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epistles, sometimes hints, sometimes whole treatises, advices to friends, projects to first ministers, letters to members of parliament, accounts to the Royal Society, and innumerable others.

All these will be vindicated to the true author, in the course of these Memoirs. I may venture to say they cannot be unacceptable to any, but to those, who will appear too much concerned as plagiaries to be admitted as judges. Wherefore we warn the public to take particular notice of all such as manifest any indecent passion at the appearance of this work, as persons most certainly involved in the guilt.

THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS

ΠΕΡΙ ΒΑΘΟΥΣ:

OR, OF THE ART OF

SINKING IN POETRY.

FIRST PRINTED IN THE YEAR MDCCXXVII.

THE following Treatise on the Art of Sinking in Poetry, is probably entirely the work of Pope. It was intended as a portion of the greater work of Martinus Scriblerus, and may be considered as the immediate precursor of the Dunciad. It was first published in the Miscellanies of Pope and Swift in 1727, and gave great offence to the numerous authors whose writings are quoted as instances of the Bathos; who uniting together produced a volume called the Popiad, and a collection of Essays, Letters, &c. forming three volumes, the particulars of which are stated by Pope as a vindication for the severity which he exercised in return. Of the circumstances attending its publication, a more particular account may be found in the Life of Pope prefixed to this Edition, chap. vii.

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