THE DUNCIA D: BOOK the SECOND. ARGU ME N T. The King being proclaimed, the folemnity is graced with public Games and Sports of various kinds; not inftituted by the Hero, as by Æneas in Virgil, but for greater honour by the Goddess in perfon (in like manner as the games Pythia, Ifthmia, &c. were anciently faid to be ordained by the Gods, and as Thetis herself appearing, according to Homer, Odys. xxiv. propofed the prizes in honour of her son Achilles.) Hither flock the Poets and Critics attended, as is but juft, with their Patrons and Bookfellers. The Goddess is firft pleased, for her disport, to propose games to the Bookfellers, and fetteth up the Phantom of a Poet, which they contend to overtake. The Races defcribed, with their divers accidents. Next game for a Poetess. Then follow the Exercifes for the Poets of tickling, vociferating, diving: the The first holds forth the arts and practices of Dedicators, the fecond of Difputants and fuftian Poets, the third of profound, dark, and dirty Partywriters. Lafly, for the Critics, the Goddess propofes (with great propriety) an Exercise not of their parts, but their patience in hearing the works of two voluminous Authors, one in verse, and the other in profe, deliberately read, without fleeping: The various effects of which, with the several degrees and manners of their operation, are here set forth; till the whole number, not of Critics only, but of Spectators, actors, and all prefent, fall fast asleep; which naturally and neceffarily ends the games. BOOK II. IG H on a gorgeous feat, that far outfhone, HIG Henley's gilt tub, or Fleckno's Irish throne, REMARK 3. TWO things there are, upon the fuppofition of which the very basis of all verbal criticism is founded and supported: The First, that an Author could never fail to use the best word on every occafion; the fecond, that a Critic cannot chufe but know which that is. This being granted, whenever any word doth not fully content us, we take upon us to conclude, first, that the au thor could never have used it; and, fecondly, that he must have ufed that very one, which we conjecture in its ftead. We cannot, therefore, enough admire the learned Scriblerus for his alteration of the text in the two laft verfes of the preceding book, which in all the former editions ftood thus: Hoarfe thunder to its bottom shook the bog, And the loud nation croak'd, God fave king Log. He has, with great judgment, tranfpofed these two epithets; putting hoarfe to the nation, and loud to the thunder: And this being evidently the true reading, he vouchfafed not fo much as to mention the former; for which affertion of the just right of a Critic, he merits the acknowledgment of all found Commen tators VER. 2. Henley's gilt tub,] The pulpit of a Diffenter is ufually called a tub; but that of Mr Orator Henley was covered with velvet, and adorned with gold. He had also a fair altar, and over it is his extraordinary infeription, The primitive Eucharift. See the hiftory of this perfon, book iii. IMITATIONS. VER. I. High on a gorgeous feat] Parody of Milton, book ii. Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, |