The DESIGN.
To do honour to a person who hath done the greatest to the cause of Dulness, seemeth to be the sole design of the following Piece: The style of which is such as becometh such a work, (for of the style, courteous reader, we are necessitated to speak:) but of that made use of in the notes, we can say no more than that we doubt not, 'tis excellently well adapted to the several matters it handleth: it must needs be very various, as the things, it treateth of, are so, as well as the writers, or rather annotators, who have honour'd the poem with their remarks. It was once the design of the author to have dedicated this his favourite work to the Hero; but as he conceiveth the whole work is properly dedicated to him, in character of the Hero thereof, he therefore saved himself that trouble, nothing doubting, but he shou'd equally obtain the good-will, and high opinion of his worthy and well-sung patron. Martinus Scriblerus hath kindly promised to write the prolegomena, a thing absolutely necessary in works of this kind, soon as the author publisheth a second edition, and maketh his work complete, which he assureth thee, friendly reader, he shall do; particularly if favour'd with the kind remarks and observations of any choice spirits, or wits of the present times. And a great critic, little inferior to the thundering Ricardus Aristarchus, hath already pen'd a choice dissertation on the Hero, (together with an account of his life and writings) which is a most curious piece of literature, and deserveth
the encomiums of all the sons of true criticism: but we cannot prevail with him to supply us with it at present; he too is determined to see what success the poet hath, before he honoureth his labours with so learned and elaborate a piece. I have taken upon me, where other critics had not sufficiently explained my author, to attempt that great work myself: how I may be qualified for the grand business of a critic, I presume not to know: however shou'd I prove deficient, Mr.
Warburton's annotations will be of singular use, who is a critic profest; and a very excellent one, as a celebrated divine witnesseth: and as he hath unquestionably shewn himself by his happy edition of
Shakespeare. I have much more to inform thee, and that of importance, kind reader, but must wait, 'till we are better acquainted; and I sincerely promise, in my next edition, to give thee full satisfaction with regard to any point, that shall raise the least doubt with thee. Till then think well of me: and from the mighty pains I have taken, and difficulties I have found, I wou'd have the “
unlearn'd writer be deterr'd from wantonly trifling with an art, he is a stranger to, at the expence of his own reputation, and the integrity of the text of establish'd authors,”—as our hero (inauspiciously I wot) declareth in his Preface, and very fully proveth in his remarks on
William Shakespeare.
Thine, &c.
J. F. Scriblerus, jun.
