Here ends the second part, or middle of the poem; in which we see the character, and exploits of the Hero, pourtrayed with the hand of a master.
Nothing now remains to be examined, but the third part, or End. In the End, it is a rule pretty well established, that the Work should draw towards a conclusion, which our Author manages thus.
“The Knave of Hearts
“Brought back those Tarts.”
Here every thing is at length settled; the theft is compensated; the tarts restored to their right owner; and Poetical Justice, in every respect, strictly, and impartially administered.
We may observe, that there is nothing in which our Poet has better succeeded, than in keeping up an unremitted attention in his readers to the main instruments, the machinery of his poem, viz. The Tarts; insomuch, that the aforementioned Scriblerus has sagely observed, that "he can't tell, but he doesn't know, but the tarts may be reckoned the heroes of the Poem." Scriblerus, though a man of learning, and frequently right in his opinion, has here certainly hazarded a rash conjecture. His arguments are overthrown entirely by his great opponent, Hiccius, who concludes, by triumphantly asking, "Had the tarts been eaten, how could the Poet have compensated for the loss of his Heroes?"
We are now come to the denouèment, the setting all to rights: and our Poet, in the management of his moral, is certainly superior to his great ancient
predecessors. The moral of their fables, if any they have, is so interwoven with the main body of their work, that in endeavouring to unravel it, we should tear the whole. Our Author has very properly preserved his whole and entire for the end of his poem, where he completes his main design, the Reformation of his Hero, thus,
“And vow’d he’d steal no more.”
Having in the course of his work, shewn the bad effects arising from theft, he evidently means this last moral reflection, to operate with his readers as a gentle and polite dissuasive from stealing.