MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS

HIS

Prolegomena and Illuftrations

TO THE

DUNCIAD:

WITH THE

Hypercritics of ARISTARCHUS.

I

DENNIS' Remarks on PR. ARTHUR.

Cannot but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to diftinguish good writers, by difcouraging the bad. Nor is it an ill-natured thing, in relation even to the very perfons upon whom the reflections are made. It is true, it may deprive them, a little the fooner, of a short profit and a tranfitory reputation; but then it may have a good effect, and oblige them (before it be too late) to decline that for which they are fo very unfit, and to have recourfe to fomething in which they may be more fuccefsful.

CHARACTER of Mr. P. 1716.

THE Perfons whom Boileau has attacked in his writings, have been for the most part Authors, and most of those Authors, Poets: and the cenfures he hath paffed upon them have been confirmed by all Europe.

GILDON, Pref. to his NEW REHEARSAL.

IT is the common cry of the Poetasters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an ill-natured thing to expose the Pretenders to wit and poetry. The Judges and Magistrates may with full as good reafon be reproached with Ill-nature for putting the Laws in execution against a Thief or Impoftor.-The fame will hold in the republic of Letters, if the Critics and Judges will let every ignorant pretender to fcribbling pafs on the World.

VOL. III.

C

THEO

THEOBALD, Letter to Mift, June 22, 1728.

ATTACKS may be leveled, either against Failures in Genius, or against the Pretenfions of writing without

one.

CONCANEN, Ded. to the Author of the DUNCIAD. À Satire upon Dulness is a thing that has been used and allowed in All Ages.

Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, wicked Scribbler!

TESTIMONIES

OF

AUTHORS

CONCERNING

Our POET and his WORKS.

B

M. SCRIBLERUS Lectori S.

EFORE we present thee with our exercitations on this most delectable Poem (drawn from the many volumes of our Adverfaria on modern Authors) we fhall here, according to the laudable ufage of editors, collect the various judgments of the Learned concerning our Poet: Various indeed, not only of different authors, but of the fame author at different seasons. Nor shall we gather only the Teftimonies of fuch eminent Wits, as would of course descend to pofterity, and confequently be read without our collection; but we fhall likewife with incredible labour feek out for divers others, which, but for this our diligence, could never at the distance of a few months appear to the eye of the most curious. Hereby thou mayst not only receive C 2

the