The Rape of the Lock and Other Poems Part 36

write legal papers.

'19-20'

An imaginary portrait of a mad poet who keeps on writing verses even in his cell in Bedlam. Pope may have been thinking of Lee, a dramatist of Dryden's day who was confined for a time in this asylum.

'23 Arthur:'

Arthur Moore, a member of Parliament for some years and well known in London society. His "giddy son," James Moore, who took the name of Moore Smythe, dabbled in letters and was a bitter enemy of Pope.

'25 Cornus:'

Robert Lord Walpole, whose wife deserted him in 1734. Horace Walpole speaks of her as half mad.

'31 sped:'

done for.

'40'

Pope's counsel to delay the publication of the works read to him is borrowed from Horace: "nonumque prematur in annum" '(Ars Poetica, 388).'

'41 Drury-lane,'

like Grub Street, a haunt of poor authors at this time.

'43 before Term ends:'

before the season is over; that is, as soon as the poem is written.

'48 a Prologue:'

for a play. Of course a prologue by the famous Mr. Pope would be of great value to a poor and unknown dramatist.

'49 Pitholeon:'

the name of a foolish poet mentioned by Horace. Pope uses it here for his enemy Welsted, mentioned in l. 373.--'his Grace:' the t.i.tle given a Duke in Great Britain. The Duke here referred to is said to be the Duke of Argyle, one of the most influential of the great Whig lords.

'53 Curll':

a notorious publisher of the day, and an enemy of Pope. The implication is that if Pope will not grant Pitholeon's request, the latter will accept Curll's invitation and concoct a new libel against the poet.

'60'

Pope was one of the few men of letters of his day who had not written a play, and he was at this time on bad terms with certain actors.

'62'

Bernard Lintot, the publisher of Pope's translation of Homer.

'66 go snacks':

share the profits. Pope represents the unknown dramatist as trying to bribe him to give a favorable report of the play.

'69 Midas':

an old legend tells us that Midas was presented with a pair of a.s.s's ears by an angry G.o.d whose music he had slighted. His barber, or, Chaucer says, his queen, discovered the change which Midas had tried to conceal, and unable to keep the secret whispered it to the reeds in the river, who straightway spread the news abroad.

'75'

With this line Arbuthnot is supposed to take up the conversation. This is indicated here and elsewhere by the letter A.

'79 Dunciad':

see Introduction, p. xviii.

'85 Codrus':

a name borrowed from Juvenal to denote a foolish poet. Pope uses it here for some conceited dramatist who thinks none the less of himself because his tragedy is rejected with shouts of laughter.

'96'

Explain the exact meaning of this line.

'97 Bavius':

a stock name for a bad poet. See note on 'Essay on Criticism', l. 34.

'98 Philips':