[37] It is curious to observe that Kippis, who classifies with the
pomp of enumeration his heap of pamphlets, imagines that, as
Blackmore's Epic is consigned to oblivion, so likewise must be
the criticism, which, however, he confesses he could never
meet with. An odd fate attends Dennis's works: his criticism
on a bad work ought to survive it, as good works have survived
his criticisms.
[38] See in Dennis's "Original Letters" one to Tonson, entitled, "On
the conspiracy against the reputation of Mr. Dryden." It was
in favour of _folly_ against _wisdom_, _weakness_ against
_power_, &c.; _Pope_ against _Dryden_. He closes with a
well-turned period. "Wherever genius runs through a work, I
forgive its faults; and wherever that is wanting, no beauties
can touch me. Being struck by Mr. Dryden's genius, I have no
eyes for his errors; and I have no eyes for his enemies'
beauties, because I am not struck by their genius."
[39] In the narrative of his frenzy (quoted p. 56), his _personnel_
is thus given. "His aspect was furious, his eyes were rather
fiery than lively, which he rolled about in an uncommon
manner. He often opened his mouth as if he would have uttered
some matter of importance, but the sound seemed lost inwardly.
His beard was grown, which they told me he would not suffer to
be shaved, believing the modern dramatic poets had corrupted
all the barbers of the town to take the first opportunity of
cutting his throat. His eyebrows were grey, long, and grown
together, which he knit with indignation when anything was
spoken, insomuch that he seemed not to have smoothed his
forehead for many years."--ED.
[40] There is an epigram on Dennis by Savage, which Johnson has
preserved in his Life; and I feel it to be a very correct
likeness, although Johnson censures Savage for writing an
epigram against Dennis, while he was living in great
familiarity with the critic. Perhaps that was the happiest
moment to write the epigram. The anecdote in the text
doubtless prompted "the fool" to take this fair revenge and
just chastisement. Savage has brought out the features
strongly, in these touches--
"Say what revenge on Dennis can be had,
Too dull for laughter, for reply too mad.
On one so poor you cannot take the law,
On one so old your sword you scorn to draw.
Uncaged then, let the harmless monster rage,
Secure in dulness, madness, want, and age!"
[41] Dennis points his heavy cannon of criticism and thus
bombards that aerial edifice, the "Rape of the Lock." He is
inquiring into the nature of _poetical machinery_, which, he
oracularly pronounces, should be religious, or allegorical,
or political; asserting the "Lutrin" of Boileau to be a
trifle only in appearance, covering the deep political
design of reforming the Popish Church!--With the yard of
criticism he takes measure of the slender graces and tiny
elegance of Pope's aerial machines, as "less considerable
than the _human persons_, which is _without precedent_.
Nothing can be so contemptible as the _persons_ or so
foolish as the understandings of these _hobgoblins_.
Ariel's speech is one continued impertinence. After he has
talked to them of black omens and dire disasters that
threaten his heroine, those bugbears dwindle to the breaking
a piece of china, to staining a petticoat, the losing a
fan, or a bottle of sal volatile--and what makes Ariel's
speech more ridiculous is the _place_ where it is spoken, on
the sails and cordage of Belinda's barge." And then he
compares the Sylphs to the Discord of Homer, whose feet are
upon the earth, and head in the skies. "They are, indeed,
beings so diminutive that they bear the same proportion to
the rest of the intellectual that _Eels in vinegar_ do to
the rest of the material world; the latter are only to be seen
through microscopes, and the former only through the false
optics of a Rosicrucian understanding." And finally, he
decides that "these diminutive beings are only _Sawney_
(that is, Alexander Pope), taking the change; for it is
he, a little lump of flesh, that talks, instead of a little
spirit." Dennis's profound gravity contributes an additional
feature of the burlesque to these heroi-comic poems
themselves, only that Dennis cannot be playful, and will
not be good-humoured.
On the same tasteless principle he decides on the improbability
of that incident in the "Conscious Lovers" of Steele, raised
by Bevil, who, having received great obligations from his
father, has promised not to marry without his consent. On this
Dennis, who rarely in his critical progress will stir a foot
without authority, quotes four formidable pages from Locke's
"Essay on Government," to prove that, at the age of
discretion, a man is free to dispose of his own actions! One
would imagine that Dennis was arguing like a special pleader,
rather than developing the involved action of an affecting
drama. Are there critics who would pronounce Dennis to be a
very _sensible_ brother? It is here too he calls Steele "a
twopenny author," alluding to the price of the "Tatlers"--but
this cost Dennis dear!
[42] "The narrative of the frenzy of Mr. John Dennis," published in
the Miscellanies of Pope, Swift, and Arbuthnot, and said to
have been written by Pope, is a grave banter on his usual
violence. It professes to be the account of the physician who
attended him at the request of a servant, who describes the
first attack of his madness coming on when "a poor simple
child came to him from the printers; the boy had no sooner
entered the room, but he cried out 'the devil was come!'" The
constant idiosyncrasy he had that his writings against France
and the Pope might endanger his liberty, is amusingly hit off;
"he perpetually starts and runs to the window when any one
knocks, crying out ''Sdeath! a messenger from the French King;
I shall die in the Bastile!'"--ED.