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This Passage has occasioned many Disputes among the Learned, how a Man could sing, if he was in a Passion? But it is easily set to rights, by supposing Gamble to be a Welchman. Paulus Purgantius.

This is a very just Metaphor: For as Tears are of a very briny or salt Nature, they are aptly expressed by the Sea.

These are very natural Distresses, and I believe one Way or other affect every Reader.

It is necessary here to premise the Art of the Author, in so well opening of his Poem, consonant to his Title-Page. For it is Distresse upon Distress, for a Man to be in Love and Debt at the same Time.

This tripping up is perfectly pantomimical, and has been used with very great Success in several dramatic Entertainments, particularly King Lear, where Kent trips up the Gentleman-Usher with a very good Grace; and the Audience, as well as the several royal Personages it is done before, is convinced, that the old Nobleman is a very good Wrestler. H. H.

And philosophic hear.—This is the true reading. Ear is a pedantic Interpolation, alluding to an old Maxim in the Schools. H non est Litera. P. P.

Dam me quasi da me, pro mihi, vel redde mihi, or give me, or unto me, Satisfaction; Porphyrius Torrentius, and Lambinus, concur with me in the reading; for we cannot suppose, in a dramatic Performance, the Author would allow any Personages of the Drama to swear.

This is a fine physical, hydrostatical Metaphor.

For any Fluid rarified by Heat, when it meets with a cold Medium immediately condensing, conglobes in pearly Particles, adhesing to the chilly metalline, or lignified Superficies.

What Body it was that the elemental Effluvias adhered to, I was long unable to determine; but fancy the Annotator must mean, by the Word Superficies, a Kettle's Covering, commonly called a Pot-lid; and the Words, metalline and lignified, I take to relate to the essential Quality of Matter it was made out of.

This is wrong pointed: He has stopped this Line with a Semicolon, and it should be with a Colon.

Here is a Quibling on the Word Time, which is beneath the Dignity of a Tragedy Writer. To be sure, the Man had a Right to ask for his Money; but as the other does not seem ready to comply, the Demand was certainly not well timed. P. P.

So I have seen—very unclassical—Lege, So have I seen. P. P.

He is either one or t'other. This is reducing Things to a Certainty, and indeed I wish all our modern Tragedy Writers would be as explicit; for it is impossible sometimes to tell by their Writings, whether they are asleep or awake.

I do not understand how a Man can take himself away; yet it is a common Phrase among the love-selling Ladies of Covent-Garden, Drury-Lane, the Strand, &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c.

More Distress.

Here Reader, in this Speech there is an Antitheses worthy Observation. It consists of the different Modus which Miss Molly makes use of, in applying the Verb Break.

First, as breaking the Pot of Marmalade.

Secondly, as breaking her own Heart.

I could have been better pleased with it, had the Verb been both Times used in the first Person.

By way of Ænigma. H. H.

Distress again. P. P.

Common Distress is represented by one Tragedy Handkerchief; but as this is uncommon Distress, and two-fold, and Author has judiciously doubled the Hieroglyphic. P. P.

Plotinus, in his Dissertation upon Semi-colons, mightily recommends the Use of an Et Cetera. And Gerard Van Bergen, in the six Volumes he has published upon the Use and Antiquity of an Hyphen, has given us its Etymology and Cuts, how it is used by various Nations. H. H.

Though this may seem somewhat indelicate, it is very natural. For to be a Passion, or be in a Heat, are compatible, nay sometimes synonymous. Now it is not at all contradictory to the animal System to suppose, that when any one is in a Heat, Perspiration may ensue. P. P.

Pro intoxicated, aude common Conversation.

To mutilate, metamorphise, and transmigrate the English Language, is at present the polite Taste, while on the contrary, the Under-bred, instead of curtailing out of an unwonted Generosity, add to their Dialect, e. g. Mem pro Madam at St. James's. Misturs pro Madam, St. Giles's.

Here I cannot help observing the Particularity of Stile used by Tradesmen, Brokers, &c. of the Metropolis of Great Britain. They look on the Pronouns He or I to be no ways essential in their Advertisements, but think the Word Said sufficient.

And I hear there is a Complaint lodged in Nassan Court, by said Pronouns, backed by Particle The, against Dublin News Printers, for same Fault. Said Printers not given said Words fair Play in Advertisements.

Don't know what.

This Line is perfectly metaphysical. For her Ideas being certainly too circumstantially disturbed, i. e. (disturbed by her present Circumstances) it was impossible by this Parity of Reasoning, she could form a proper Assemblage of them, or range them in a just Order, to think that what she was.

More Distress. H. H.

Natural enough. P. P.

Very natural that too. H. H.

Clymax of Naturalities. H. P.

I am at a Loss how to understand the Adjective dear, whether it relates to the Dearness of the Ticket, or whether the Joys she had there were dear pro endear'd to her.

Make a Vow—This Vow is made with Premeditation, and as it ought to be; for tho' Swearing is at present in tip top Taste, and quite the Thing, I don't believe the Generality of Gentlemen Cursers take a sufficient Time to recollect what they are going to do when they swear; for it is proper to consider, that an Oath may be sometimes used periodically, sometimes expletively, at other Times by way of Corroboration.

Further, I must needs say, that tho' there are some Persons, called Clergymen, who will make a Bustle about Duty, Decency, and Religion, and pretend, indeed, to have Swearing abolish'd, it would be as pernicious to Conversation, as the Prohibition of Spirits would be to Dram-Drinkers; For as Oaths not only interlard but make up two Parts in three of several Persons Conversation, what could those choice Spirits say if they were not to swear. Why, upon the nicest Calculation, according to de Moivre, Sympson Leibnitz, &c. it therefore follows, that they must be condemned to sit silent two Thirds of that Time they now fill up with such elegant Volubility. P. P. H. H.

There is something so daringly wicked in this calling upon God to confirm a momentous Relation, or upon the least Affront received, commanding a Deity to condemn them to eternal Perdition, that I cannot think common Swearers believe there is a God that hears them; or, perhaps, more modest, imagine the Deity thinks such Reptiles too much below his Notice to punish.

Here is a long Speech, which, I believe, was introduced for no other Design than to show the Author was deep read in Romance, and had a tolerable or intolerable Knack at Description. P. P.

He is to be commended for it, since as every Reader is look'd on as a Guest, and an Author is to furnish out as good a Feast as he can for the Reader's Entertainment; and, as at Gentlemen's Houses vast Pieces of Plate, ornamented, tho' useless, adorn the Side-board; so, as Authors can seldom, that way, please their Guests, they are right to open the Richness of their Fancy for them. H. H.

This was once in Vogue.

This is at present the Taste.

By this Speech we learn that Phlebotome was one of those Philosophers called Scepties. They were remarkable for doubting if they could see, or doubting the Existence of whatever they did see; like some Moderns who cannot, will not, or must nor believe their Eyes, nor too critically attend to the Evidence and Examination of any of their other Senses. H. H.

Obliquely forth—That is, the Rays of Light don't come in a direct Line but oblique. For Rays are made to converge when they are refracted towards each other by their being drawn from the Center of Convexity on the other Side, as by this Proposition will more plainly appear.

AB is to CD as the Lines of Refraction by Convexion, i. e. as q is to p, or p to q; and as AB to EF so (CD= p/q or q/p A B to p/q or q/p NO; and, so is K: L to M: N; and, so is WX to YZ. Ergo, AB pq/qp is as the Side of Refraction to the Angle of Incidence C: D: : E.

The Messenger telling the Purport of the Letter is very natural, for he might have looked over as she wrote, or read it before she sent it.

The Meaning of this is an Allusion to Narcissus looking at himself, till, according to the Author of Henry VII. or the Popish Impostor, be vanished into nothing. H. H.

John Broughton, formerly a Waterman, but for some Years last past remarkable for his Skill in the Science of Offence, called Boxing; and for the teaching of which he established an Athletical Academy to instruct the polite Youth of London in the Exercise of the Fist, and all the Dexterity of Cross-Buttocks. But as there are some too delicate to be taught with the naked Hand, he has Gloves lin'd with Hair, and quilted Breast-Plates, for the very fine Gentlemen to practise in.

Non his Juventus orta parentibus, &c. Hor. Lib. iii. Od. 6.

There are also several more heroical Bruisers, who fight pitch'd. Combats on his Stage, and to see which Half-Guineas, and Crowns, are given for Tickets.

Steelly Trophies.—Read it stilly Trophies; Weapons that were silent and unus'd. Richard III. The Hum of either Army stilly sounds. P. P.

Wrapp'd—Read it lapp'd; the Word wrapp'd is an Interpolation: To be wrapp'd is to be bound tight, which was not proper in the Gout, as we suppose to be the Case with the Squire. P. P.

Prone.—He could not fall prone; for when a Man has a Blow on the Breast he falls backwrd. Vide Slack upon Broughton. I therefore read, Thrown on the Ground, I fell.

As I uprose—Erroneous. It should be, as I suppose; for we may suppose he was senseless by the Blow.

This should be wrote and at full, and not, &. P. P.

So poor John Needy suffered—it must be read: For, if you read it Jack Needy, the Sound of Jaculation in the preceding Line, and the Sound of Jack in the succeeding one, breaks all Hexameter Harmony. H. H.

Vide modern Tragedies for Precedents of this Stile and Manner.

Domitian, the Roman Emperor, used to amuse himself with killing Flies, till he had destroyed the Maggot-bred Progeny, upon which it was wittily said, by a Philosopher, (who was asked if the Emperor had any one with him) no, not so much as a Fly.

This is an odd Epithet, and I am convinced the Author never designed it so; but by the Blunder of some ignorant Transcriber, it has crept into the Text. In the first Place, Circe never wore a Hoop. Secondly, she lived not in a Cave. Thirdly, but enough has been said to prove what it is not; let us consider what it is. This Doctor is a learned Man; hē there speaks Latin, Cave beware; and the other Word is either calling her by her Name, which was Cecilia; as for Instance, Oh Cicely, beware, don't stumble; for she might hold her Hoop so high, that she could not look before her: Or else it is, Oh Silesian Cave; her Hoop might he made of that Sort of Stuff. P. P.

This is very natural; for if one goes before, the other must follow after, unless, as it sometimes happens, on the Stage, for one to pull the other back, and so go out first, according to the old Proverb, he is first at last, though he was behind before. P. P.

Mr. Pedasculus has a Mind to be merry with his Proverb, and wrest the Author's Meaning to an Explanation never intended. To pull one back, and step in his Place, or get before him, in an Action common to all Men, as well off, as on the Stage, and may be properly called, the Art of Supplanting. H. H.

This is a Scene of Altercation. I cannot help reminding the Reader of the Diversity of Scenes, Stiles, and Similes in this elaborate Performance. And herein I follow the Steps of the Editor of Mr. Pope's Works, who has pointed out to every Reader, all the Species of Writing, the Author of the Essay on Man used in the latter Part of that Poem, doubting, or despising the Capacities of his Readers; or else imagining, that Philosophy and Poetry are always to be examined by classical Scale and Compass, like the Mathematician, who only read Virgil, to examine by the Map, how, Navigator-like, he had conducted Æneas in his Voyage. H. H.

It is pronounced Creters. P. P.

To hold you in Discourse—or to force Discourse, Phrases of Course.

Here you have in this Line, the whole Exercise of the Levee.

Ist. Stand clear. The great Man rises to go to his Coach.

2d. Make way. The Dependants are drawn up on each Side.

3d. Bear back. They squeeze against the Wainscot.

4th. Get farther off. Those who have forgot to see the Porter, and forced to stand on the Outside of the Door, now must leave lounging against the Rails.

However queer it is to be kicked, and though it may not be pleasing to feel, it is to see, since it is practised on the Stage with great Applause. H. H.

Think not, Reader, I am intending to ridicule the Tastes of an Audience, or imagine they cannot distinguish. Far be it from me, to hint at such a Falsity: But I would fain have the Actors never endeavour at Applause, by any Buffoonery, or debase the Dignity of Nature, by uncouth Grimace, and supply the Want of true Humour with farcical Face-making. H. H.

How to make Night of Day, I cannot reconcile this Line. I have often, indeed, heard Persons talk of making a Night on't; and out of Curiosity, I once went to see some Spirits perform; but they made nothing on't, unless making one another drunk could be termed making any Thing. P. P.

Vulgarly called Orator. Vide Dunciad. I have heard the Author of this Parody several Times disputed with him. If so, I really think he has very truly depicted himself. H. H.

This is a Parody on the Speech of Alexander the Great.

This Way cast your Eye.

It will be very proper for the Gentlemen and Ladies of the Theatre, the younger Sort I mean, to be very perfect in this Exercise of the Eye, and also in the verticular Motion of the Head. For it is common Practice among them, to talk to the Pit, more than to the Performer that's along with them; and also, when they are spoke to, it is proper for them to seem to mind what is said, and not, while a Description is related to them, or any Story that affects the Personage they represent, be looking round the Audience for their Acquaintance, &c. P. P.

Love fill'd our Eyes—Nonsense—Loving filling the Eyes, and Murmurs, and short-broken Sighs. These are all unnatural Phrases, fit only for Novel-Writers, &c.

It is now several Years since my first Cohabitation with my Wedlock-joined Friend, and though Nature calls for a Satisfaction of carnal Appetite, Posterity for an Increase of Inhabitants, and even Marriage-Laws demand fulfilling, I never met with any of the above-mentioned Languishings. They are heterogeneous to the Improvement of our Species, and since we are commanded to increase, we should go about to obey that Precept, as Philosophers, as Scholars, and as wise Men ought to do, soberly and cooly, as we should take off a Glass of Wine, not madly and voraciously, as intoxicating Epicures swallow Pint-Bumpers. P. P.

Whitfield, an itinerant Field-preacher, who was followed by Multitudes of both Sexes, whose weak Minds were startled by the terrible Anathemas he vociferously thundered against them. He set himself as a Refiner of the Christian Religion, in a Manner repugnant to all Rules of Decency, Morality, or good Manners.

N. B. These Things happened at a Time when the Works of Boyle, Barrow, Lock, and Tillotson, lay unheeded, on Dust-fill'd Shelves, and within a few Years of that remarkable Æra, called the Year of the Bottle-Conjurer.

This is a very pertinent Simile, to sit a-straddle upon Misfortune, i. e. to ride the wooden Horse of Adversity.

Pinchbeck—Pinchdeck'd Box it should be. It means to deck it with a Pinch of Snuff, or to be deck'd with a Pinch of Snuff. H. H.

Whether it should be deck'd, or no, I cannot tell certainly, since greater Men than me have been divided about using that Word: For, in the Tempest, Act I. Scene the Second, there is the Word deck'd, according to Mr. Theobalds.

Who deck'd with Tears the Sea.

Oxford Edit. Brack'd with Tears the Sea, i. e. made the Salt-water brackish.

Warburton. Mock'd with Tears the Sea.

Dr. Bentley. Stock'd with Tears the Sea.

I say, repugnantibus omnibus, it should be, flock'd, i. e. the Tears flock'd to the Sea. P. P.

I think our Squire is something more modest than Lothario however. P. P.

To make a Man—then Spunge should say, O Lord! It is a natural Exclamation of a Man much indebted himself, upon hearing of a Woman who would, make a Man, to break out into such a surprize—O Lord—For the Future therefore it must be thus;

Without doubt—alluding to the Apothegm of Pythagoras's Daughter, fine dubitante. H. H.

Wit.

More Wit.

Most Wit.

These are the three Degrees of Comparison in Wit. The first Degree is the Hum, i. e. endeavouring to impose on the Credulous, e. g. He says, he will give him another Glass of Wine; but, how does he give it? The other stands ready to take it; but how does he take it?

The second Degree of Wit consists in the Action of throwing a Glass of Wine. This may be properly called, Wit-pantomimical, just like throwing Tobacco-pipes out of a Joke, burning Waiters Wigs in Fun, scorching the Shoes of their sleey Companion, or blackening his Face, or hiding his Pocket-book.

The third is, the Paranomasia, or Pun, to dash and hit.

The Supplication.

The Replication.

The Application.

Punch—from Punic—base, treacherous; because it often steals away our Reason. P. P.

This borrowed Line is partly geometrical, partly mathematical, partly mechanical, and partly neither. H. H.