"
'207 Cato':
an unmistakable allusion to Addison's tragedy in which the famous Roman
appears laying down the law to the remnants of the Senate.
'207 Cato':
an unmistakable allusion to Addison's tragedy in which the famous Roman
appears laying down the law to the remnants of the Senate.
Alexander Pope
'Tibbalds':
Lewis Theobald (pronounced Tibbald), a scholar who had attacked Pope's
edition of Shakespeare. Pope calls him "piddling" because of his
scrupulous attention to details.
'177 The Bard':
Philips, see note on l. 98. Pope claimed that Philips's 'Pastorals' were
plagiarized from Spenser, and other poets. Philips, also, translated
some 'Persian Tales' for the low figure of half a crown apiece.
'187 bade translate':
suggested that they translate other men's work, since they could write
nothing valuable of their own.
'188 Tate':
a poetaster of the generation before Pope. He is remembered as the part
author of a doggerel version of the Psalms.
'191-212'
For a discussion of this famous passage, see introduction to the
'Epistle' p. 130.
'196 the Turk':
it was formerly the practice for a Turkish monarch when succeeding to
the throne to have all his brothers murdered so as to do away with
possible rivals.
'199 faint praise':
Addison was hearty enough when he cared to praise his friends. Pope is
thinking of the coldness with which Addison treated his 'Pastorals' as
compared to those of Philips.
'206 oblig'd':
note the old-fashioned pronunciation to rhyme with "besieged.
"
'207 Cato':
an unmistakable allusion to Addison's tragedy in which the famous Roman
appears laying down the law to the remnants of the Senate.
'209 Templars':
students of law at the "Temple" in London who prided themselves on their
good taste in literature. A body of them came on purpose to applaud
'Cato' on the first night.
'raise':
exalt, praise.
'211-212 laugh . . . weep':
explain the reason for these actions.
'Atticus':
Addison's name was given in the first version of this passage. Then it
was changed to "A---n. " Addison had been mentioned in the 'Spectator'
(No. 150) under the name of Atticus as "in every way one of the greatest
geniuses the age has produced. "
'213 rubric on the walls':
Lintot, Pope's old publisher, used to stick up the titles of new books
in red letters on the walls of his shop.
'214 with claps':
with clap-bills, posters.
'215 smoking:'
hot from the press.
'220 George:'
George II, king of England at this time.
