DENNIS, Remarks on Pr. ARTHUR.

I

Cannot but think it the most reasonable thing in the world, to diftinguish good writers, by difcouraging 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 fuceefsful.

CHARACTER of Mr. P. 1716.

The persons whom Boileau has attacked in his writings, have been for the most part authors, and most 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 poetasters of the town, and their fautors, that it is an ill-natured thing to expose the pretenders to wit and poetry. The judges. and magistrates may with full as good reason be reproached with ill-nature for putting the laws in execution against a thief or impostor. -The fame will held in the republic of letters, if the critics and judges will let every ignorant pretender to scribbling pafs on the world.

THEOBALD, Letter to Mist, June 22, 1728. Attacks may be levelled, either against failures in genius, or against the pretensions of writing without

one.

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CON

CONCANEN, Dedication to the Author of the

DUNCIAD.

A fatire upon dulness is a thing that has been used and allowed in all ages.

Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, wicked. fcribbler!

TESTI

TESTIMONIES

OF

AUTHORS

CONCERNING

Our POET and his WORKS.

M. SCRIBLERUS Lectori S.

EFORE we present thee with our exercitations

BEFORE

on this most delectable poem (drawn from the many volumes of our adversaria on modern authors) we shall here, according to the laudable usage of editors, collect the various judgements of the learned concerning our poet: various indeed, not only of different authors, but of the fame author at different feafons. Nor shall we gather only the testimonies of fuch eminent wits, as would of course descend to pofterity, and consequently be read without our collection; but we shall 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. Hereby thou mayst not only receive the delectation of variety, but also arrive at amore certain judgement, by a grave and circumspect comparison of the witnesses with each other, or of each with himself. Hence also thou wilt be enabled to draw reflections, not only of a critical, but a moral nature, by being let into many particulars of the perfon as well as genius,

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