Honoré de Mareville.
Guernsey.
POPIANA.
(Vol. ix., p. 445.)
In Mr. Harry Leroy Temple's Popiana, allusion is made to Pope's Imitation of Horace, Second Satire, Book I., and the question is asked, In what modern editions of Pope is this Imitation to be found? It is in Warton's edition, and also in the Aldine edition published by Pickering. It appeared to me (as to Bowles, Roscoe, Mr. Cary, and others) too glaringly indecent for a popular edition of Pope. The poet never acknowledged it; he published it as "Imitated in the manner of Mr. Pope," but it is a genuine production. See note in my edition of Pope, vol. iv. p. 300.
Mr. Temple says,—
"Roscoe and Croly give four poems on Gulliver's Travels. Why does Mr. Carruthers leave out the third? His edition appears to contain (besides many additions) all that all previous editors have admitted, with the exception of the third Gulliver poem, the sixteen additional verses to Mrs. Blount on leaving town, the verses to Dr. Bolton, and a fragment of eight lines (perhaps by Congreve); which last three are to be found in Warton's edition."
The third Gulliver poem was not published with the others by Pope in the Miscellanies. It should, however, have been inserted, as it is acknowledged by Pope in his correspondence with Swift. The omission must be set down as an editorial oversight, to be remedied in the next edition. The verses on Dr. Bolton are assuredly not Pope's; they are printed in Aaron Hill's Works, 1753. See a copious note on this subject in "N. & Q.," Vol. vii., p. 113. The two other omissions noticed by Mr. Temple (with others unnoticed by him, as the parody on the First Psalm, &c.) were dictated by the same feeling that prompted the exclusion of the Imitation of Horace. In several of Pope's letters, preserved at Maple Durham, are grossly indecent and profane passages, which he omitted himself in his printed correspondence, and which are wholly unfit for publication. The same oblivion should be extended to his unacknowledged poetical sins.
R. Carruthers.