When Dulness, smiling-" Thus revive the Wits! 14 120 Let standard-authors, thus, like trophies born, 125 A page, a grave,17 that they can call their own; 130 So by each bard an alderman shall sit,18 And while on Fame's triumphal car they ride, Some slave of mine be pinion'd to their side." Now crowds on crowds around the goddess press, Each eager to present the first address. Dunce scorning dunce beholds the next advance, 135 66 The result, said Warburton, was that Sir Thomas applied to the University of Oxford, and was at the expense of his purse in procuring cuts for this edition, and at the expense of his reputation in employing a number of my emendations on the text, without my knowledge or consent; and his behaviour was what occasioned Mr. Pope's perpetuating the memory of the Oxford edition of Shakspeare in the Dunciad."] 14 The goddess applauds the practice of tacking the obscure names of persons not eminent in any branch of learning, to those of the most distinguished writers; either by printing editions of their works with impertinent alterations of their text, as in the former instances; or by setting up monuments disgraced with their own vile names and inscriptions, as in the latter. 15 of whom Ovid (very applicable to these restored authors), "Eson miratur, Dissimilemque animum subiit." 16 "Dancing in the chequer'd shade."-Milton's Allegro. 17 For what less than a grave can be granted to a dead author? or what less than a page can be afforded a living one? Pagina, not Pedissequus. A page of a book, not a servant, follower, or attendant; no poet having had page since the death of Mr. Thomas Durfey.-Scriblerus. [D'Urfey's plays and "Pills to Purge Melancholy," were popular during his lifetime, but have sunk into deserved oblivion. He died in 1723.] 18 Vide the Tombs of the Poets, Editio Westmonasteriensis. [Alluding to the monument erected for Butler, the author of Hudibras, by Alderman Barber.-Warburton.] When lo! a spectre rose, whose index-hand 140 His beaver'd brow a birchen garland wears, And holds his breeches close with both his hands.20 19 "First Moloch, horrid king, besmear'd with blood 145 20"An effect of fear, somewhat like this, is described in the viith Æneid, "Contremuit nemus Et trepida matres pressere ad pectora natos; nothing being so natural in any apprehension, as to lay close hold on whatever is supposed to be most in danger. But let it not be imagined the author would insinuate these youthful senators (though so lately come from school) to be under the undue influence of any master.-Scriblerus. Then thus. Since man from beast by words is known, Words are man's province, words we teach alone. When reason doubtful, like the Samian letter,21 Points him two ways, the narrower is the better. Placed at the door of Learning, youth to guide,22 We never suffer it to stand too wide. 150 155 To ask, to guess, to know, as they commence, 23 160 21 The letter Y, used by Pythagoras as an emblem of the different roads of virtue and vice. "Et tibi quæ Samios diduxit litera ramos."-Pers. 22 This circumstance of the genius loci (with that of the index-hand before) seems to be an allusion to the Table of Cebes, where the genius of human nature points out the road to be pursued by those just entering into life. Ο δὲ γέρων ὁ ἄνω ἑσηκὼς, ἔχων χαρτην τινα ἐν τῇ χειρὶ, καὶ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ὥσπερ δεικνύων, τὶ, οὗτος Δαίμων καλείται, &ο. 23 By obliging them to get the classic poets by heart, which furnishes them with endless matter for conversation and verbal amusement for their whole lives. [And, it may be added, with many pleasing and ennobling thoughts, the fruit of immortal genius. Mr. Hallam, in his History of Literature, has a fine passage on this subject, in reference to Milton's blindness: "Then the remembrance of early reading came over his dark and lonely path like the moon emerging from the clouds. Then it was that the Muse was truly his; not only as she poured her creative inspiration into his mind, but as the daughter of Memory, coming with fragments of ancient melodies, the voice of Euripides, and Homer, and Tasso; sounds that he had loved in youth, and treasured up for the solace of his age. They who, though not enduring the calamity of Milton, have known what it is, when afar from books, in solitude or in travelling, or in the intervals of worldly care, to murmur over the beautiful lines whose cadence has long delighted their ear, to recall the sentiments and images which retain by association the charm that early years once gave them-they will feel the inestimable value of committing to the memory, in the prime of its power, what it will easily receive and indelibly retain. I know not indeed whether an education that deals much with poetry, such as is still usual in England, has any more solid argument in its favour, than that it lays the foundation of intellectual pleasures at the other extreme of life."] A poet the first day he dips his quill; Oh (cried the goddess) for some pedant reign! 165 170 175 180 O! if my sons may learn one earthly thing, Teach but that one, sufficient for a king; That which my priests, and mine alone, maintain, 185 Which as it dies, or lives, we fall, or reign: Prompt at the call, around the goddess roll Nor wert thou, Isis! wanting to the day, (Though Christ-church long kept prudishly away.)27 24 Westminster Hall and the House of Commons. 190 25 [Sir William Wyndham: Charles Talbot, who entered the House of Commons in 1719, and rose to be Lord Chancellor in 1733; Murray, Lord Mansfield; and Pulteney, Earl of Bath. See Epilogue to the Satires.] 26 Viz. an epigram. The famous Dr. South used to declare that a perfect epigram was as difficult a performance as an epic poem. And the critics say, an epic poem is the greatest work human nature is capable of." 66 27 This line is doubtless spurious and foisted in by the impertinence of the editor; and accordingly we have put it between hooks. For I affirm this college came as early as any other by its proper deputies; nor did any college pay homage to Dulness in its whole body.-Bentley. 195 Each stanch polemic, stubborn as a rock, 28 Each fierce logician, still expelling Locke,2 200 28 In the year 1703 there was a meeting of the heads of the university of Oxford to censure Mr. Locke's Essay on Human Understanding, and to forbid the reading it. See his letters in the last edition of his works. ["Such" says Warburton, "was the fate of this new philosophy at Oxford. The new theology of Erasmus met with pretty much the same treatment, a century or two before, in the University of Cambridge. See Dr. Knight's Life of Erasmus, p. 137.-But our obnoxious Essayist had given scandal to the scholastic spirit of Anthony Wood, the famed Oxford historian, long before: who, in the journal of his own life, has furnished us with this curious anecdote. 'April 23, 1663, I began a course of chemistry, [in Oxford,] under the noted chemist and Rosierusian, Peter Sthael of Strasburg in Royal Prussia. The club consisted of ten at least, whereof was John Lock, of Christ Church, afterwards a noted writer. This John Lock was a man of turbulent spirit, clamorous, and never contented. The club wrote, and took notes from the mouth of their master: but the said John Lock scorned to do it: so that while every man besides were writing, he would be prating and troublesome."] 29 There seems to be an improbability that the doctors and heads of houses should ride on horseback, who, of late days, being gouty or unwieldy, have kept their coaches. But these are horses of great strength, and fit to carry any weight, as their German and Dutch extraction may manifest; and very famous we may conclude, being honoured with names, as were the horses Pegasus and Bucephalus.-Scriblerus. 30 The river Cam, running by the walls of these colleges, which are particularly famous for their skill in disputation. 31 "Now retired into harbour after the tempests that had long agitated his society." So Scriblerus. But the learned Scipio Maffei understands it of a certain wine called port, from Oporto, a city of Portugal, of which this professor invited him to drink abundantly. Scip. Maff. De Compotationibus Academicis. [These lines contain an admirable portrait of the great Richard Bentley, an "excellent painting and highly finished," as Mr. Bowles remarks. Walker, mentioned in the 206th line, was John Walker, Vice-Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, while Bentley was master. He was the associate and friend of the "awful Aristarch" in all his contests classical and personal, Bentley died July 14, 1742, in his eightieth year.] |