Vainly the Reptil thought he could extend
His bloated Form, and Nature’s Error mend.
He drew his Breath; he swell’d—he burst; he dy’d
A Victim to his Arrogance and Pride.
FINIS.
[ Footnotes to The Blatant-Beast]
[(a)] It is surely allowable to treat a Man after this manner who abuses all others, and to make this just Reflexion, since in his new Dunciad he not only calls Mummius a Fool, but uses this filthy Expression—who stinks above the Ground.
[(b)] See this farther explained in the ingenious Dialogues of Sawney and Colley.
[(c)] Tho’ he was informed that Wreck was improper, yet he was resolv’d it should be inscrib’d, because the Nonsense was in his Edition of Shakespear.
[(d)] When he sent his Homer to his Acquaintance for their Emendations, it was written on the Back of the Letters of his Correspondents, whether of Business, Complement or Secrecy. A shameful Instance of Avarice and Treachery!