5

Or that where on her Curls the Public pours,
All-bounteous, fragrant grains and golden show'rs,
Great Cibber sate: the proud Parnassian sneer,
The conscious simper, and the jealous leer,
Mix on his look: all eyes direct their rays
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
His peers shine round him with reflected grace,
New edge their dulness, and new bronze their face.
So from the sun's broad beam, in shallow urns,
Heaven's twinkling sparks draw light, and point their
horns.

Not with more glee, by hands pontific crown'd,
With scarlet hats wide waving circled round,
Rome in her Capitol saw Querno sit,

Thron'd on seven hills, the antichrist of wit.

REMARKS.

15

v. 15. Rome in ber Capitol saw Querno sit.] Camillo Querno was of Apulia, who, hearing the great encou Tagement which Leo X. gave to poets, travelled to Rome with a harp in his hand, and sung to it twenty thousand verses of a poem called Alexias. He was introduced as a buffoon to Leo, and promoted to the honour of the Laurel; a jest which the Court of Rome and the Pope himself entered into so far, as to cause him to ride on an elephant to the Capitol, and to hold a solemn festival on his coronation; at which, it is

IMITATIONS.

v. 1. High on a gorgeous seat.] Parody of Milton, Book II. "High on a throne of royal state, that far "Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, "Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand "Show'rs on her kings Barbaric pearl and gold, "Satan exalted sate.

And now the Queen, to glad her sons, proclaims By herald hawkers, high heroic games.

They summon all her race: an endless band
Pours forth, and leaves unpeopled half the land.
A motley mixture! in long wigs, in bags,
In silks, in crapes, in garters, and in rags,
From drawing-rooms, from colleges, from garrets,
On horse, on foot, in hacks, and gilded chariots;
All who true Dunces in her cause appear'd,
And all who knew those Dunces to reward.

Amid that area wide they took their stand,

20

25

Where the tall May-pole once o'erlook'd the Strand, But now (so Anne and Piety ordain)

A church collects the saints of Drury-lane.

With authors, stationers obey'd the call, (The field of glory is a field for all).

39

Glory and gain, th' industrious tribe provoke,
And gentle dulness ever loves a joke.

35

A poet's form she plac'd before their eyes,
And bade the nimblest racer seize the prize;

REMARKS.

recorded, the poet himself was so transported, as to weep for joy. He was ever after a constant frequenter of the Pope's table, drank abundantly, and poured forth verses without number. Paulus Jovius, Elog. Vir. doct. cap. xxxii. Some idea of his poetry is given by Fam. Sirada in his Prolusions.

IMITATIONS.

v. 35. A poet's form she plac'd before their eyes. This is what Juno does to deceive Turnus, Æn. X.

*See life of C. C. chap. vi. p. 149.

No meagre, muse-rid mope, adust and thin,
In a dun night-gown of his own loose skin;
But such a bulk as no twelve bards could raise,
Twelve starv'ling bards of these degen'rate days.
All as a partride plump, full-fed, and fair,
She form'd this image of well-body'd air;
With pert flat eyes she window'd well its head,
A brain of feathers, and a heart of lead;

40

And empty words she gave, and sounding strain,
But senseless, lifeless! idol void and vain!
Never was dash'd out, at one lucky hit,
A fool, so just a copy of a wit;

45

So like, that critics said, and courtiers swore,
A wit it was, and call'd the phantom More.

All gaze with ardour: some a poet's name,
Other's a sword-knot and lac'd suit inflame:

IMITATIONS.

50

"Tum Dea nube cava, tenuem sine viribus umbram
"In faciem Aeneae (visu mirabile monstrum!)
"Dardaniis ornat telis, clypeumque jubasque
"Divini assimilat capitis-----

Dat inania verba,

"Dat sine mente sonum-----"

The reader will observe how exactly some of these verses suit with their allegorical application here to a plagiary. There seems to me a great propriety in this episode, where such a one is imagined by a phantom that deludes the grasp of the expecting bookseller.

v. 39. But suck a bulk as no twelve bards could raise.]
Vix illud lecti bis sex-----

"Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus.”
Virg. Æn. XII.

But lofty Lintot in the circle rose,
"This prize is mine, who tempt it are my foes;
"With me began this genius, and shall end."
He spoke, and who with Lintot shall contend?
Fear held them mute. Alone, untaught to fear,
Stood dauntless Curl; "Behold that rival here!

REMARKS.

55

v. 53. But lofty Lintot.] We enter here upon the Episode of the Booksellers; persons, whose names being more known and famous in the learned world than those of the Authors in this Poem, do therefore need less explanation. The action of Mr. Lintot here, imitates that of Dares in Virgil, rising just in this manner to lay hold on a bull. This eminent Bookseller printed the Rival Modes before mentioned.

v. 58. Stood dauntless Curl. We come now to a character of much respect, that of Mr. Edmund Curl. As a plain repetition of great actions is the best praise of them, we shall only say of this eminent man, that he carried the trade many lengths beyond what it ever before had arrived at; and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profession. He possessed himself of a command over all authors whatever; he caused them to write what he pleased; they could not call their very names their own. He was not only famous among these, he was taken notice of by the state, the church, and the law, and received particular marks of distinction from each.

It will be owned, that he is here introduced with all possible dignity: he speaks like the intrepid Diomede; he runs like the swift-footed Achilles; if he falls, 'tis like the beloved Nisus; and (what Homer makes to be the chief of all praises) he is favoured of the Gods: he says but three words, and his prayer is heard; a goddess conveys it to the seat of Jupiter.--Though he loses the prize, he gains the vietory; the Great Mother herself comforts him, she inspires him with expedients, she honours him with an immortal

"The race by vigour, not by vaunts, is won;
"So take the hindmost, Hell," he said, and run.
Swift as a bard the bailiff leaves behind,

60

He left huge Lintot, and outstript the wind.
As when a dab-chick waddles through the copse
On feet and wings, and flies, and wades, and hops;
So lab'ring on, with shoulders, hands, and head, 65
Wide as a windmill all his figure spread,

REMARKS.

present (such as Achilles receives from Thetis, and Æneas from Venus) at once instructive and prophetical. After this he is unrivalled and triumphant.

The tribute our Author here pays him is a grateful return for several unmerited obligations: many weighty animadversions on the public affairs, and many excellent and diverting pieces on private persons, has he given to his name. If ever he owed two verses to any other, he owed Mr. Curl some thousands. He was every day extending his fame, and enlarging his writ

IMITATIONS.

v. 60. So take the bindmost, Hell.] "Occupet extremum scabies; mihi turpe relinquiest." Hor. de Arte.

v. 61, &c. Something like this is in Homer, Iliad X. ver, 220, of Diomed. Two different manners of the same author in his similies are also imitated in the two following; the first, of the Bailiff, is short, unadorned (and as the critics well know) from familiar life; the second, of the Water-fowl, more extended, picturesque, and from rural life. The 59th verse is likewise a literal translation of one in Homer. v. 64, 65. On feet and wings, and flies, and wades, and hops; So lab'ring on, with shoulders, bands, and bead.] "So eagerly the Fiend

"O'er bog, o'er steep, thro' streight, rough, dense, or

rare,

With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way, "And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies." Milton, Book II,