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See The Diaboliad, last line.

The Poet may possibly be reprehended here, by some Critics or Divines, for the confusion of theology that may be objected to this passage. But as the good old proverb says, that Example is better than precept, we shall refer his defence, first, to Ariosto, or Tasso, I forget which, for I am but a poor scholar in the bastard Latin Authors, where the Heathen mythology and the Christian system are mixed together in the same scene; and, next, to Rubens, who in his Luxemburgh Gallery has made Hymen and St. Denis (I think it is) jointly preside at the marriage of Henry IV.

Sir T--- F--- too might have sufficiently supported the same evidence; but, by his not being mentioned in this cause, 'tis to be supposed that his avocations in 'Change-Alley had prevented his appearance yet in Court.

Lest the equivocation of Titles might lead our readers to mistake the person, we think it proper to acquaint them that this Galant was not the hero of C---, but the one who going to bed by himself, was surprized, when he awoke, at finding himself by himself quite alone. See certain Love-Letters upon record.

One of the senses of this verb is, in a legal sense, to accuse, to inform against, or convict; from whence the Noun Approver. This note had been unnecessary, if Lexiphanes, among the other neglects in his pompous Dictionary, had not left this article imperfect.

A certain Lady of quality who was a confidant in the amour, and afterwards proved the Crim. Con. in Court.

Publica cura—an expression made use of by Horace, for a Courtesan, L. II. Od. 8.

This was apparently the case at a late Masquerade.

This is not the Myrtle Wreath with which the Venus Amica crowns her Votaries, but a certain Frontlet, with which her Bastard Sister, the Venus Meretrix, is used to stigmatize her Devotees.

See The Diaboliad, page 31, 2d paragraph.

The Story is upon record, and therefore requires no note.

A foreign Count with whom we had her first public amour.

A postilion with whom she had her second.

See the Diaboliad, last page, and last line.

See the Diaboliad, p. 31, first paragraph.

We confess ourselves to be in doubt whether the Poet alludes to general C---, or to the Secretary at War, in this passage.

And his railing has had good effect, we hear, as the Don has got ten thousand pieces, and a good riddance into the bargain, for a release of contract. This is the second Suitor this Heroine bought off. The first was one to whom she had been affianced by her father's will, and who piously attending to the advice of Solomon, Leave off Contention before it be meddled with, remitted his claim upon that Condition.

This alludes to a late extraordinary Duel; but we cannot see why the Poet has taken the liberty of putting the Noun into the Plural Number here; for the Member of the Church Militant in that martial strife, is but one; and we cannot suppose our Author meant to compliment him with the name of Legion— Nor is that Reverend Person yet in possession of Pluralities, either. In our Second Edition perhaps we may be able to explain this matter further.

An Epithet of Doctor Johnson's, in his Prologue to the opening of Drury-Lane Theatre.

The House of Lords.

Our Aristophanes, or Devil upon Two Sticks, with whom this Lady held a sort of Mountebank Correspondence, upon the occasion of a Piece of his then coming out, in which some part of her private history of public notoriety, was to be exhibited on the stage.

The Author we suppose, meant here to allude to one of her Letters upon the above occasion; but he is mistaken in the passage; the Lady did not promise to carry her complaisance so far. As well as we can recollect, she only mentioned that she would attend him to Tyburn, and then leave him to shift for himself, and go to the Devil his own way.

She had lately a villa near that City, and lived in great intimacy with the Pope.

This expression was rather premature—She was but presumptive Consort. But, perhaps, she thought she might do in Hell as she had done on Earth, and marry whom she pleased, right or wrong.

This Piece was afterwards represented; but whether through fear, favour, or fee, was so garbled, as soon to sink into oblivion.

These two Potentates have ever been in strict confederacy together; and his infallible Holiness has sent more souls to Satan's empire, by his pardons, absolutions and indulgences, than ever were dispatched thither from the Scaffold or the Gallows.

This was the answer of the late Lord Chesterfield, to a profligate Parson who was recommended to him as a Chaplain, once, when he was going Ambassador to The States. There were scandalous persons in those times, it seems, as well as in the present ones.

This is a Sentence from Horace, but falsely quoted.—The Verb Substantive Sum is in the preter-imperfect tense there, but turned into the present time here. This is one of the vices of verse, which, like the tyranny of Procrustes, lengthens or shortens the members, according as they suit its own measure. But possibly our Author, who is an adept in metaphysics, may reply, that there is no distinction of times or tenses, in the Region of Spirits—the past, the present, and the future being all the instant now, among immortal beings.

We have looked for this diminutive, of a diminutive, in Johnson's Dictionary, in vain.—We are, therefore, at a loss for sufficient authority to support the word, except we may suppose it an allusion to the vulgar expression, which is sometimes applied to a demure Sinner, that he is as innocent as a Devil of Two Years old.

Here the Devil seems to have been a little out, in the point of Etiquette; for as this illustrious groupe are all Matrons, he could only appoint them as Ladies of the Bed Chamber.

Our Author's Sarcasm here is, in general, too true; for we know but few exceptions to the remark.

A poetical licence again! See our former Note, upon a similar passage, in p. 2. But probably the Author meant to be critical, in this place, by making a distinction here between the imaginary Tartarus of the Pagan Creed, and the real Hell of the Christian belief. In the first, Souls were but Shadows, which was too metaphysical a notion to sway the multitude. But the latter doctrine tells us, that we shall pick up our Crumbs again at the day of judgment, in order to receive corporal punishment. This is sensible, substantial, and edifying.

M. Voltaire.

La Pucelle d' Orleans, or, the Maid of Orleans.

The Diabolade, for The Diaboliad. The first should have been the Title, by all rules of Derivation. 'Tis a Substantive, and the latter is an Adjective. Diaboliadus, da, dum. Besides the justness of the alteration in the Word, our Author might have had a further interest in it, also, as his own Title of Diabo-Lady derives more fairly from one word than the other.

This is meant in Opposition to Maids of Honour above-mentioned; as he did not think their station or character in life, entitled them to any higher office in the Household of the Pandemonium.

An Epithet borrowed from Shakespeare, in Richard II.

This is an old Story; and we confess that we agree in the same Charity with the good old Woman, who, hearing of the Passion, one Sunday at Church, said, that, as it was so long ago, she hoped in the Lord that it was not true.

Another obsolete Story.

See the Diaboliad, page 47.

See page 77, Line 10.

Grinned horribly, &c. Milton.