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TO THE

Right Honourable the LORDS

BOLINGBROKE,

BURLINGTON,

MARCHMONT,

AND

BATHURST;

This WORK is humbly infcrib'd, by

Your Lordships,

moft obedient and

moft bumble Servant,

WILLIAM AYRE.

Directions to the Binder for pla cing the Cuts.

VOL. I.

.

Frontifpiece, Mr. POPE. S
Mr. Addison, Page 21.
Mrs. Fermor, P. 42.

Duke of Buckingham, p. 102.
Bishop Atterbury, P. 155.
Mr. Rowe, p. 209.
Mr. Cibber, p. 257.

VOL. II.

Frontifpiece, Mr. Pope.

Mrs. Blount, p. 17..
Earl of Burlington, p. 69.
Duchefs of Marlborough, p. 93.
Mr. Gay, p. 123.
Dean Swift, p. 289.1

ERRAT A.

Age 25. 1. 35. for Reiterations, read Alterations ;

worse, r. worth; p. 66. 1. 29. r. in one's Power; P. 114. 1. 18. r. Jupercilious; p. 152. 1. 28. for are, r. of s P. 175. 1. 21. for extricate, r. intricate.

MEMOIRS

OF THE

LIFE and WRITINGS

O F

Alexander Pope, Efq;

HEN we concluded the First Volume, we left speaking of the Third Book of the Dunciad, and gave Intimation of a Fourth, which came out afterwards; before we take further Notice of that, we think it proper to introduce feveral Perfons and Things, that may fill up the Interval.

Our great Dramatick Poet, Shakespear, had in Whole, or in Part, paffed through feveral Hands; fome, who might be very reasonably thought not to VOL. II.

Bb

have

have understood well any Part of him, much lefs be fit to correct or revife him.

The Friends of Mr. Pope folicited him ftrongly to undertake the Whole of Shakespear's Plays, and, if poffible, by comparing all the different Copies now to be procured, bring him back to his own antient Purity. To which Mr. Pope made this modeft Reply, That not having attempted any Thing in the Drama (for he had not appear'd to do it) it might in him be deem'd too much Prefumption. To which he received Answer from a certain Earl, that this did not require great Knowledge of the Foundation and Difpofition of the Drama, feeing that must stand as it was, and that Shakespear himfelf, had not always paid ftrict Regard to the Rules of it; but this was to clear the Scenes from the Rubbish which Actors, and those into whofe Care they had fell, had filled them: For the Players after Shakespear's Time, curtailed, blotted, tranfpos'd, added whole Scenes, nay, did any Thing, which they thought would please the lower Set of the Audience, to which Part, to this Day, that Sort of People ftill make their Court. He added, that his chief Business would be, to render the Text fo that it might read, and be free from those Obfcurities, and fometimes grofs Abfurdities, that now feem to appear in it, and to explain doubtful and difficult Paffages, of which there are great Numbers: This, and marking Scene Lines, or Words only, imagined to be fpurious, was all that noble Gentleman, of a noble Taste and Difpofition, told Mr. Pope he had to do: This was no fmall Task; how he has acquitted himself, for he complied with this Requeft, has been differently judged; the Truth we are inclined to think is, in fome Places he has fet to rights and explained him, and in fome Places again, made him more unintelli

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