ADVERTISEMENT.

I

T will be fufficient to fay of this Edition, that the reader has here a much more. correct and compleat copy of the DUNCIAD, than has hitherto appeared: I cannot answer but fome Miftakes may have flipt into it, but a vast number of others will be prevented, by the Names being now not only Set at length, but juftified by the authorities and reafons given. I make no doubt, the Author's own motive to ufe real rather than feign'd Names, was his care to preferve the Innocent from any falfe Applications; whereas in the former Editions which had no more than the Initial letters, be was made, by Keys printed here, to hurt the inoffenfive, and (what was worse) to abafe his Friends, by an impreffion at Dublin.

The Commentary which attends the Poem, was sent me from feveral hands, and confe quently must be unequally written; yet will it bave one advantage over moft Commentaries, that it is not made upon Conjectures, or a remote diftance of time: and the Reader cannot but derive one pleasure from the very Obfcurity of the perfons it treats of, that it partakes of the nature of a Secret, which oft People love

A 2

to

to be let into, though the Men or the Things be ever fo inconfiderable or trivial.

Of the Perfons it was judg'd proper to give Jome account: for fince it is only in this monument that they must expect to survive,_(and bere Jurvive they will, as long as the English tongue ball remain fuch as it was in the reigns of Queen ANNE and King GEORGE) it seem❜d but humanity to beftow a word or two upon each, just to tell what he was, what be writ, when he liv'd, or when he dÿ'd.

If a word or two more are added upon the chief Offenders; 'tis only as a paper pinn'd upon the breaft, to mark the Enormities for which they fuffer'd; left the Correction only should be remember'd, and the Crime forgotten.

In fome Articles, it was thought fufficient barely to tranfcribe from Jacob, Curl, and other writers of their own rank, who were much better acquainted with them than any of the Authors of this Comment can pretend to be. Moft of them had drawn each other's Characters on certain occafions; but the few here in ferted, are all that could be faved from the general deftruction of fuch Works.

Of the part of Scriblerus I need say nothing: his Manner is well enough known, and approv❜d by all but those who are too much concern'd to be judges.

The Imitations of the Antients are added, to gratify those whother never read, or may bave forgotten them; together with fome of the Parodies, and Allufions to the most excellent of

.the

the Moderns. If any man from the frequency of the former, may think the Poem too much a Cento; our Poet will but appear to have done the fame thing in jeft, which Boileau did in earneft; and upon which Vida, Fracaftorius, and many of the most eminent Latin Poets profelfedly valued themselves.

A 3

[6]

A

LETTER

TO THE

PUBLISHER,

Occafioned by the present

EDITION

OF THE

DUNCIA D.

I

T is with Pleafure I hear that you have procured a correct Edition of the DUNCIAD, which the many furrepti tious ones have rendered fo neceffary; and it is yet with more, that I am informed it will be attended with a COMMENTARY: a work fo neceffary, that I cannot think the Author himself would have omitted it, had he approv'd of the first appearance of this Poem

Such