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An Essay On Satire, Particularly On The Dunciad
by
Oh POPE, and Sacred Criticism! forgive
A Youth, who dares approach your Shrine, and live!
Far has he wander’d in an unknown Night,
No Guide to lead him, but his own dim Light.
For him more fit, in vulgar Paths to tread,
To shew th’ Unlearned what they never read,
Youth to improve, or rising Genius tend,
To Science much, to Virtue more, a Friend.
Footnotes:
[26] Margites.
[27] Aristophanes.
[28] Ennius.
[29] —-clarumq; facem praeferre pudori, Juv. S. 1.
[30] See Varro
‘s Character in
Cicero
‘s Academics.
[31] Epode 6.
[32] Alludes to this Couplet in his second Satire,
Compositum jus fasq; animi, sanctiq; recessus,
Mentis, & incoctum generoso pectus honesto.
[33] See his first Satire of Nero
‘s Verses,
etc.
[34] Juvenal.
[35] The Caesars of the Emperor Julian.
[36] Lucian
‘s True History.
[37] Roscommon, Revers’d.
[38] Dr. Garth took care of Mr. Dryden
‘s Funeral, which some Noblemen, who undertook it, had neglected.
[39] Three Booksellers.
[40] Coimbria
‘s comments.
Colleg. Conimbricense, a Society in Spain, which publish’d tedious explanations of Aristotle.
[41] Soncinas, a Schoolman.
[42] Sa (Eman. de) See Paschal
‘s Mystery of Jesuitism.
[43]
Pompeius, tenui jugulos aperire susurro. Juv. S. 4.
Flet, si lacrymas aspexit amici, Nec dolet. S. 3.
[44]
——Noverat ille
Luxuriam Imperii veteris, noctesq; Neronis
Jam medias, aliamq; famem. Juv. S. 4.
[45] Et chaque Acte en fa piece & una piece entiere. Boil.
[46]
‘When a poor Genius has labour’d much, he judges well not to expect the Encomiums of the Publick: for these are not his due. Yet for fear his drudgery shou’d have no recompense, God (of his goodness) has given him a personal Satisfaction. To envy him in this wou’d be injustice beyond barbarity itself: Thus the same Deity (who is equally just in all points) has given Frogs the comfort of Croaking, etc.’
Le Pere Gerasse Sommes Theol. L. 2.
[47] Plato calls this an Ignorance of a dark and dangerous Nature, under appearance of the greatest Wisdom.
[48] Gregory Nazianz: a Father at the beginning of the Fourth Century. He writ two most bitter Satires (or Invectives) against the Emperor Julian.
A DISCOURSE OF SATIRES
Arraigning Persons by Name.
By Monsieur BOILEAU.
When first I publish’d my Satires, I was thoroughly prepar’d for that Noise and Tumult which the Impression of my Book has rais’d upon Parnassus. I knew that the Tribe of Poets, and above all, Bad Poets, are a People ready to take fire; and that Minds so covetous of Praise wou’d not easily digest any Raillery, how gentle soever. I may farther say to my advantage, that I have look’d with the Eyes of a Stoick upon the Defamatory Libels that have been publish’d against me. Whatever Calumnies they have been willing to asperse me with, whatever false Reports they have spread of my Person, I can easily forgive those little Revenges; and ascribe ’em to the Spleen of a provok’d Author, who finds himself attack’d in the most sensible part of a Poet, I mean, in his Writings.
But I own I was a little surpriz’d at the whimsical Chagrin of certain Readers, who instead of diverting themselves with this Quarrel of Parnassus, of which they might have been indifferent Spectators, chose to make themselves Parties, and rather to take pet with Fools, than laugh with Men of Sense. ‘Twas to comfort these People, that I compos’d my ninth Satire; where I think I have shewn clearly enough, that without any prejudice either to one’s Conscience or the Government, one may think bad Verses bad Verses, and have full right to be tir’d with reading a silly Book. But since these Gentlemen have spoken of the liberty I have taken of Naming them, as an Attempt unheard-of, and without Example, and since Examples can’t well be put into Rhyme; ’tis proper to say one word to inform ’em of a thing of which they alone wou’d gladly be ignorant, and to make them know, that in comparison of all my brother Satirists, I have been a Poet of great Moderation.