tered; that on the Characters of Women, much enlarged; and the Epistles on Riches. and Tafle corrected and improved. To thefe advantages of the THIRD Volume, must be added a great number of fine verses taken from the Author's Manuscript copies of these poems, communicated by him for this purpose to the Editor. These, when he first published the poems to which they belong, he thought proper, for various reasons, to omit. Some from the Manufcript-copy of the Essay on Man, which tended to difcredit fate, and to recomtend the moral government of God, had, by the Editor's advice, been restored to their places in the laft Edition of that Poem. The reft, together with others of the like fort from his Manufcript-copy of the other Ethic Epistles, are here inferted at the bottom of the page, under the title of Variations. The FOURTH Volume contains the Satires; with their Prologue, the Epifle to Dr. Arbuthnot; and Epilogue, the two poems intitled MDCCXXXVIII. The Proogue and Epilogue are here given with the like advantages as the Ethic Epiftles in the foregoing Volume, that is to fay, with the Variations, or additional veries from the Author's Manufcripts. The Epi logue logue to the Satires is likewife inriched with many and large notes now first printed from the Author's own Manuscript. The FIFTH Volume contains a correcter and completer Edition of the Dunciad than hath been hitherto publifhed; of which, at prefent I have only this further to add, That it was at my request he laid the plan of a fourth Book. I often told him, It was pity fo fine a poem fhould remain difgraced by the meannefs of its subject, the most infignificant of all Dunces, bad Rymers and malevolent Cavillers: That he ought to raise and enoble it by pointing his Satire against the most pernicious of all, Minute-philofophers and Free-thinkers. I imagined, too, it was for the interests of Religion to have it known, that fo great a Genius had a due abhorrence of these pefts of Virtue and Society. He came readily into my opinion; but, at the fame time, told me it would create him many enemies. He was not mistaken. For tho' the terror of his pen kept them for fome time in refpect, yet on his death they rofe with unreftrained fury in numerous Coffee-house tales, and Grub-ftreet libels. The plan of this admirable Satire was artfully contrived to fhew, that the follies and defects of a fashion fashionable EDUCATION naturally led to, and neceffarily ended in, FREE-THINK, ING; with defign to point out the only remedy adequate to fo fatal an evil. It was to advance the fame ends of virtue and religion, that the Editor prevailed on him to alter every thing in his moral writings that might be fufpected of having the leaft glance towards Fate or NaTURALISM; and to add what was proper to convince the world, that he was warmly on the fide of moral Government and a revealed Will. And it would be injustice to his memory not to declare that he embraced these occafions with the most unfeigned pleasure. The SIXTH Volume confifts of Mr. Pope's mifcellaneous pieces in verse and profe. Amongst the Verfe feveral fine poems make now their first appearance in his Works. And of the Profe, all that is good, and nothing but what is exquifitely fo, will be found in this Edition. The SEVENTH, EIGHTH, and NINTH Volumes confift entirely of his Letters. The more valuable, as they are the only true models which we, or perhaps any of our neighbours have, of familiar Epiftles. This collection is now made more complete by the addition of feveral new pieces. Yet, Yet, excepting a fhort explanatory letter to Col. M. and the Letters to Mr. A. and Mr. W. (the latter of which are given to fhew the Editor's inducements, and the engagements he was under, to intend the care of this Edition) excepting these, I fay, the reft are all here published from the Author's own printed tho' not publifhed, copies delivered to the Editor. On the whole, the Advantages of this Edition, above the preceding, are thefe, That it is the first complete collection which has ever been made of his original Writings; That all his principal poems, of early or later date, are here given to the public with his laft corrections and improvements; That a great number of his verfes are here firft printed from the Manufcript copies of his principal poems of later date; That many new notes of the Author's are here added to his Poems; and, lastly, that several pieces, both in profe and verfe, make now their first appearance before the Public. The Author's life deferves a juft Volume; and the Editor intends to give it For to have been one of the first Poets in the world is but his fecond praife. He was in a higher Clafs. He was one of the nobleft works of God. He was an bo nest neft Man*. A Man, who alone poffeffed more real virtue than, in very corrupt times, needing a Satirift like him, will fometimes fall to the fhare of multitudes. In this hiftory of his life, will be contained a large account of his writings; a critique on the nature, force, and extent of his genius, exemplified from these writings; and a vindication of his moral character exemplified by his more distinguifhed virtues; his filial piety, his difinterested friendships, his reverence for the conftitution of his country, his love and admiration of VIRTUE, and (what was the neceffary effect) his hatred and contempt of VICE, his extenfive charity to the indigent, his warm benevolence to mankind, his fupreme veneration of the Deity, and, above all, his fincere belief of Revelation. Nor fhall his faults be concealed. It is not for the interefts of his Virtues that they fhould. Nor indeed could they be concealed if we were fo minded, for they fine thro' his Virtues; no man being more a dupe to the fpecious appearances of Virtue in others. In a A wit's a feather, and a chief's a rod, "An honeft Man's the nobleft work of God. + It will be printed in the fame form with this and every future edition of his works, fo as to make a part of them. word |