In my small library I have neither Malone's _Life of Dryden_, nor that of
more recent date by Sir Walter Scott; and, possibly, either of those works
would render my present Query needless. It relates to a copy of _Absalom
and Achitophel_ now lying before me, which is a mere chap-book, printed on
bad paper, in the most economical manner, and obviously intended to be sold
at a very reasonable rate: indeed, at the bottom of the title-page, which
is dated "1708," we are told that it was "Printed and sold by H. Hills, in
Black-fryars, near the Water-side, _for the Benefit of the Poor_." It
consists of twenty-four pages, small 8vo., and, in order that the poem
should not occupy too much space, one of the pages (p. 22.) is in a smaller
type, and in double columns. At the end is the following singular
"ADVERTISEMENT.
"To prevent the publicks being impos'd on, this is to give notice that
the book lately published in 4to. is very imperfect and uncorrect, in
so much that above thirty lines are omitted in several places, and many
gross errors committed, which pervert the sense."
The above is in Italic type, and the body of the tract consists of only the
first part of _Absalom and Achitophel_, as ordinarily printed: allowing for
misprints (which are tolerably numerous), the poem stands very much the
same as in several common editions I have at hand. My Query is, Is the work
known to have been so published "for the benefit of the poor," and in order
to give it greater circulation, and what is the explanation of the
"Advertisement?"