Loud thunder to its bottom fhook the bog, And the hoarfe nation croak'd, God fave king Log? REMARKS. "When Laureates make Odes, Do you ask of what "" fort? "Do you ask if they're good, or are evil? "You may judge-From the Devil they come to the "Court, "And go from the Court to the Devil.” Ver. 328-Ogilby)-God fave king Log!] See Ogilby's fop's Fables, where, in the ftory of the Frogs and their King, this excellent hemiftich is to be found. Our author manifefts here, and elsewhere, a prodigious tenderness for the bad writers. We fee he felects the only good paffage, perhaps, in all that ever Ogilby writ! which fhews how candid and patient a reader he must have been. What can be more kind and affectionate than the words in the preface to his Poems, where he labours to call up all our humanity and forgiveness toward thefe unlucky men, by the most moderate reprefentation of their cafe, that has ever been given by any author? But how much all indulgence is loft upon thefe people may appear from the juft reflection made on their conftant conduct and conftant fate, in the following Epigram: "Ye little Wits, that gleam'd a-while, "To compafs Phoebus' car about, "Each lends his cloud, to put him out, "That rear'd him to the fkies. Alas! "Alas! those skies are not your sphere; "There He fhall ever burn: "Weep, weep, and fall! for Earth ye were, "And muft to Earth return. THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK. THE DUNCIA D. BOOK THE SECOND. ARGUMENT. 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, Odyff. xxiv. proposed the prizes in honour of her fon Achil les). Hither flock the Poets and Critics, attended, as is but just, with their Patrons and Booksellers, The Goddess is firft pleased, for her difport, to propofe games to the Bookfellers, and fetteth up the Phantom of a Poet, which they contend to overtake. The Races described, with their divers accidents. Next, the game for a Poetess. Then follow the Exercises for the Poets, of tickling, vociferating, diving: The first holds forth the arts and practices of Dedicators, the second of Disputants and fustian Poets, the third of profound, dark, and dirty Party-writers. Laftly, Laftly, for the Critics, the Goddefs proposes (with great propriety) an Exercife, 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 feveral degrees and manners of their operation, are here set forth; till the whole number, not of Critics only, but of spectators, actors, and all present, fall fast asleep; which naturally and neceffarily ends the games. BOOK |