'Twixt Plautus, Fletcher, Shakspeare, and Corneille, --Tibbald.] Lewis Tibbald (as pronounced), or Thesbald (as written), was bred an attorney, and son to an attorney (says Mr. Jacob) of Sittenburn in Kent. He was author of some forgotten plays, translations, and other pieces. He was concerned in a paper called The Censor, and a translation of Ovid. + Ozell.] "Mr. John Ozell was designed for priest hood; but chose rather to be placed in an office of accounts in the City, being qualified for the same by his skill in arithmetic, and writing the necessary hands. He has written many translations of French plays." Jacob, Lives of Dram. Poets, p. 198. Withers was a great pretender to poetical zeal against the vices of the times, and abused the greatest per sonages in power, which brought upon him frequent correction. The Marshalsea and Newgate were no strangers to him. Winstanley. Gildon.] Charles Gildon, a writer of criticisms and libels, of the last age, bred at St. Omer's with the Jesuits; but renouncing popery, he published Blunt's books against the divinity of Christ. He signalized himself as a critic, having written some very bad plays; abused Mr. P. in an anonymous pamphlet of the Life of Mr. Wycherley, in another, called The New Rehearsal; in a third, entitled The Complete Art of Engligh Poetry, in two volumes. ? Howard.] Hon. Edward Howard, author of the British Princes, &c. Thou, Cibber! thou his laurel shalt support; And thou! his aid-du-camp, lead on my sons, And all be sleep, as at an ode of thine ?" She ceas'd. Then swells the Chapel-royal throat; Loud thunder to its bottom shook the bog, REMARKS. + But pious Needham.] A matron of great fame, and very religious in her way; whose constant prayer was hat she might "get enough by her profession to leave t off in time, and make her peace with God." But her ate was not so happy; for being convicted, and set in he pillory, she was so ill used by the populace, that it ut an end to her days. The Devil-tavern in Fleet-street, where the courtdes were usually rehearsed. IMITATIONS. The creeping, dirty, courtly ivy join.] -Quorum imagines lambunt 6 Hederæ sequaces," Per. THE DUNCIAD. BOOK II. ARGUMENT. The King being proclaimed, the solemnity is graced with public games of various kinds; instituted by the goddess. Hither flock the poets and critics, attended by their patrons and booksellers. The goddess is first pleased to propose games to the booksellers, and setteth up the phantom of a poet, which they contend to overtake. The races described. Next, the game for a poetess Then follow the exercises for the poets; the first holds forth the arts and practises of dedicators, the second of disputants and fustian poets, the third of profound, dark, and dirty party-writers. Lastly, for the critics, the goddess proposes an exercise of their patience, in hearing the works of two voluminous authors, the one in verse and the other in prose, deliberately read, without sleeping: the effects of which is, that all present, fall fast asleep; which necessarily ends the games. HIGH on a gorgeous seat, that far outshone Henley'st gilt tub or Fleckno's Irish throne, Or that where on her Curls | the public pours, All-bounteous, fragrant grains and golden show's REMARKS. + Henley.] Orator Henley-See Book iii. ver 199. Fleckno's Irish throne.] Richard Fleckno was an Irish priest. He printed some plays, poems, letters, and travels. Edmund Curl stood in the pillory at Charing-cross March 1727-8 IMITATIONS. High on a gorgeous seat.] Milton, Book fi. Great Cibber sate: the proud Parnassian sneer, Not with more glee, by hands pontific crown'd, REMARKS. Rome in her Capitol saw Querno sit.] Camillo Querno was of Apulia, who, hearing the great encouragement 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 the poet himself was so transported as to weep for joy. Glory and gain the' industrious tribe provoke, So like, that critics said, and courtiers swore, "This prize is mine, who tempt it are my foes; REMARKS. + More.] Curl, in his key to the Dunciad, affirmed this to be James More Smith, Esq. But lofty Lintot.] We enter here upon the Episode of the Booksellers; whose names being more famous in the learned world than those of the authors in this Poem, need less explanation. Stood dauntless Curl.] We come now to a character IMITATIONS. But such a bulk as no twelve bards could raise.] "Vix illud lecti bis sex- Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus." Virg. En. xii. |