Page:The Dunciad - Alexander Pope (1743).djvu/268

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By the AUTHOR

A DECLARATION.

Whereas certain Haberdashers of Points and Particles, being instigated by the spirit of Pride, and assuming to themselves the name of Critics and Restorers, have taken upon them to adulterate the common and current sense of our Glorious Ancestors, Poets of this Realm, by clipping, coining, defacing the images, miring their own base allay, or otherwise falsifying the same; which they publish, utter, and bend as genuine: The said haberdashers having no right thereto, as neither heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, or in any sort related to such poets, to all or any of them: Now We, having carefully revised this our ^[1]

↑ Read thus confidently, instead of "beginning with the word Books, and ending with the word flies," as formerly it stood; Read also "containing the entire sum of one thousand, seven hundred, and fifty four verses," instead of "one thousand and twelve lines;" such being the initial and final words, and such the true and entire contents, of this Poem.
Thou art to know, readers that the first Edition thereof, like that of Milton, was never seen by the Author, (though living and not blind;) The Editor himself confest as much in his Preface: And no two poems were ever published in so arbitrary a manner. The Editor of this, had as boldly suppressed whole Passages, yea the entire last book; as the Editor of Paradise lost, added and augmented. Milton himself gave but ten books, his editor twelve; this Author gave four books, his Editor only three. But we have happily done justice to both; and presume we shall live, in this our last labour, as long as in any of our others. Bentley.

D d

[1] Read thus confidently, instead of "beginning with the word Books, and ending with the word flies," as formerly it stood; Read also "containing the entire sum of one thousand, seven hundred, and fifty four verses," instead of "one thousand and twelve lines;" such being the initial and final words, and such the true and entire contents, of this Poem.
Thou art to know, readers that the first Edition thereof, like that of Milton, was never seen by the Author, (though living and not blind;) The Editor himself confest as much in his Preface: And no two poems were ever published in so arbitrary a manner. The Editor of this, had as boldly suppressed whole Passages, yea the entire last book; as the Editor of Paradise lost, added and augmented. Milton himself gave but ten books, his editor twelve; this Author gave four books, his Editor only three. But we have happily done justice to both; and presume we shall live, in this our last labour, as long as in any of our others. Bentley.

[1]