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reafon, that tho' ingag'd in their Friendships, he never efpous'd their Animofities; and can almoft fingly challenge this honour, not to have written a line of any man, which thro❜ Guilt, thro' Shame, or thro' Fear, thro' variety of Fortune, or change of Interests, he was ever unwilling to own.

I fhall conclude with remarking what a pleasure it must be to every reader of humanity, to see all along that our Author, in his very laughter, is not indulging his own Ill nature, but only punishing that of others. To hisPoem thofe alone are capable of doing juftice, who to ufe the words of a great Writer, know how hard it is (with regard both to his fubject and his manner) VETUSTIS DARE NOVITATEM, OBSOLETIS NITOREM, FASTIDITIS GRATIAM.

St. James's

Dec. 22,

OBSCURIS LUCEM,

I a

am,

Your most humble Servant,

1728.

WILLIAM CLELAND.

DENNIS, Rem. on Pr. Arth.

I cannot but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to diftinguish good writers, by difcouraging the bad. Nor is it an ill-natur'd thing, in relation even to the very perfons upon whom the reflections are made: It is true, it may deprive them, a little the fooner, of a fhort Profit and a tranfitory Reputation; but then it may have a good effect, and oblige them (before it be too late) to decline that for which they are so very unfit, and to have recourse to something in which they may be more fuccessful.

The Perfons whom Boileau has attack'd in his writings, have been for the most part Authors, and most of those Authors, Poets: And the Cenfures he hath pafs'd upon them have been confirm'd by all Europe. [Character of Mr. P. 1716.]

GILDON, Pref. to his New Rebearf

IT is the common cry of the Poetafters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an Ill-natur'd thing to expofe the Pretenders

to wit and poetry. The Judges and Ma giftrates may with full as good reason be reproach'd with Ill-nature, for putting the laws in execution against a Thief or Impoftor The fame will hold in the Republick of Letters, if the Criticks and Judges will let every Ignorant Pretender to fcribling, pafs on the world.

THEOBALD, Létt. to Mift, Jun. 22, 1728.

ATTACKS may be levelled, either a gainst Failures in Genius, or against the Pretenfions of writing without one.

CONCANEN, Ded. to the Auth, of the Dunc.

A Satyre upon Dulness, is a thing that has been used and allowed in All Ages.

Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribler!

MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS

HIS

PROLEGOMENA

TO THE

DUNCIA D.

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