[From the fact, that this epigram was not only attributed to Pope, in
the notes to the second edition of _The Dunciad_, published in 1729,
but also in those of 1743, the joint edition of Pope and Warburton, and
both published before the death of Pope, it seems extremely probable
that he was the author of it; more especially as he had been
exasperated by a twopenny tract, of which Dennis was suspected to be
the writer, called _A True Character of Mr. Pope and his Writings_;
printed for S. Popping, 1716. D'Israeli however, in his _Calamities of
Authors_, art. "The Influence of a bad Temper in Criticism," quoting it
from Dr. Johnson, conjectures it was written on the following occasion:
"Thomson and Pope charitably supported the veteran Zoilus at a benefit
play, and Savage, who had nothing but a verse to give, returned them
very poetical thanks in the name of Dennis. He was then blind and old,
but his critical ferocity had no old age; his surliness overcame every
grateful sense, and he swore as usual, 'They could be no one's but that
_fool_ Savage's,' an evidence of his sagacity and brutality. This
perhaps prompted 'the fool' to take this fair revenge and just
chastisement." After all, Dr. Johnson, who was at that time narrating
Savage's intimate acquaintance with Pope, may have attributed to the
former what seems to have been the production of the latter.]
_Football played on Shrove Tuesday._--The people of this and the
neighbouring towns invariably play at football on Shrove Tuesday. What is
the origin of the custom? and does it extend to other counties?