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Great Cibber fate: The proud Parnaffian sneer,
The conscious fimper, and the jealous leer,
Mix on his look: All eyes direct their rays
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
His peers fhine round him with reflected grace,
New edge their dulnefs, and new bronze their
face.
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So from the fun's broad beam, in shallow urns, Heaven's twinkling fparks draw light, and point their horns.

Not with more glee, by hands Pontific crown'd. With fearlet hats wide-waving circled round, Rome in her Capital faw Querno fit, Thron'd on feven hills, the Antichrift of Wit. And now the queen, to glad her fons, proclaims By herald hawkers, high heroic games. They fummon all her race: An endless band Pours forth, and leaves unpeopled half the land. 20 A motley mixture! in long wigs, in bags, In filks, in crapes, in Garters, and in rags, From drawing-rooms, from colleges, from garrets, On horfe, on foot, in hacks, and gilded chariots: All who true Dunces in her caufe appear'd, And all who knew thefe Dunces to reward.

Amid that area wide they took their stand, Where the tall May-pole once o'erlook'd the Strand,

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But now (fo ANNE and Piety ordain)
A church collects the faints of Drury-lane.
With authors, ftationers obey'd the call
(The field of glory is a field for all).
Glory and gain, th' industrious tribe provoke;
And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke.
A poet's form the plac'd before their eyes,
And bade the nimbleft racer seize the prize;
No meagre, mufe-rid mope, aduft and thin,
In a dun night-gown of his own loose skin;
But fuch a bulk as no twelve bards could raise,
Twelve starveling bards of these degenerate days.
All as a partridge plump, full-fed and fair,
She form'd this image of well-body'd air;
With pert flat eyes the window'd well its head;
A brain of feathers, and a heart of lead;
And empty words she gave, and founding train,
But fenfelefs, lifeless! idol pert and vain!
Never was dash'd out at one lucky hit,
A fool, so just a copy of a wit;

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So like, that critics faid, and courtiers swore,
A wit it was, and call'd the phantom More. 5

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be pardoned, as fcarce poffible to be avoided in writing of fuch perfons and works as do ever fhun the light. However, that we may not any way foften or extenuate the fame, we give them thee in the very words of our antagonists: not defending, but ratracting them from our heart, and craving excufe of the parties offended: For furely in this work, it hath been above all things our defire to provoke no man.

SCRIBL.

Ver. 15. Rome in her Capitol faw Querno fit,] Camillo Querno was of Apulia, who hearing the great encouragement which Leo X, gave to pocts, travelled to Rome with a harp in his hand, and fung 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 jeft which the Court of Rome and the Pope himself entered into fo far, as to caufe him to ride on an elephant to the Capitol, and to hold a folemn feftival on his coronation; at which it is recorded the poet himself was fo tranfported as to weep for joy. He was ever after a conftant frequenter of the Pope's table, drank abundantly, and poured forth verfes without number. Paulus Jovius, Elog. Var. doct. cap. lxxxiii. Some idea of his poetry is given by Fam. Strada, in his Prolufions.

See life of C. C. chap. vi. p. 349.

REMARKS.

Ver. 34. And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke.] This fpecies of mirth called a joke, arising from a Malentendu, may be well supposed to be the delight of Dulnefs.

Our author here feems willing to give fome account Ver. 47. Never was dafh'd out, at one lucky hit.] of the poflibility of Dulness making a wit (which could be done no other way than by chance). The fiction is the more reconciled to probability by the known ftory of Apelles, who being at a lofs to exprefs the foam of Alexander's horfe, dashed his pencil in despair at the picture, and happened to do it by that fortunate stroke.

Ver. 50. and call'd the phantom More.] CURLL, in his Key to the Dunciad, affirmed this to be James-Moore Smith, Efq.; and it is probable (confidering what is faid of him in the Testimonies) that fome might fancy our author obliged to represent this gentleman as a plagiary, or to pafs for one himself. His cafe indeed was like that of a man I have heard of, who, as he was fitting in company, perceived his next neighbour had stolen his handkerchief: "Sir," (faid the thief, finding himself detected) "do not expofe me, I "did it for mere want; be fo good as take it pri. "vately out of my pocket again, and say nothing." The honeft man did fo, but the other cried out, "See, gentlemen, what a thief we have among "us! look, he is stealing my handkerchief!"

Some time before, he had borrowed of Dr. Arbuthnot a paper called an Hiftorico-phyfical account of the South Sea; and of Mr. Pope the Memoirs of a Parish Clerk, which for two years he kept, and read to the Rev. Dr. Young; F. Billers, Efq. and many others, as his own.. Being applied to for them, he pretended they were loft, but there happening to be another copy of the

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All gaze with ardour: fome a poet's name, Others a fword-knot and lac'd fuit inflame.

REMARKS.

letter, it came out in Swift and Pope's Mifcellanies. Upon this, it seems, he was fo far miftaken as to confess his proceeding by an endeavour to hide it unguardedly printing (in the Daily Journal of April 3, 1728.) "That the contempt "which he and others had for thefe pieces," (which only himself had fhown, and handed about as his own) " occafioned their being loft, and "for that cause only not returned." A fact, of which as none but he could be conscious, none but he could be the publisher of it. The plagiarisms of this person gave occafion to the following Epigram:

"Moore always fmiles whenever he recites; "He fmiles (you think) approving what he writes. "And yet in this no vanity is shown; "A modest man may like what's not his own."

This young gentleman's whole misfortune was too inordinate a paffion to be thought a wit. Here is a very strong inftance attefted by Mr. Savage, fon of the late Earl Rivers; who having shown fome verfes of his in manuscript to Mr. Moore wherein Mr. Pope was called firft of the tuneful train, Mr. Moore the next morning fent to Mr. Savage, to give those verses another turn, to wit, "That "Pope might now be the first, because Moore, "had left him unrivalled, in turning his ftyle to "Comedy." This was during the rehearsal of the Rival Modes, his first and only work; the town condemned it in the action, but he printed it in 1726-7, with this modeft motto:

"Hic cæftus, artemque repono."

The fmaller pieces which we have heard attributed to this author are An Epigram on the Bridge at Blenheim, by Dr. Evans: Cofmelia, by Mr. Pit, Mr. Jones, &c. The Mock Marriage of a mad Divine, with a Cl. for a Parfon, by Dr. W. The Saw pit, a Simile, by a Friend. Certain Phyfical works on Sir James Baker; and fome unowned Letters, Advertisements, and Epigrams a gainft our author in the Daily Journal.

Notwithstanding what is here collected of the perfon imagined by Curll to be meant in this place, we cannot be of that opinion: fince our poet had certainly no need of vindicating half a dozen of verfes to himself, which every reader has done for him; fince the name itself is not fpelled Moore, but More; and, laftly, fince the learned Scriblerus has not proved the contrary.

Ver. 50. the phantom More.] It appears from hence, that this is not the name of a real perfon, but fictitious. More from pagos, ftultus, papia, ftultitia, to reprefent the folly of a plagiary. Thus Erafmus," Admonuit me Mori cognomen tibi, quod tam ad Moriæ vocabulum accedit quam es iple a re alienus" Dedication of Moria Enco.

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

REMARKS.

mium on Sir Tho. More; the farewell of which may be our author's to his plagiary, Vale! More! et moriam tuam graviter defende Adieu! More: and be fure strongly to defend thy own folly.

SCRIBL.

Ver. 53. But lofty Lintot] We enter here upon the epifode of the bookfellers; perfons, whofe names being more known and famous in the learned world than those of the authors in this poem, do therefore need lefs explanation. The action of Mr. Lintot here imitates that of Dares in Virgil, rifing just in this manner to lay hold on a bull. This eminent bookfeller printed the Rival Modes before mentioned.

Ver. 58. Stood dauntless Curli;] We come now to a character of much respect, that of Mr. Edmund Curll. As a plain repetition of great actions is the best praise of them, we fhall only fay of this eminent man, that he carried the trade many lengths beyond what it had ever before arrived at; and that he was the envy and admiration of all his profeflion. He poffeffed himself a com-' mand 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 thefe; he was taken notice of by the ftate, the church, and the law, and received particular marks of diftinction from each.

It will be owned that he is here introduced with all poffible dignity: He fpeaks like the intrepid' Diomede; he runs like the fwift-footed Achilles ; if he falls, 'tis like the beloved Nifus; and (what Homer makes to be the chief of all praises) he is favoured of the gods; he fays but three words, and his prayer is heard; a goddess conveys it to the feat of Jupiter: Though he lofes the prize, he gains the victory; the great mother comforts him, the infpires him with expedients, the honours him with an immortal prefent (fuch as Achilles receives from Thetis, and Æneas from Venus), at once inftructive and prophetical; after this he is unrivalled and triumphant.

The tribute our author here pays him is a grateful return for feveral unmerited obligations: Many weighty animadverfions on the public affairs, and many excellent and diverting pieces on private perfons, has he given to his name. If ever he owed two verfes to any other, he owed Mr. Curll fome thoufands. He was every day extending his fame, and enlarging his writings: Witnefs innumerable inftances; but it shall fuffice only to mention the Court Poems, which he meant to publifh as the work of the true writer, a lady of quality; but being first threatened, and afterwards punished for it by Mr. Pope, he gene roufly transferred it from her to him, and ever

"The race by vigour, not by vaunts, is won;
So take the hindmoft, hell," (he faid) and run.
Swift as a bard the bailiff leaves behind, 61
He left huge Lintot, and outstript the wind.
As when a dab-chick waddles through the copfe
On feet and wings, and flies, and wades, and hops;
So labouring on, with fhoulders, hands, and head,
Wide as a windmill all his figure spread,
With arms expanded Bernard rows his state,
And left-legg'd Jacob feems to emulate.
Full in the middle way there ftood a lake,
Which Curll's Corinna chanc'd that morn to make:
(Such was her wont, at early dawn to drop
Her evening cates before his neighbour's fhop)
Here fortun'd Curll to flide; loud fhout the band,
And Bernard Bernard! rings through all the
Strand.

Obfcene with filth the mifcreant lies bewray'd,
Fall'n in the plash his wickedness had laid:
Then first if poets aught of truth declare)
The caitiff Vaticide conceiv'd a prayer.

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Hear, Jove! whofe name my bards and I adore, As much at least as any god's, or more; Aud him and his, if more devotion warms, Down with the Bible, up with the Pope's arms. A place there is, betwixt earth, air, and feas, Where, from ambrofia, Jove retires for ease. There in his fate two fpacious vents appear, On this he fits, to that he leans his ear, And hears the various vows of fond mankind; Some beg an eaftern, fome a western wind; Ail vain petitions, mounting to the sky, With reams abundant this abode fupply;

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Amus'd he reads, and then returns the bills Sign'd with that Ichor which from gods diftils. In office here fair Cloacina ftands,

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And minifters to Jove with pureft hands.
Forth from the heap the pick'd her vot'ry's prayer,
And plac'd it next him, a distinction rare!
Oft had the goddess heard her fervant's call,
From her black grottos near the Temple-wall,
Liftening delighted to the jest unclean
Of link-boys vile, and watermen obscene;
Where as he fish'd her nether realms for wit,
She oft had favour'd him, and favours yet.
Renew'd by ordure's sympathetic force,
As oil'd with magic juices for the course,
Vigorous he rifes; from the effluvia ftrong,
Imbibes new life, and scours and stinks along;
Repaffes Lintot, vindicates the race,
Nor heeds the brown dishonours of his face.

III

And now the victor stretch'd his eager hand Where the tall nothing ftood, or feem'd to ftand; A fhapeiefs fhade, it melted from his fight, Like forms in clouds, or vifions of the night. To feize his papers, Curll, was next thy care; His papers, light, fly diverse, toft in air; Songs, fonnets, epigrams, the winds uplift, And whisk them back to Evans, Young, and Swift, Th' embroider'd fuit at least he deem'd his prey. That fuit an unpay'd taylor fuatch'd away. No rag, no fcrap, of all the beau or wit,

That once fo flatter'd, and that once fo writ. 120 Heaven rings with laughter: Of the laughter

vain,

Dulnefs, good queen, repeats the jest again. Three wicked imps, of her own Grub-street choir She deck'd like Congreve, Addison, and Prior:

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REMARKS.

fince printed it in his name. The fingle time that ever he spoke to C. was on that affair, and to that happy incident he owed all the favour fince received from him: So true is the faying of Dr. Sydenham," that any one fhall be, at fome time "or other, the better or the worfe, for having "but feen or spoken to a good or bad man."

Ver. 70. Curll's Corinna] This name, it feems, was taken by one Mrs. Thomas, who procured fome private letters of Mr. Pope, while almost a boy, to Mr. Cromwell, and fold them without the confent of either those gentlemen to Curll, who printed them in 12mo, 1727. He difcovered her to be the publisher, in his Key, p. 12. We only take this opportunity of mentioning the manner in which thofe letters got abroad, which the author was afhamed of as very trivial things, full, not only of levities, but of wrong judgments of men and books, and only excufeable from the youth and inexperience of the writer.

Ver. 82. Down with the Bible, up with the Pope's arms ] The Bible, Curll's fign: the Crosskeys, Lintor's.

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 99-104. In former edit. thus: (Oft as he fish'd her nether realms for wit The goddess favour'd him, and favours yet)

REMARKS.

Ver. 101. Where, as he fish'd, &c.] See the preface to Swift and Pope's Mifcellanies.

Ver. 116. Evans, Young, and Swift.] Some of those persons, whofe writings, epigrams, or jests he had owned, See note on ver, 50.

Ver. 118. an unpay'd taylor] This line has been loudly complained of in Mifl, June 8, Dedic. to Sawney, and others, as a moft inhuman fatire on the poverty of poets: But it is thought our author will be acquitted by a jury of Taylors. To me this inftance feems unluckily chofen; if it be a fatire on any body, it must on a bad paymaster, fince the perfon to whom they have here applied it, was a man of fortune. Not but poets may well be jealous of fo great a prerogative as non-payment; which Mr. Dennis fo far afferts, as boldly to pronounce, that "if Homer himself was not "in debt, it was becaufe nobody would trust "him." Pref. to Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, p. 15.

Ver. 124. like Congreve, Addifon, and Prior ;] These authors being fuch whofe names will reach

So fhall each hoftile name become our own,
And we too boast our Garth and Addison.

Meers, Warner, Wilkins, run: delusive thought!
Breval, Bond, Befaleel, the varlets caught.
Curll ftretches after Gay, but Gay is gone,
He grafps an empty Jofeph for a John:
So Proteus hunted in a nobler fhape,
Became, when feiz'd, a puppy, or an ape.

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To him the goddefs: fon thy grief lay down
And turn this whole illufion on the town:
As the fage dame, experienc'd in her trade,
By names of toafts retails each batter'd jade;
(Whence hapless Monfieur much complains at
Paris

Of wrongs from Ducheffes and Lady Maries ;)
Be thine, my Stationer! this magic gift;
Cook fhall be Prior; and Concanen, Swift:

REMARKS.

REMARKS. Heliod, to which Theobald writ notes and half notes, which he carefully owned.

Ver. 138. and Concanen,,Swift:] In the first edition of this poem there were only asterisks in this place, but the names were fince inferted, merely to fill the verfe, and give cafe to the reader.

Ver 140. And we too boast our Garth and Addifon.] Nothing is more remarkable than our author's love of praising good writers. He has in this very poem celebrated Mr. Locke, Sir Ifaac Newton, Dr. Barrow, Dr. Atterbury, Mr. Dryden, Mr. Congreve, Dr. Garth, Mr. Addison; in a word, almost every man of his time that depofterity, we shall not give any account of them, ferved it; even Cibber himfelf (prefuming him bat proceed to thofe of whom it is neceffary.to be the author of the Carelets Hufband). It Befaleel Morris was author of fome fatires on the tranflators of Homer, with many other things printed in news-papers." Bond writ a fa"tire against Mr. P. Capt. Breval was au"thor of The Confederates, an ingenious drama"tic performance to expofe Mr. P. Mr. Gay, Dr. Arb. and fome ladies of quality," fays, CURLL, Key, p. 11.

Ver. 125. Mears, Warner, Wilkins] Bookfellers, and printers of much anonymous stuff.

was very difficult to have that pleasure in a poem on this fubject, yet he has found means to infert their panegyric, and has made even Dulness out of her own mouth to pronounce it. It must have been particularly agreeable to him to celebrate Dr. Garth; both as his conftant friend, and as he was his predeceffor in this kind of fatire. The Difpenfary attacked the whole body of Apothecaries, a much more useful one undoubtedly than that of the bad poets; if in truth this can be a body, of which no two Ver. 126. Breval, Bund, Befaleel,] I foresee it members ever agreed. It alfo did, what Mr. will be objected from this line, that we were in Theobald says is unpardonable, draw in parts of an error in our affertion on ver. 5o. of this book, private character, and introduced perfons indethat More was a fictitious name, fince thofe per- pendent of his fubject. Much more would Boifons are equally reprefented by the poet as phan-leau have incurred his cenfure, who left all fubtoms. So at first fight it may be feen; but bejects whatever, on all occafions, to fall upon the not deceived, reader; thefe alfo are not real perfons. 'Tis true, Curll declares Breval, a captain, author of a piece called the Confederates; but the fame Curll first faid it was written by Jofeph Gay: Is his fecond affertion to be credited any more than his firft? He likewife affirms Bond to be one who writ a satire on our poet: But where is fuch a fatire to be found? where was such a writer ever heard of? As for Befaleel, it carries forgery in the very name; nor is it, as the others are, a furname. Thou may'ft depend upon it, no fuch authors ever lived; all phantoms. SCRIBL. Ver. 128. Jofeph Gay, a fictitious name put by Curl! before feveral pamphlets, which made them pafs with many for Mr. Gay's.-The ambiguity of the word Jofeph, which likewife fignifies a loose upper-coat, gives much pleafantry to the idea.

Ver. 132. And turn this whole illufion on the town:] It was a common practice of this bookfeller to publifh vile picces of obfcure hands under the names of eminent authors.

bad poets (which, it is to be feared, would have been more immediately his concern.) But certainly next to commending good writers, the greateft fervice to learning is to expose the bad, whe can only that way be made of any ufe to it. This truth is very well fet forth in these lines addressed to our author.

“The craven rook, and pert jack-daw,

"(Though neither birds of moral kind)
"Yet ferve, if hang'd, and stuff'd with straw,
"To fhow us which way blows the wind.
"Thus dirty knaves, or chattering fools,

"Strung up by dozens in thy lay,
"Teach more by half than Dennis' rules,
"And point inftruction every way.

"With Egypt's art thy pen may ftrive:
"One potent drop let this but fhed,
"And every rogue that flunk alive,

"Becomes a precious mummy dead.”

Ver. 138. Cook fhall be Prior,] The man here fpecified writ a thing called The Battle of the Poets, in which Philips and Welfted were the he- Ver 142. ruefet length of face]" The decreroes, and Swift and Pope utterly routed. He al- "pid perfon or figure of a man are no reflections fo published some malevolent things in the British," upon his genius: An honest mind will love London, and Daily Journals: and at the fame " and esteem a man of worth, though he be time wrote letters to Mr. Pope, protesting his in-" deformed or poor. Yet the author of the gocence. His chief work was a tranflation of" Dunciad hath libelled a perfon for his rueful

With that she gave him (piteous of his cafe,
Yet fmiling at his rueful length of face)
A fhaggy tapestry, worthy to be spread,
On Codrus' old, or Dunton's modern bed;
Inftructive work! whose wry-mouth'd portraiture
Difplay'd the faces her confeffors endure.
Earlefs on high, stood unabash'd De Foe,
And Tutchin flagrant from the scourge below.
There Ridpath, Roper, cudgell'd might you view,
The very worsted fill look'd black and blue. 150
Himself among the story'd chiefs he spies,
As, from the blanket high in air he flies.

REMARKS.

" length of face!" Mint's Journal, June 8. The genius and man of worth, whom an honeft mind fhould love, is Mr. Curll. True it is, he ftood on the pillory, an incident which will lengthen the face of any man, though it were ever fo comely, therefore is no reflection on the natural beauty of Mr. Curll. But as to reflection on any man's face or figure, Mr. Dennis faith excellenttly; "Natural deformity comes not by our fault; "it is often occasioned by calamities and diseases, " which a man can no more help than a monfter " can his deformity. There is no one misfortune, " and no one difeafe, but what all mankind are " fubject to.-But the deformity of this author is “ visible, present, lasting, unalterable, and pecu"liar to himself. 'Tis the mark of God and Na

ture upon him, to give us warning that we "fhould hold no fociety with him, as a creature "not of our original, nor of our fpecies: and "they who have refused to take this warning, "which God and Nature has given them, and "have, in spite of it, by a fenfelefs prefumption. "ventured to be familiar with him, have feverely *fuffered, &c. It is certain his original is not "from Adam, but from the devil." &c.-Denmis, Character of Mr. P. 8vo. 1716.

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Ver. 143. A fhaggy tapestry,] A forry kind of tapestry frequent in old inns, made of worsted or fome coarfer ftuff; like that which is fpoken of by Donue. Faces as frightful as theirs who whipe Chrift in old hangings. This imagery woven in it alludes to the mantle of Cloanthus, in Æn. v.

Ver. 144. John Dunton was a broken bookfeller, and abufive fcribbler; he writ Neck or Nothing, a violent fatire on fome ministers of state; a libel on the Duke of Devonshire and the Bishop of Peterborough. &c.

fes, and of a weekly paper called the Obfervator: He was fentenced to be whipped through several towns in the west of England, upon which he pe titioned King James II. to be hanged. When that prince died in exile, he wrote an invective against his memory, occafioned by fome humane elegies on his death. He lived to the time of Queen Anne.

Admirably it is obferved by Mr. Dennis against Mr. Law, p. 33. "That the language of Billingf"gate can never be the language of charity, nor Ver. 148. And Tutchin flagrant from the confequently of Chriftianity." I fhould elfe befcourge] John Tutchin, author of fome vile vertempted to use the language of a critic; for what is more provoking to a commentator than to behold his author thus pourtray'd? Yet I confider it really hurts not him! whereas to call fome others dull, might do them prejudice with a world too apt to believe it: Therefore, though Mr. D. may call another a little afs or a young toad, far be it from us to call him a toothlefs lion or an old ferpent. Indeed, had I written thefe notes (as was once my intent) in the learned language, I might have given him the appellations of balatro, calceatum caput, fcurra in trivas, being phrafes in good efteem and frequent ufage among the beft learned: But in our mother-tongue, were I to tax any gentlemen of the Dunciad, furely it fhould be in words not to the vulgar intelligible; whereby Christian charity, decency, and good accord among authors, might be preserved. SCRIBL. The good Scriblerus here, as on all occafions, eminently shows his humanity, But it was far

Ver. 149. There Ridpath, Roper,] Authors of the Flying-Poft and Poft-Boy, two fcandalous papers on different fides, for which they equally and alternately deserved to be cudgelled, and were fo.

Ver. 151. Himfelf among the story'd chiefs he fpics,] The hiftory of Curll's being toffed in a blanket, and whipped by the fcholars of Weftminfter, is well known. Of his purging and vo miting, fee A full and true account of a horrid Revenge on the body of Edmund Curll, &c. in Swift and Pope's Miscellanies.

Ver. 157. See in the circle next Eliza plac'd.] In this game is expofed, in the most contemptuous

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