1948-11 ADVERTISEMENT. THE HE Public is here prefented with a Complete Edition of the Works of POPE, both in Verfe and Profe, accompanied with various Notes and Illuftrations. The reafon for undertaking it, was the univerfal complaint, that Dr. Warburton had disfigured and difgraced his Edition, with many forced and far-fought interpretations, totally unfupported by the paffages which they were brought to elucidate. If this was only my single opinion, nothing could have induced me to have delivered it with fo much freedom; nor to have undertaken this Work after it had paffed through the hands of Dr. Warburton. Many, however, of his Notes, that do not fall under this defcription, are here adopted. To this Edition are now added, feveral Poems undoubtedly of our Author's hand; and in profe, many Letters to different Correfpondents, which, from the circumftances of literary history which they contain, it was thought might be entertaining; together with his Thoughts on Various Subjects; his Account of the Madness of Dennis; the poisoning of Edmund Curl; the Effay on the Origin of Sciences; the Key to the Rape of the Lock; and that piece of inimitable humour, the Fourteenth Chapter of Scriblerus, on the Double Miftrefs; all of which were inferted in his own Edition in quarto, 1741. And to these is added, alfo, one of the best of his critical compofitions, his Poftfcript to the Odyssey. If I have fometimes ventured, in the following remarks, to point out any feeming blemishes and imperfections in the Works of this excellent Poet, I beg it may be imputed, not to the "dull, malignant delight," of feeking to find out trivial faults, but merely to guard the Reader from being misled, by the example of a writer, in general, fo uniformly elegant and correct. The Notes to which the letter P. is fubjoined, are by Mr. Pope himself; all which are carefully retained. Those marked W. are by Dr. Warburton. For the reft, I am answerable. May 1797. JOS. WARTON. ERRATA in VOL. I. Page xxxix. line 8, for Barius read Bavius lxvi. 50. 14, for A. R. M. read H. M. read 181. dele note on ver. 35. 254. line 35, in note, for Polyanus read Polyænus 271.9, after written infert namely 315. 4, in note, for Swirten read Swieten. |