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opportunity of improving this Poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted, a more considerable Hero. He was always sensible of its defect in that particular, and owned he had let it pass with the hero it had, purely for want of a better, not entertaining the least expectation that such a one was reserved for this post as has since obtained the laurel but since that had happened, he could no longer deny this justice either to him or the Dun

ciad.

And yet I will venture to say, there was another motive which had still more weight with our Author; this person was one who, from every folly (not to say vice) of which another would be ashamed, has constantly derived a vanity; and therefore was the man in the world who would least be hurt by it. W. W.

ADVERTISEMENT

Printed in the Journals, 1730.

WHEREAS, upon occasion of certain pieces relating to the gentlemen of the Dunciad, some have been willing to suggest, as if they had looked upon them as an abuse: we can do no less than own it is our opinion, that to call these gentlemen bad authors is no sort of abuse, but a great truth. We

cannot alter this opinion without some reason; but we promise to do it in respect to every person who thinks it an injury to be represented as no wit, or poet, provided he procures a certificate of his being really such from any three of his companions in the Dunciad, or from Mr. Dennis singly, who is esteemed equal to any three of the number.

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OF MR. DRYDEN AND MR. POPE,

As drawn by certain of their cotemporaries.

MR. DRYDEN, HIS POLITICS, RELIGION,

MORALS.

A true repubA republican beginning an

MR. DRYDEN is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good sense*. lican son of monarchial church t. Atheist. Dryden was from the αλλοπρόσαλλος, and I doubt not will continue so to the last §.

In the poem called Absalom and Achithopel, are notoriously traduced the King, the Queen, the Lords and Gentlemen, not only their honourable persons exposed, but the whole nation and its representatives notoriously libelled. It is scandalum magnatum, yea of Majesty itself |.

He looks upon God's gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor ¶. His very Christianity may be questioned **. He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his own reflections on others ++. With as good a right as his Holiness,

he sets up for poetical infallibility +‡.

Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo. 1698. p. 6.

+ Ib. p. 38. Ib. p. 192. Ib. p. 8.

Whip and Key, 4to, printed for R. Janeway, 1682. Pref. Ibid. ** Milbourn, p. 9. ++ Ib. p. 175. # lb. p. 39.

OF MR. POPE AND MR. DRYDEN,

As drawn by certain of their cotemporaries.

MR. POPE, HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

MR. POPE is an open and mortal enemy to his country, and the commonwealth of learning *. Some call him a Popish Whig, which is directly inconsistent t. Pope, as a Papist, must be a Tory and a High-flyer ‡. He is both Whig and Tory §. He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one party in their own sentiments .

In his Miscellanies, the persons abused are the King, the Queen, his late Majesty, both Houses of Parliament, the Privy Council, the Bench of Bishops, the Established Church, the present Ministry, &c. To make sense of some passages, they must be construed into royal scandal ¶.

He is a Popish rhymester, bred up with a contempt of the Sacred Writings **. His religion allows him to destroy heretics, not only with his pen, but with fire and sword: and such were all those unhappy wits whom he sacrificed to his accursed Popish principles tt. It deserved vengeance

* Dennis, Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, pref. p. 12. + Dunciad Dissected. Pref. to Gulliveriana. Dennis, Character of Mr. P. Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22, 1728. List at the end of a Collection of Verses, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo.-printed for A. Moore, 1728, and the preface to it, p. 6. **Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 27. ++ Preface to Gulliveriana, p. 11.

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