182
The Dunciad.
Book IV.
All Classic learning lost on Classic ground;
And last turn'd Air, the Echo of a Sound![R 1]
See now, half-cur'd, and perfectly well-bred,
With nothing but a Solo in his head;[R 2]
325 As much Estate, and Principle, and Wit,
As Jansen, Fleetwood, Cibber[R 3] shall think fit;
Stol'n from a Duel, follow'd by a Nun,
And, if a Borough chuse him, not undone;
See, to my country happy I restore
330 This glorious Youth, and add one Venus more.
Her too receive (for her my soul adores)[R 4]
So may the sons of sons of sons of whores,[R 5]
And last turn'd Air, the Echo of a Sound![R 1]
See now, half-cur'd, and perfectly well-bred,
With nothing but a Solo in his head;[R 2]
325 As much Estate, and Principle, and Wit,
As Jansen, Fleetwood, Cibber[R 3] shall think fit;
Stol'n from a Duel, follow'd by a Nun,
And, if a Borough chuse him, not undone;
See, to my country happy I restore
330 This glorious Youth, and add one Venus more.
Her too receive (for her my soul adores)[R 4]
So may the sons of sons of sons of whores,[R 5]
Remarks
- ↑ Ver. 322. And last turn'd Air, the Echo of a Sound!] Yet less a Body than Echo itself; for Echo reflects Sense or Words at least, this Gentleman only Airs and Tunes:
——— Sonus est, qui vivit in illo.Ovid. Met.
So that this was not a Metamorphosis either in one or the other, but only a Resolution of the Soul into its true Principles, its real Essence being Harmony; according to the Doctrine of Orpheus, the Inventor of Opera, who first perform'd to a choice assembly of Beasts. Scribl.
- ↑ Ver. 324. With nothing but a Solo in his head;] With nothing but a Solo? Why, if it be a Solo, how should there be anything else? Palpable Tautology! Read boldly an Opera, which is enough of conscience for such a head as has lost all its Latin. Bentl.
- ↑ Ver. 326. Jansen, Fleetwood, Cibber,] Three very eminent persons, all Managers of Plays; who, tho' not Governors by profession, had, each in his way, concern'd themselves in the Education of Youth; and regulated their Wits, their Morals, or their Finances, at that period of their age which is the most important, their entrance into the polite world. Of the last of these, and his Talents for this end, see Book 1. ver. 199, &c.
- ↑ Ver. 331. Her too receive, &c.] This confirms what the learned Scriblerus advanced in his Note on ver. 272, that the Governor, as well as the Pupil, had a particular interest in this lady.
- ↑ Ver. 332. So may the sons of sons, &c.] Virg.
Et nati natorum, et qui nascentur ab illis.Æn. iii.
