded, matured his bold scheme, and put the church and all that in danger."-WELSTED, Narrative in Orat. Transact. N. 1. After having stood some prosecutions, he turned his rhetoric to buffoonery upon all public and private occurrences. All this passed in the same room; where sometimes he broke jests, and sometimes that bread which he called the primitive eucharist. This wonderful person struck medals, which he dispersed as tickets to his subscribers: the device, a star rising to the meridian, with this motto, AD SUMMA; and below, INVENIAM VIAM AUT FACIAM. This man had an hundred pounds a-year given him for the secret service of a weekly paper of unin telligible nonsense, called the Hyp-Doctor. [This is a fair account of Henley, who continued preaching and writing until shortly before his death, in 1756. A copy of one of his advertisements, dated in 1729, may serve to illustrate his style. At the Oratory, in Newport Market, to-morrow, at half-an-hour after ten, the Sermon (will be on the Witch of Endor. At half-an-hour after five, the Theological Lecture will be on the conversion and original of the Scottish nation, and of the Picts and Caledonians, St. Andrew's relics and panegyric, and the character and mission of the Apostles. On Wednesday, at six, or near the matter, take your chance, will be a medley oration, on the history, merits, and praise of Confusion and of Confounders in the road and out of the way. On Friday, will be that of Dr. Faustus and Fortunatus, and conjuration. After each the Chimes of the Times, No. 23 and 24."] |