In thefe Mifcellanies was first published the Art of Sinking in Poetry, which, by fuch a train of confequences as ufually paffes in literary quarrels, gave in a fhort time, according to Pope's account, occafion to the Dunciad.

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

At the head of the Dunces he placed poor Theobald, whom he accused of ingratitude; but whofe real crime was fuppofed to be that of having revised Shakespeare more happily than himself. This fatire had the effect which he intended, by blafting the characters which it touched. Ralph, who, unneceffarily interpofing in the quarrel, got a place in a fubfequent edition, complained that for a time he was in danger of starving, as the bookfellers had no longer any confidence in his capacity.

The prevalence of this poem was gradual and flow : the plan, if not wholly new, was little understood by common readers. Many of the allufions required illuftration; the names were often expreffed only by the initial and final letters, and, if they had been printed at length, were fuch as few had known or recollected. The fubject itself had nothing generally interefting, for whom did it concern to know that one or another fcribbler was a dunce? If therefore it had been poffible for thofe who were attacked to conceal their pain and their reféntment, the Dunciad might have made its way very flowly in the world.

This,

This, however, was not to be expected: every man is of importance to himself, and therefore, in his own opinion, to others; and, fuppofing 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 fympathifes with the forrows of vanity.

The hiftory of the Dunciad is very minutely related by Pope himself, in a Dedication which he wrote to Lord Middlefex 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 proper, "for reasons specified in the Preface to their Mifcel"lanies, to publifh fuch little pieces of theirs as had

cafually got abroad, there was added to them the Treatife of the Bathos, or the Art of Sinking in Poetry, "It happened that in one chapter of this piece the "feveral pieces of bad poets were ranged in claffes, to "which were prefixed almost all the letters of the

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alphabet (the greatest part of them at random); but "fuch was the number of poets eminent in that art, "that fome one or other took every letter to himself: "all fell into fo violent a fury, that, for half a year

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or more, the common newspapers (in most of which

they had fome property, as being hired writers) were "filled with the moft abufive falfehoods and fcurrili"ties they could poffibly devife; a liberty no way "to be wondered at in thofe people, and in those

papers, that for many years, during the uncontrouled license of the press, had aspersed almost all

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"the great characters of the age; and this with im"punity, their own perfons and names being utterly "fecret and obfcure.

"This gave Mr. Pope the thought, that he had "now fome opportunity of doing good, by detecting "and dragging into light these common enemies of "mankind; fince, to invalidate this universal flander, "it fufficed to fhew what contemptible men were the "authors of it. He was not without hopes, that, by "manifefting the dulnefs of those who had only ma"lice to recommend them, either the bookfellers "would not find their account in employing them, "or the men themselves, when difcovered, want

courage to proceed in fo unlawful an occupation. "This it was that gave birth to the Dunciad; and he ❝thought it an happiness, that, by the late flood of "flander on himself, he had acquired fuch a pecu"liar right over their names as was neceffary to this "defign,

"On the 12th of March, 1729, at St. James's, that

poem was prefented to the King and Queen (who "had before been pleafed to read it) by the right "honourable Sir Robert Walpole; and fome days after "the whole impreffion was taken and difperfed by "feveral noblemen and perfons of the first diftinc

❝tion.

"It is certainly a true obfervation, that no people are fo impatient of cenfure as thofe who are the "greatest flanderers, which was wonderfully exempli"fied on this occafion. On the day the book was "first vended, a crowd of authors befieged the shop; "intreaties, advices, threats of law and battery, nay "cries of treafon, were all employed to hinder the

❝ com

"coming-out of the Dunciad: on the other fide, the "bookfellers and hawkers made as great efforts to "6 procure it. What could a few poor authors do "against fo great a majority as the publick? There was no stopping a torrent with a finger; fo out it

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Many ludicrous circumstances attended it. The S "Dunces (for by this name they were called) held "weekly clubs, to confult of hoftilities against the "author: one wrote a Letter to a great minifter, af"furing him Mr. Pope was the greatest enemy the go"vernment had; and another bought his image in clay, to execute him in effigy; with which fad fort "of fatisfaction the gentlemen were a little com"" forted.

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"Some falfe editions of the book having an owl in "their frontispiece, the true one, to diftinguish it, fixed "in its ftead an afs laden with authors. Then another furreptitious one being printed with the fame afs, "the new edition in octavo returned for diftinction to "the owl' again. Hence arofe a great contest of "bookfellers against bookfellers, and advertisements "against advertisements; fome recommending the edi"tion of the owl, and others the edition of the afs;

by which names they came to be diftinguished, to "the great honour alfo of the gentlemen of the "Dunciad."

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

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It cannot however be concealed that, by his own confeffion, he was the aggreffor; for nobody believes that the letters in the Bathos were placed at random; and it may be difcovered that, when he thinks himfelf concealed, he indulges the common vanity of common men, and triumphs in thofe diftinctions which he had affected to defpife. He is proud that his book was prefented to the King and Queen by the right honourable Sir Robert Walpole; he is proud that they had read it before; he is proud that the edition was taken off by the nobility and perfons of the firft diftinction.

The edition of which he fpeaks was, I believe, that which, by telling in the text the names and in the notes the characters of those whom he had fatirifed, was made intelligible and diverting. The criticks had now declared their approbation of the plan, and the common reader began to like it without fear; thofe who were ftrangers to petty literature, and therefore unable to decypher initials, and blanks, had now names and perfons brought within their view; and delighted in the visible effect of thofe fhafts of malice, which they had hitherto contemplated, as hot into the air.

Dennis, upon the fresh provocation now given him, renewed the enmity, which had for a time been appeafed by mutual civilities; and published remarks, which he had till then fuppreffed, upon the Rape of the Lork. Many more grumbled in fecret, or vented their refentment in the newfpapers by epigrams or invec

tives.

Ducket, indeed, being mentioned as loving Burnet with pious paffion, pretended that his moral character was injured, and for fome time declared his refolution

to