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instead of one of his patrons, (a person "Never a "hero even on the stage *") to this dignity of colleague in the empire of Dulness, and achiever of a work that neither old Omar, Attila, nor John of Leyden, could entirely bring to pass?

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To all this we have, as we conceive, a sufficient answer from the Roman historian, Fabrum esse sua quemque fortune: "That every man is the carver of "his ownfortune." The politic Florentine, Nicholas Machiavel, goeth still further, and affirmeth, that a man needeth but to believe himself a hero to be one of the worthiest that ever breathed. “Let him (saith he) but fancy himself çapable of high things, " and he will of course be able to achieve the high"est." From this principle it followeth, that nothing can exceed our Hero's prowess, as nothing ever equalled the greatness of his conceptions. Hear how he constantly paragons himself; at one time to Alexander the Great and Charles XII. of Sweden, for the excess and delicacy of his ambition; to Henry IV. of France, for honest policy ; to the first Brutus, for love of liberty ||; and to Sir Robert Walpole, for good government while in power**. At another time to the, godlike Socrates, for his di versions and amusements; to Horace, Montaigne," and Sir William Temple, for an elegant: vanity

*See. C. Cibber's Life, p. 148. † ib. 149. ́ ́ † Ib. P. 424

1b. p. 366. ** Ib. p. 457. 4lb. p. r8..

that maketh them for ever read and admired*; to two Lord Chancellors for law, from whom, when confederate against him at the bar, he carried away the prize of Eloquencet; and, to say all in a word, to the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London himself, in the art of writing Pastoral letters .

Nor did his actions fall short of the sublimity of his conceit. In his early youth he met the Revolution face to face in Nottingham, at a time when other patriots contented themselves to follow her. It was here he got acquainted with Old Battle-array, of whom he hath made so honourable mention in one of his immortal odes **. But he shone in courts as well as camps: he was called up when the nation fell in labour of this Revolution, and was a gossip at her christening with the bishop and the ladies .

As to his birth, it is true, he pretendeth no relation either to Heathen god or goddess; but, what is as good, he was descended from a Maker of both t. And that he did not pass himself on the world for a hero, as well by birth as education, was his own fault; for his lineage he bringeth into his life as an anecdote, and is sensible he had it in his power to be thought no body's son at all: and what is that, I pray you, but coming into the world a hero?

*C. Cibber's Life, p. 425. †P. 436, 437. P. 52. P.47. **Old Battle-arrav in confusion is ficd;

"And olive-rob'd Peace iscome in his stead," &c. Cibber's Birth; or, New Year's Day Ole. Cibber's Life, p. 57. P. 58, 59. A Statuary. Life, p. 6.

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But be it (the punctilious laws of epic poesy so requiring) that a hero of more than mortal birth must needs be procured for this achievement; even for this we have a resource. We can easily derive our Hero's pedigree from a goddess of no small power and authority amongst men, and ligitimate and instal him after the right classical and authentic fashion: for, like as the ancient sages found a son of Mars in a mighty warrior, a son of Neptune in a skilful seaman, a son of Phoebus in a harmonious poet; so have we here, if need be, a son of Fortune in an artful Gamester. And who, I pray you, fitter than the offspring of Chance to assist in restoring the empire of Night and Chaos?

There is, in truth, another objection of greater weight, namely, "That this hero still existeth, and hath not yet finished his earthly course. "Solon said well,

ultima semper

"Expectanda dies homini: dicique beatus

Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet:

For if

"That no man could be called happy till his death, "surely much less can any one, till then, be pro"nounced a hero; this species of men being far more

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subject than others to the caprices of Fortune and "Humour." But to this also we have an answer, that will (we hope) be deemed decisive. It cometh from himself, who, to cut this matter short, hath solemnly protested that he will never change or amend.

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With regard to his Vanity, he declareth that nothing shall ever part them. "Nature (saith he) hath amply supplied me in vanity; a pleasure "which neither the pertness of wit, nor the gravity "of wisdom, will ever persuade me to part with*.” Our Poet had charitably endeavoured to administer a cure to it; but he telleth us plainly, "My supe"riors, perhaps, may be mended by him; but, for my part, I own myself incorrigible. I look upon "my follies as the best part of my fortune †." And with good reason; we see to what they have brought him!

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Secondly, as to Buffoonry, "Is it (saith he) a time "of day for me to leave off these fooleries, and set up a new character? I can no more put off my fol"lies than my skin: I have often tried, but they stick tco close to me; nor am I sure my friends are dis66 'pleased with them, for in this light I afford them "frequent matter of mirth," &c. &c. ‡. Having then so publickly, declared himself incorrigible he is become dead in law, (I mean the law Epopaian) and devolveth upon the Poet, is now his property; and may be taken and dealt with like an old Egyp tian hero, that is to say, emboweled and embalmed for posterity.

Nothing therefore (we conceive) remaineth to hinder his own prophesy of himself from taking immediate effect. A rare felicity! and what few prophets have had the satisfaction to see alive! Nor can we'

* C. Cibber's Life, p. 424. † Ib. p. 19. ‡ Ib. p. 17.

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conclude better than with that extraordinary one of
his, which he conceived in these oraculous words,
"My Dulness will find somebody to do it right *."

"Tandem Phoebus adest, morsusque inferre parentem
"Congelat, et patulos, ut erant, indurat niatust."

*Cibber's Life, p. 243, octavo edit.

Ovid, of the serpent biting at Orpheus's head.

PREFACE

Prefixed to the five first imperfect editions of the Dunciad, in three books, printed at Dublin and London, in octavo and duodecimo, 1727.

*

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

Ir will be found a true observation, though some, what surprising, that when any scandal is vented against a man of the highest distinction and charac

The publisher] Who he was is uncertain; but Edward Ward tells us, in his Preface to Durgen, "That "most judges are of opinion this Preface is not of

English extraction, but Hibernian," &c. He means it was written by Dr. Swift, who, whether the publisher or not, may be said, in a sort, to be author of the Poem. For when he, together with Mr. Pope (for reasons specified in the Preface to their Miscellanies) determined to own the most trifling pieces in which they had any hand, and to destroy all that remained in their power, the first sketch of this Poem was snatched from the fire by Dr. Swift, who persuaded his friend to proceed in it, and to him it was therefore inscribed, But the occasion of printing it was as follows:

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