And blunt the sense, and fit it for a skull Instant, when dipt, away they wing their flight, Wond'ring he gaz'd: when, lo; a sage appears, REMARKS. 25 30 34 40 v. 28. --Browne and Mears.] Booksellers, printers for any body.---The allegory of the souls of the dull coming forth in the form of books dressed in calf's leather, and being let abroad in vast numbers by booksellers, is sufficiently intelligible. v. 34.---Ward in pillory. John Ward, of Hackney, Esq. member of parliament, being convicted of forgery, was first expelled the House, and then sentenced to the pillory, on the 17th of February, 1727. IMITATIONS. v. 28.-----unbar thy gates of light.] An hemistich of Milton. v. 31,32. Millions and Millions---Thick as the stars, &c.] Quam multa in silvis autumni frigore primo "Lapsa cadunt folia, aut ad terram gurgite ab alto Quam multae glomerantur aves, 66 &c. Virg. Æn. VI. Bland and familiar, as in life, begun Oh! born to see what none can see awake! Thou, yet unborn, has touch'd this sacred shore; How many Dutchmen she vouchsaf'd to thrid ? Roll all their tides, then back their circles bring; IMITATIONS. v. 54. Mix'd the owl's ivy with the poet's bays.] "Sine tempore circum "Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros." 45 50 55 Virg. Ecl. viii. .61, 62. For this our Queen unfolds to vision true Thy mental eye, for thou hast much to view.] This has a resemblance to that passage in Milton, Book XI. where the angel "To noble sights from Adam's eye removed "The film; then purg'd with euphrasie and rue "The visual nerve---For be bad much to see." Old scenes of glory, times long cast behind, Ascend this hill, whose cloudy point commands Far eastward cast thine eye, from whence the Sun And orient Science their bright course begun: One godlike monarch all that pride confounds, He, whose long wall the wandring Tartar bounds; Heav'ns! what a pile! whole ages perish there, And one bright blaze turns learning into air. Thence to the South extend thy gladden'd eyes; From shelves to shelves see greedy Vulcan roll, VARIATIONS. v. 73. In the former edit. 65 70 75. Far eastward cast thine eye, from whence the Sun - But as this was thought to contradict that line of the introduction, In eldest times, e'er mortals writ or read, which supposes the sun and science did not set out toge ther, it was altered to their bright course begun. But this slip, as usual, escaped the gentlemen of the Dunciad. IMITATIONS. There is a general allusion in what follows to that whole episode. How little, mark! that portion of the ball, Lo! Rome herself, proud mistress now no more 85 90 95 100 105 See the Cirque falls, th' unpillar'd temple nods, Streets pay'd with heroes, Tyber choak'd with gods; Till Peter's keys some christened Jove adorn, 110 See graceful Venus to a virgin turn'd, 113 Behold yon' isle, by palmers, pilgrims trod, How keen the war, if Dulness draw the sword! 120 That lifts our goddess to imperial sway, This fav'rite isle, long sever'd from her reign, 125 Dove-like, she gathers to her wings again. Now look through Fate! behold the scene she draws! What aids, what armies, to assert her cause! See all her progeny, illustrious sight! Behold, and coun them, as they rise to light. 130 As Berecynthia, while her offspring vie IMITATIONS. v. 117, 118. Happy!---bad Easter never been.] "Et fortunatam, si nunquam armenta fuissent." v. 127, 129. Now look through Fate! See all her progeny, &c.] Virg. Ecl. vi. "Nuncage, Dardaniam prolem quae deinde sequatur "Gloria, qui maneant, Itala de gente nepotes, "Illustres animas, nostrumque in nomen ituras. "Expediam." Virg. Æn. VI. |