THE

DUNCIAD:

BOOK the FOURTH.

ARGUMENT.

The Poet being, in this Book, to declare the Completion of the Prophecies mentioned at the end of the former, makes a new Invocation; as the greater Poets are wont, when fome high and worthy matter is to be fung. He fpers the Goddefs coming in her Majefty, to deftroy Order and Science, and to fubftitute the Kingdom of the Dull upon earth. How he leads captive the Sciences, and filenceth the Mufes; and what they be who fucceed in their ftead. All her Children, by a wonderful attraction, are drawn

about her; and bear along with them divers others, who promote her Empire by connivance, weak refiftance, or difcouragement of Arts; fuch as Half-wits, taflelefs Admirers, vain Pretenders, the Flatterers of Dunces, or the Patrons of them. All these crowd round her; one of them offering to approach her, is driven back by a Rival, but she commends and encourages both. The first who speak in form are the Genius's of the Schools, who affure her of their care to advance her Caufe by confining Youth to Words, and keeping them out of the way of real Knowledge. Their Addres, and her gracious Anfwer; with her Charge to them and the Universities. The Univerfities appear by their proper Deputies, and affure her that the same method is observ'd in the progress of Education. The fpeech of Ariftarchus on this fubject. They are driven off by a band of young gentlemen returned from Travel with their Tutors; one of whom delivers to the Goddess, in a polite oration, an account of the whole Conduct and Fruits of their Travels: prefenting to her at the fame time a young Nobleman perfely accomplished. She receives him gracioufy, and indues him with the

happy quality of Want of Shame. She fees loitering about her a number of Indolent Perfons abandoning all business and duty, and dying with lazines: To thefe approaches the Antiquary Annius, intreating her to make them Virtuofos, and affign them over to him: But Mummius, another Antiquary, complaining of his fraudulent proceeding, he finds a method to reconcile their difference. Then enter a Troop of people fantastically adorned, offering her ftrange and exotic prefents: Amongst them, one ftands forth and demands juftice on another, who had deprived him of one of the greatest Curiofities in nature: but he justifies himself so well, that the Goddess gives them both her approbation. She recom mends to them to find proper employment for the Indolents before-mentioned, in the ftudy of Butterflies, Shells, Birds-nefts, Mofs, &c. but with particular caution, not to proceed beyond Trifles, to any useful or extenfive views of Nature, or of the Author of Nature. Against the left of thefe apprehenfions, fhe is fecured by a hearty Address from the Minute Philofophers and Free thinkers, one of whom peaks in the name of the reft. The Yout' thus

inftructed and principled, are delivered to her in e body, by the hands of Silenus; and then admitted to taste the Cup of the Magus her High Prieft, which caufes a total oblivion of all Obligations, divine, civil, moral, or rational. To these her Adepts she fends Priefts, Attendants, and Comforters, of various kinds; confers on them Orders and Degrees; and then difmiffing them with a speech, confirming to each his Privileges, and telling what she expects from each, concludes with a Yawn of extraordinary virtue: The Progress and Effects whereof on all Orders of men, and the Confummation of all, in the Reftoration of Night and Chaos, conclude the Poem.