musk is, according to Pope's account, but the emblem of a wit winded by booksellers.

His complaint, however, received some attestation; for, the same year, the Letters written by him to Mr. Cromwell in his youth, were sold by Mrs. Thomas to Curll, who printed them.

In these Miscellanies was first published the "Art of Sinking in Poetry," which, by such a train of consequences as usually passes in literary quarrels, gave in a short time, according to Pope's account, occasion to the "Dunciad."

In the following year (1728) he began to put Atterbury's advice in practice: and shewed his satirical powers by publishing the "Dunciad," one of his greatest and most elaborate performances, in which he endeavoured to sink into contempt all the writers by whom he had been attacked, and some others whom he thought unable to defend themselves.

At the head of the Dunces he placed poor Theobald, whom he accused of ingratitude; but whose real crime was supposed to be that of having revised "Shakspeare" more happily than himself. This satire had the effect which he intended, by blasting the characters which it touched. Ralph, who, unnecessarily interposing in the quarrel, got a place in a subsequent edition, complained that for a time he was in danger of starving, as the booksellers had no longer any confidence in his capacity.

The prevalence of this poem was gradual and slow; the plan, if not wholly new, was little understood by common readers. Many of the allusions required illustration; the names were often ex

pressed only by the initial and final letters, and, if they had been printed at length, were such as few had known or recollected. The subject itself had nothing generally interesting, for whom did it concern to know that one or another scribbler was a dunce? If, therefore, it had been possible for those who were attacked to conceal their pain and their resentment, the "Dunciad" might have made its way very slowly in the world.

This, however, was not to be expected: every man is of importance to himself, and therefore, in his own opinion, to others; and, supposing the world already acquainted with all his pleasures and his pains, is perhaps the first to publish injuries or misfortunes, which had never been known unless related by himself, and at which those that hear them will only laugh; for no man sympathizes with the sorrows of vanity.

The history of the "Dunciad" is very minutely related by Pope himself, in a Dedication which he wrote to Lord Middlesex in the name of Savage..

"I will relate the war of the Dunces' (for so "it has been commonly called), which began in the "year 1727, and ended in 1730.”

"When Dr. Swift and Mr. Pope thought it pro66 per, for reasons specified in the Preface to their "Miscellanies, to publish such little pieces of theirs "as had casually got abroad, there was added to "them the Treatise of the Bathos,' or the 'Art "of Sinking in Poetry.' It happened that, in one "chapter of this piece, the several species of bad

poets were ranged in classes, to which were pre"fixed almost all the letters of the alphabet (the

greatest part of them at random); but such was "the number of poets eminent in that art, that "some one or other took every letter to himself: "all fell into so violent a fury, that, for half a year " or more, the common newspapers (in most of "which they had some property, as being hired "writers) were filled with the most abusive falsehoods and scurrilities they could possibly devise ; a liberty no way to be wondered at in those "people, and in those papers, that, for many years during the uncontrouled license of the press, had aspersed almost all the great characters of the and this with impunity, their own persons age, "and names being utterly secret and obscure.

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"This gave Mr. Pope the thought, that he had "now some opportunity of doing good, by detect

ing and dragging into light these common ene"mies of mankind; since to invalidate this univer"sal slander, it sufficed to shew what contemptible "men were the authors of it. He was not without

hopes that, by manifesting the dullness of those "who had only malice to recommend them, either the booksellers would not find their account in " employing them, or the men themselves, when discovered, want courage to proceed in so un"lawful an occupation. This it was that gave "birth to the Dunciad; and he thought it an happiness, that, by the late flood of slander on "himself, he had acquired such a peculiar right "over their names as was necessary to this design."

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"On the 12th of March, 1729, at St. James's, "that poem was presented to the King and Queen (who had before been pleased to read it) by the

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right honourable Sir Robert Walpole; and, some days after, the whole impression was taken and "dispersed by several noblemen and persons of the first distinction.

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"It is certainly a true observation, that no people are so impatient of censure as those who are the greatest slanderers, which was wonderfully exem'plified on this occasion. On the day the book "was first vended, a crowd of authors besieged "the shop; intreaties, advices, threats of law and battery, nay, cries of treason, were all employed "to hinder the coming out of the Dunciad;' on "the other side, the booksellers and hawkers made "as great efforts to procure it. What could a few 66 'poor authors do against so great a majority as "the public? There was no stopping a torrent "with the finger; so out it came.

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Many ludicrous circumstances attended it. "The Dunces,' (for by this name they were "called) held weekly clubs, to consult of hos"tilities against the author; one wrote a Letter “to a great minister, assuring him Mr. Pope was "the greatest enemy the government had and "another bought his image in clay, to execute him "in effigy; with which sad sort of satisfaction the "gentlemen were a little comforted.

"Some false editions of the book having an owl "in their frontispiece, the true one, to distinguish "it, fixed in its stead an ass laden with authors. "Then another surreptitious one being printed "with the same ass, the new edition in octavo "returned for distinction to the owl again. Hence "arose a great contest of booksellers against book

"sellers, and advertisements against advertise"ments; some recommending the edition of the "owl, and others the edition of the ass; by which names they came to be distinguished, to the great honour also of the gentlemen of the 'Dun"ciad." "

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Pope appears by this narrative to have contemplated his victory over the "Dunces" with great exultation; and such was his delight in the tumult which he had raised, that for a while his natural sensibility was suspended, and he read reproaches and invectives without emotion, considering them only as the necessary effects of that pain which he rejoiced in having given.

It cannot, however, be concealed that, by his own confession, he was the aggressor: for nobody believes that the letters in the " Bathos" were placed at random; and it may be discovered that, when he thinks himself concealed, he indulges the common vanity of common men, and triumphs in those distinctions which he had affected to despise. He is proud that his book was presented to the King and Queen by the right honourable Sir Robert Walpole; he is proud that they read it before; he is proud that the edition was taken off by the nobility and persons of the first distinction.

The edition of which he speaks was, I believe, that which, by telling in the text the names, and in the notes the characters, of those whom he had satirised, was made intelligible and diverting. The critics had now declared their approbation of the plan, and the common reader began to like it without fear; those who were strangers to petty litera