There to her heart sad Tragedy addressed And promised Vengeance on a barbarous age. 40 Nor could'st thou, CHESTERFIELD !1 a tear refuse, Thou wept'st, and with thee wept each gentle Muse. When lo! a Harlot form soft sliding by,2 45 With mincing step, small voice, and languid eye: Foreign her air, her robe's discordant pride In patch-work fluttering, and her head aside : the Act for subjecting Plays to the power of a Licenser, being the false representations to which they were exposed, from such as either gratified their envy to merit, or made their court to Greatness, by perverting general reflections against vice into libels on particular Persons.-P. W. This Noble Person, in the year 1737, when the Act aforesaid was brought into the House of Lords, opposed it in an excellent speech (says Mr. Cibber), "with a lively spirit and uncommon eloquence." This speech had the honour to be answered by the said Mr. Cibber, with a lively spirit also, and in a manner very uncommon, in the 8th chapter of his Life and Manners.-Bentley.-P. W. For Chesterfield, see Epilogue to Satires, ii. 84. 2 The attitude given to this Phantom represents the nature and genius of the Italian Opera: its affected airs, its effeminate sounds, and the practice of patching up these Operas with favourite songs, incoherently put together. These things were supported by the subscriptions of the Nobility. This circumstance, that OPERA should prepare for the opening of the grand Sessions, was prophesied of in Book iii. v. 301: 66 Already Opera prepares the way, The sure fore-runner of her gentle sway."-P.W. By singing Peers up-held on either hand, stand; Cast on the prostrate Nine a scornful look, 2 50 "O Cara! Cara! silence all that train: Joy to great Chaos!1 let Division reign: Chromatic tortures soon shall drive them hence," 55 Break all their nerves, and fritter all their sense: One Trill shall harmonize joy, grief, and rage, Wake the dull Church, and lull the ranting Stage; 4 To the same notes thy sons shall hum, or snore, And all thy yawning daughters cry, encore. 60 1 Joy to Great Cæsar.—The beginning of a famous old song [by Durfey].-Warburton. 2 Alluding to the false taste of playing tricks in Music with numberless divisions, to the neglect of that harmony which conforms to the sense, and applies to the Passions. Mr. Handel had introduced a great number of hands and more variety of Instruments into the Orchestra, and employed even drums and cannon to make a fuller Chorus; which proved so much too manly for the fine Gentlemen of his age, that he was obliged to remove his Music into Ireland. After which they were reduced, for want of Composers, to practise the patchwork above mentioned. -P. W. 3 That species of the ancient music called the Chromatic, was a variation and embellishment, in odd irregularities, of the Diatonic kind. They say it was invented about the time of Alexander, and that the Spartans forbad the use of it, as languid and effeminate.-Warburton. 4i. e. Dissipate the devotion of the one by light and wanton airs; and subdue the pathos of the other by recitative and sing-song.-Warburton. Another Phoebus, thy own Phoebus, reigns,1 70 And now had Fame's posterior trumpet blown,2 And all the Nations summoned to the Throne. 1 "Tuus jam regnat Apollo."-Virg. 4 Not the ancient Phoebus, the God of Harmony, but a modern Phoebus of French extraction, married to the Princess Galimathia, one of the handmaids of Dulness, and an assistant to Opera. Of whom see Bouhours, and other Critics of that nation.-Scriblerus.-P. W. 2 Posterior-viz., her second or more certain Report; unless we imagine this word posterior to relate to the position of one of her trumpets, according to Hudibras: "She blows not both with the same Wind, And therefore modern Authors name One good, and t'other evil Fame."-P. W. 3 The sons of Dulness want no instructors in study, nor guides in life. They are their own masters in all Sciences, and their own Heralds and introducers into all places.-P. W. Ver. 76 to 101. It ought to be observed that here are three classes in this assembly. The first of men None want a place, for all their Centre found,. Who gently drawn, and struggling less and less, 85 Roll in her Vortex, and her power confess. 90 Nor absent they, no members of her state, Who pay her homage in her sons, the Great; Who, false to Phoebus,2 bow the knee to Baal; Or impious, preach his word without a call. Patrons, who sneak from living worth to dead, Withhold the pension, and set up the head; 95 absolutely and avowedly dull, who naturally adhere to the Goddess, and are imaged in the simile of the Bees about their Queen. The second involuntarily drawn to her, though not caring to own her influence; from ver. 81 to 90. The third, of such as, though not members of her state, yet advance her service by flattering Dulness, cultivating mistaken talents, patronizing vile scribblers, discouraging living merit, or setting up for wits, and men of taste in arts they understand not; from ver. 91 to 101.-P. W. The fashionable curl on the top of the head. 2 Spoken of the ancient and true Phœbus; not the French Phoebus, who hath no chosen Priests or Poets, but equally inspires any man that pleaseth to sing or preach.-Scriblerus.-P. W. And (last and worst) with all the cant of wit, "Without the soul, the Muse's Hypocrite. 100 There marched the bard and blockhead, side by side, 2 105 Who rhymed for hire, and patronized for pride. But as in graceful act, with awful eye Composed he stood, bold Benson thrust him by: 3 110 On two unequal crutches propped he came, Milton's on this, on that one Johnston's name. The decent Knight retired with sober rage, Withdrew his hand, and closed the pompous page. 4 But (happy for him as the times went then) * 1 Lord Hervey, praised by Dr. Conyers Middleton, in his dedication of the Life of Cicero.- Warton. See Prologue to the Satires, v. 305. An eminent person, who was about to publish a very pompous Edition of a great Author, at his own expense.-P. W. Sir Thomas Hanmer, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1713 to 1715. He published an edition of Shakespear in 6 vols. 4to, 1744. 3 This man endeavoured to raise himself to Fame by erecting monuments, striking coins, setting up heads, and procuring translations, of Milton; and afterwards by as great a passion for Arthur Johnston, a Scotch physician's version of the Psalms, of which he printed many fine Editions. See more of him, Book iii. v. 325.-P. W. Ver. 115, &c. These four lines were printed in a separate leaf by Mr. Pope in the last edition, which he himself gave, of the Dunciad, with directions to |
