OF THE POEM.
47
giveth the name of More; the fecond the libelousNovelift, whom be ftyleth Eliza; the third, theflattering Dedicator; the fourth, the bawling Critic,or noify Poet ; the fifth, the dark and dirty Party-Writer ; and fo of the refl; afligning to each fomeproper name or other, fuch as he could find.
As for the Characters, the public hath alreadyacknowledged how juflly they are drawn: Themanners are fo depicted, and the fentiments fopeculiar to thofe to whom applied, that furely totransfer them to any other or wifer perfonages,wouldbe exceeding difficult: And certainitis, thatevery perfon concerned, being conlulted apart, hathreadily owned the refemblance of every portrait, hisown excepted. So Mr. Cibbercalls them, “ a parcelof poor wretches, fo many filly flies 3 : but adds, ourAuthor’s wit is remarkably more bare and barren,whenever it would fall foul on Cibber , than uponany other perfon whatever.”
The deferiptions are lingular, the comparijons ver^quaint, the narration various, yet of one colour:The purity and chafiity of diction is fo preferved,that in the places moft fufpicious, not the words butonly the images have been cenfured, andyet are thofeimages no other than have been fanclified by ancientand claflical authority, (though, as was the mannerof thofe good times, not fo curioufly wrapped up),'yea,and commented upon by the moft grave Doftors,and approved Critics.
As it beaveth the name of Epic, it is therebyfubje£ted to luch levere indifpenfible rules as arelaid on all Neoterics,a ftritft imitation of the Ancients;