subject, the most insignificant of all Dunces, bad Rhymers, and malevolent Cavillers: That he ought to raise and ennoble it by pointing his Satire against the most pernicious of all, Minute-philofophers and Free-thinkers. I imagined too, it was for the interest of Religion, to have it known that so great a Genius had a due abhorrence of these pests of Virtue and Society. He came readily into my opinion; but, at the same time, told me it would create him many enemies. He was not mistaken. For though the terror of his pen kept them for some time in respect, yet on his death they rofe with unrestrained fury, in numerous Coffee-house tales, and Grubstreet libels. The plan of this admirable Satire was artfully contrived to shew, that the follies and defects of a fashionable Education naturally led to, and necessarily ended in, Free-thinking; with design to point out the only remedy adequate to so 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 suspected of having the least 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 pleafure. The fixth Volume confists of Mr. Pope's mifcellaneous pieces in verse and profe*. Amongst the Verse several fine poems make now their first appearance in * The profe is not within the plan of this edition. his Works. And of the Profe, all that is good, and nothing but what is exquifitely so, will be found in this Edition. The seventh, eighth, and ninth Volumes confist 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 Epistles. This collection is now made more complete by the addition of several new pieces. Yet, excepting a short explanatory letter to Col. M. and the Letters to Mr. A. and Mr. W. (the latter of which are given to shew the Editor's inducements, and the engagements he was under, to intend the care of this Edition) excepting these, I say, the rest are all published from the Author's own printed, though not published, copies, delivered to the Editor. On the whole, the Advantages of this Edition, above the preceding, are these, 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 last corrections and improvements; That a great number of his verses are here first printed from the Manufcriptcopies 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 verse, make now their first appearance before the Public. The Author's Life deserves a just Volume; and the Editor intends to give it. For to have been one of the first Poets in the world is but his second praise. He was in a higher Class. He was one of the noblest works of God. He was an honest Man *. A man who alone possessed more real virtue than, in very corrupt times, needing a Satirist like him, will sometimes fall to the share of multitudes. In this history 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 distinguished virtues : his filial piety, his disinterested friendship, his reverence for the constitution of his country, his love and admiration of virtue, and (what was the necessary effect) his hatred and contempt of vice, his extensive charity to the indigent, his warm benevolence to mankind, his fupreme veneration of the Deity, and, above all, his fincere belief of Revelation. Nor shall his faults be concealed. It is not for the interests of his virtues that they should. Nor indeed could they be concealed, if we were so minded, for they shine through his Virtues; no man being more a dupe to the specious appearances of Virtue in others. In a word, I mean not to be his Panegyrist, but his Historian. And may I, when Envy and Calumny take the same advantage of my absence (for, while I live, I will freely trust it to my Life to confute them) may I find a friend as careful of my honest fame as I have been of His! Together with his Works, he hath bequeathed me his Dunces. * " A wit's a feather, and a chief's a rod, So So that as the property is transferred, I could wish they would now let his memory alone. The veil which Death draws over the Good is so sacred, that to throw dirt upon the shrine scandalizes even Barbarians. And though Rome permitted her Slaves to calumniate her beft Citizens on the day of Triumph, yet the fame petulancy at their funeral would have been rewarded with execration and a gibbet. The Public may be malicious; but is rarely vindictive er ungenerous. It would abhor these infults on a writer dead, though it had borne with the ribaldry, or even fet the ribalds on work, when he was alive. And in this there was no great harm : for he must have a strange impotency of mind whom such miferable scribblers can ruffle. Of all that gross Bœotian phalanx who have written scurrilously against me, I know not so much as one whom a writer of reputation would not wish to have his enemy, or whom a man of honour would not be ashamed to own for his friend. I am indeed but flightly conversant in their works, and know little of the particulars of their defamation. To my Authorship they are heartily welcome. But if any of them have been so abandoned by Truth as to attack my moral character in any instance whatsoever, to all and every one of these, and their abettors, I give the lye in form, and in the words of honest Father Valerian, " Mentiris impudentiffime." |