PIECES contained in the Appendix.

REFACE of the Publifher, prefixed to the five imperfect Editions of the Dunciad, printed at Dublin and London.

A Lift of Bocks, Papers, &c. in which our Author was abufed with the Names of the (hitherto conceal'd) Writers.

WILLIAM CAXTON his Proeme to Eneidos.

VIRGIL RESTORED: Or a Specimen of the ErTors in all the Editions of the Eneid, by M. SCRIB

LERUS.

A Continuation of the GUARDIAN (No 40) on Paftoral Poetry.

A Parallel of the Characters of Mr. DRYDEN and Mr. POPE, as drawn by certain of their Cotemporary Authors.

A Lift of all our Author's Genuine Works hitherto publifhed.

INDEX of Memorable things in this Book.

PREFACE

Prefix'd to the Five Imperfect

Editions of the DUNCIAD, Printed at Dublin and London, in Octavo & Duod.

(a) The PUBLISHER to the READER.

T will be found a true obfervation, tho' fomewhat furprifing, that when any fcandal is vented against a man of the higheft diftinction and character, either in the State or in Literature, the publick in general afford it a moft quiet reception; and the larger part

accept

(a) The Publisher] Who he was is uncertain; but Edward Ward tells us in his Preface to Dergen, that moft Judges are of opinion this

"Preface

accept it as favourably as if it were fome kindness done to themselves: Whereas if a known fcoundrel or blockhead chance but to be touch'd upon, a whole legion is up in arms, and it becomes the common cause of all Scriblers, Bookfellers, and Printers whatsoever.

Not to fearch too deeply into the Reason hereof, I will only obferve as a Fact, that every week for these two Months paft, the town has been perfecuted with (b) Pamphlets, Advertisements, Letters, and weekly Effays, not only against the Wit and Writings, but against the Character and Perfon of Mr. Pope. And that of all those men who have received pleasure from his Writings (which by modeft computation may be about a (c) hundred thoufand in thefe Kingdoms of England and Ireland, not to mention Forfey, Guernsey, the Orcades, thofe in the New World, and Foreigners who have tranflated him into their languages) of all this number, not a man hath stood up to fay one word in his defence.

The only exception is the (d) Author of the following Poem, who doubtless had either a better infight into the grounds of this clamour, or a better opinion of Mr. Pope's integrity, join'd with a greater perfonal love for him, than any other of his numerous friends and admirers.

Farther, that he was in his peculiar intimacy, appears from the knowledge he manifefts of the moft private Authors of all the anonymous pieces against him, and from

"Preface is not of English Extraction but Hibernian, &c." He means Dr. Swift, who whether Publisher or not, may be faid in a fort to be Author of the Poem: For when He, together with Mr. Pope, (for reafons fpecify'd in their Preface to the Mifcellanies) determined to own the moft trifling pieces in which they had any hand, and to deftroy all that remaind in their power, the firit sketch of this poem was fnatch'd from the fire by Dr. Swift, who perfuaded his friend to proceed in it, and to him it was therefore infcribed.

(b) Pamphlets, Advertisements, &c.] See the Lift of these anony mous papers, with their dates and authors thereunto annexed. N° 2. (c) About a hundred thousand.] It is furprizing with what stupidity this Preface, which is almoft a continued Irony, was taken by thefe Authors. This paffage among others they understood to be ferious. (d) The Author of the following Poem, &c.A very plain Irony, speaking of Mr. Pops himself.

his having in this Poem attacked (e) no man living, whe had not before printed or published fome feandal against this particular Gentleman.

How I became poffeft of it, is of no concern to the Reader; but it would have been a wrong to him, had I detain'd this publication: fince thofe Names which are its chief ornaments, die off daily fo faft, as muft render it too foon unintelligible. If it provoke the Author to give us a more perfect edition, I have my end.

Who he is, I cannot fay, and (which is great pity) these is certainly (f) nothing in his ftyle and manner of writing, which can diffinguifh, or difcover him. For if it bears any refemblance to that of Mr. P. 'tis not im probable but it might be done on purpofe, with a view to have it pafs for his. But by the frequency of his al lufions to Virgil, and a labor'd (not to fay affected) fortEnefs in imitation of him, I fhould think him. more an admirer of the Roman Poet than of the Grecian, and in that not of the fame tafte with his Friend.

I have been well inform'd, that this work was the labour of full (g) fix years of his life, and that he retired

(e) The Publisher in these words went a little too far: but it is certain whatever Names the Reader finds that are unkown to him, are of fach: and the exception is only of two or three, whofe dulnefs or fcurrility all mankind agree to have justly entitled them to a place in the Dunciad.

(f) There is certainly nothing in his Style, &c. This Irony had fmal effect in concealing the Author. The Dunciad, imperfect as it was, had not been publish'd two days, but the whole Town gave it to Mr. Pope.

g) The Labour of full fix years, &c.] This alfo was honeftly and feri outly believ'd, by divers of the Gentlemen of the Dunciad Ralph,. Pref. to Sawney, "We are told it was the labour of fix years, "with the utmoft affiduity and application: It is no great compliment to the Author's fenfe, to have employed fo large a part of his Life, * &c. So alfo Ward, Pref. to Durg. The Dunciad as the Publi er very wifely confeffes, coft the Author fix years retirement from all the pleasures of life, to but half finish his abufive undertakingtho it is fomewhat difficult to conceive, from either its Bulk or Beauty, that it cou'd be fo long in hatching, &c. But the length of time and clofeness of application were mentioned to prepoffefs the reader with a good opinion of it.."

Nevertheless the Prefacer to Mr. Curls Key (a great Critick) was of different fentiment, and thought it might be written in fix days, It is to be hoped they, will as well underftandy and write as-grarsiy upen what Scriblers hathfaidh of this Poem

himfelf