A storm of universal laughter filled every
bookseller's shop, and penetrated into the remotest attics. The
miserable dunces, in part, were stricken mad with rage--in part, dumb
with consternation. Some fled for refuge to ale, and others to ink;
while not a few fell, or feared to fall, into the 'jaws of famine.'"
This singular poem was written in 1727. It was first printed
surreptitiously (_i.e._, with the connivance of the author) in Dublin,
and then reprinted in London. The first perfect edition, however, did
not appear in London till 1729. On the day of its publication, according
to Pope, a crowd of authors besieged the publisher's shop; and by
entreaties, threats, nay, cries of treason, tried to hinder its
appearance. What a scene it must have been--of teeth gnashing above
ragged coats, and eyes glaring through old periwigs--of faces livid with
famine and ferocity; while, to complete the confusion, hawkers,
booksellers, and even lords, were mixed with the crowd, clamouring for
its issue! And as, says Pope, "there is no stopping a torrent with a
finger, out it came." The consequence he had foreseen. A universal howl
of rage and pain burst from the aggrieved dunces, on whose naked sides
the hot pitch had fallen. They pushed their rejoinders beyond the limits
of civilised literary warfare; and although Pope had been coarse in his
language, they were coarser far, and their blackguardism was not
redeemed by wit or genius.
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