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A

LETTER

TO THE

PUBLISHER,

Occafioned by the first correct

Edition of the DUNCIA D.

I

T is with pleasure I hear, that you have procured a correct copy of the DUNCIAD, which

the many furreptitious ones have rendered so neceffary; and it is yet with more, that I am informed it will be attended with a COMMENTARY: A Work fo requifite, that I cannot think the Author himself would have omitted it, had he approved of the first appearance of this Poem.

Such Notes as have occurred to me I herewith fend you: You will oblige me by inferting them

amongst those which are, or will be, tranfmitted to you by others; fince not only the Author's friends, but even strangers, appear engaged by humanity, to take fome care of an Orphan of fo much genius and fpirit, which its parent feems to have abandoned from the very beginning, and fuffered to ftep into the world naked, unguarded, and unattended.

It was upon reading some of the abusive papers lately published, that my great regard to a Perfon, whose Friendship I efteem as one of the chief honours of my life, and a much greater respect to Truth, than to him or any man living, engaged me in enquiries, of which the enclosed Notes are the fruit.

I perceived, that most of these Authors had been (doubtless very wifely) the firft aggreffors. They had tried, 'till they were weary, what was to be got by railing at each other: Nobody was either concerned or furprized, if this or that fcribler was proved a dunce. But every one was curious to read what could be faid to prove Mr. POPE one, and was ready to pay fomething for such a difcovery: A ftratagem, which would they fairly own, it might not only reconcile them to me, but fcreen them from the refentment of their lawful Superiors, whom they daily abufe, only (as I charitably hope) to get that by them, which they cannot get from them.

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