he meets*. Another gives information of Treafon difcovered in his poem †. Mr. Curl boldly fnpplies an imperfect verse with Kings and Princesses ‡. And one Matthew Concanen, yet more impudent, publishes at length the Two most SACRED NAMES in this Nation as members of the Dunciad || ! This is prodigious! yet it is almost as strange, that in the midst of these invectives his greatest Enemies have (I know not how) born testimony to fome merit in him. Mr. THEOBALD, in cenfuring his Shakespear, declares, 'He has fo great an efteem for Mr. Pope, and so high an opinion of his • genius and excellencies: that, notwithstanding he pro'feffes a veneration almost rising to Idolatry for the writings of this inimitable poet, he would be very loth even to do him juftice, even at the expence of that ' other gentleman's character §.' * Preface to Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, p. 12and in the last page of that treatise. Page 6, 7, of the Preface, by Concanen, to a book intitled, A Collection of all the Letters, Effays, Verfes and Advertisements, occafioned by Pope and Swift's Mifcellanies. Printed for A. Moore, octavo, 1712. Key to the Dunciad, 3d edit. p 18 A Lift of Perfons, &c at the end of the forementioned Collection of all the Letters, Effays, &c. § Introduction to his Shakespear restored, in 4to p. 3. VOL. IV. E Mr. CHARLES GILDON, after having violently attacked him in many pieces, at laft came to with from his heart, That Mr. Pope would be prevailed upon to give us Ovid's Epistles by his hand, for it is certain we fee the original of Sappho to Phaon with much more life and likeness in his verfion, than in that of Sir Car. Scrope. And this (he adds) is the more to be wished, because in the English tongue we have fcarce any thing truly ⚫ and naturally written upon Love*.' He also, in taxing Sir Richard Blackmore for his heterodox opinions of Homer, challengeth him to anfwer what Mr. Popc hath faid in his preface to that poet. Mr. OLDMIXON calls him a great Mafter of our tongue; declares 'the purity and perfection of the English language to be found in his Homer; and, faying that there are more good verfes in Dryden's Virgil than in any other ⚫ work, excepts this of our author only +.' The Author of a Letter to Mr. CIBBER fays, Pope was fo good a verfifier [once] that his predeceffor Mr. Dryden, and his cotemporary Mr. Prior ✦ excepted, the harmony of his numbers is equal to any body's. And, that he had all the merit, that a man can have that way.' And * Commentary on the Duke of Buckingham's Ef fay, octavo, 1721, p. 97. 98. In his profe Effay on Criticifm. Printed by J. Roberts. 1742, p. II. Mr. THOMAS COOKE, after much blemishing our author's Homer, cricth out, 'But in his other works what beauties fine, 'While fweeteft Mufic dwells in every line! Thefe he admir'd, on these he ftamp'd his praife, And bade them live to brighten future days *.' So alfo one who takes the name of A. STANHOPE, the maker of certain verfes to Duncan Campbell †, in that poem, which is wholly a fatire upon Mr. Pope, confeffeth, 'Tis true, if fineft notes alone could fhow (Tun'd justly high, or regularly low) That we should fame to thefe mere vocals give; MIST'S JOURNAL, June 8, 1728. Although he says, 'The fmooth numbers of the Dun'ciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit;' yet that fame paper hath thefe words: The ' author is allowed to be a perfect mafter of an eafy and elegant verfification. In all his works we find Battle of the Poets, folio, p. 15. † Printed under the title of the Progrefs of Dulnefs, duodecimo, 1728. • most happy turns, and natural fimilies, wonderfully fhort and thick fown.' The Effay on the Dunciad alfo owns, p. 25. it is very full of beantiful images. But the panegyric, which crowns all that can be said on this poem, is bestowed by our Laureate, Mr. COLLEY CIBBER. who 'grants it to be a better Poem of its kind than ever was writ:' but adds, it was a victory over a parcel of poor wretches, whom it was almost cowar'dice to conquer.—A man might as well triumph for having killed fo many filly flies that offended him. Could he have let them alone, by this time, poor fouls! they had all been buried in oblivion *.' Here we fee our excellent Laureate allows the justice of the fatire on every man in it, but himself; as the great Mr. Dennis did before him. The faid Mr. DENNIS and Mr. GILDON, in the most furious of all their works (the forecited Character, p. 5.) do in concert † confefs, That fome men of good understanding value him for his rhymes.' And (p. 17.) that he has got, like Mr. Bays in the * Cibber's Letter to Mr. Pope, p. 9. 12. tin concert] Hear how Mr. Dennis hath proved our mistake in this place, 'As to my writing in concert with Mr.. Gildon, I declare upon the honour and word of a gentleman, that I never wrote fo much as Rehearsal, (that is, like Mr. Dryden) a notable 'knack at rhyming, and writing smooth verfe.' Of his Effay on Man, numerous were the praises bestowed by his avowed enemies, in the imagination that the fame was not written by him, as it was printed anonymously.. Thus fang of it even BEZALEEL MORRIS. Aufpicious bard! while all admire thy ftrain, 'All but the selfish, ignorant, and vain; one line in concert with any man whatfoever. And 'these two Letters from Gildon will plainly fhew, 'that we are not writers in concert with each other. "Sir, "The height of my ambition is to please men of “the best judgment; and finding that I have enter"tained my mafter agreeably, I have the extent of "the reward of my labour." "Sir, "I had not the opportunity of hearing of your "excellent Pamphlet 'till this day. I am infinitely "fatisfied and pleafed with it, and hope you will "meet with that encouragement your admirable per"formance deferves, &c. CH. GILDON. 'Now is it not plain, that any one who fends fuch compliments to another, has not been used to write ' in partnership with him to whom he fends them?' Dennis, Remarks on the Dunc. p. 50. Mr. Dennis is therefore welcome to take this piece to himself. |