MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS

HIS

Prolegomena and Illustrations

TO THE

DUNCIAD:

WITH THE

Hyper-critics of ARISTARCHUS.

DENNIS, Remarks on Pr. ARTHUR.

CANNOT but think it the most reafonable thing in it the world, to distinguish good writers, by discouraging 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 so very unfit, and to have recourse to Something in which they may be more successful.

CHARACTER of Mr. P. 1716.

THE Perfons whom Boileau has attacked in his writings, have been for the most part Authors, and moft 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 Poetafters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an ill-natured thing to expose the Pretenders to wit and poetry. The Judges and Magiftrates may with full as good reason 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 fcribling pass on the world.

THEOBALD, Letter to Mift, June 22, 1728.

ATTACKS may be levelled, either against Failures in Genius, or against the Pretenfions of writing without one.

CONCANEN, Ded. to the Author of the DUNCIAD.

A Satire upon Dulness is a thing that has been ufed and allowed in All Ages.

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

TESTIMONIES

O F

AUTHORS

CONCERNING

our POET and his WORK S.

B

M. SCRIBLERUS Lectori S.

EFORE we present thee with our exercitations on this most delectable Poem (drawn from the many volumes of our Adversaria 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 feafons. Nor fhall we gather only the Teftimonies of fuch eminent Wits, as would of course defcend 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. Here by thou may't not only receive the delectation of Variety, but also arrive at a more certain judgment, by a grave and circumfpect comparifon of the Witneffes with each other, or of each with himfelf. Hence alfo thou wilt be VOL. V.

b.