ll say; it lets the World see at least, that you are resolv'd to write
_About me_, and _About me_, to the last. In fine, Mr. _Pope_, this
yawning Wit would make one think you had got into the Laureat's Place,
and were taking a Nap yourself.

But, perhaps, there may be a concealed Brightness in this Verse, which
your Notes may more plainly illustrate: let us see then what your
fictitious Friend and Flatterer _Scriblerus_ says to it. Why, first he
mangles a Paragraph which he quotes from my _Apology_ for my own Life,
_Chap._ 2. and then makes his particular Use of it. But as I have my
Uses to make of it as well as himself, I shall beg leave to give it the
Reader without his Castrations. He begins it thus,

"When I find my Name in the Satyrical Works of this Poet," _&c._

But I say,----

"When I, therefore, find my Name, _at length_, in the Satyrical
Works _of our most celebrated living Author_"----

Now, Sir, I must beg your Pardon, but I cannot think it was your meer
Modesty that left out the Title I have given you, because you have so
often suffer'd your Friend _Scriblerus_ (that is yourself) in your Notes
to make you Compliments of a much higher Nature. But, perhaps, you were
unwilling to let the Reader observe, that though you had so often
befoul'd my Name in your Satyrs, I could still give you the Language due
to a Gentleman, which, perhaps, at the same time too, might have put him
in mind of the poor and pitiful Return you have made to it. But to go on
with our Paragraph----He again continues it thus----

"I never look upon it as any Malice meant to me, but Profit to
himself"----

But where is my Parenthesis, Mr. _Filch_? If you are asham'd of it, I
have no reason to be so, and therefore the Reader shall have it: My
Sentence then runs thus----

"I never look upon those Lines as Malice meant to me (for he knows
I never provok'd it) _&c._

These last Words indeed might have star'd you too full in the Face, not
to have put your Conscience out of countenance. But a Wit of your
Intrepidity, I see, is above that vulgar Weakness.

After this sneaking Omission, you have still the same Scruple against
some other Lines in the Text to come: But as you serve _your_ Purposes
by leaving them out, you must give me leave to serve _mine_ by supplying
them. I shall therefore give the Reader the rest entire, and only mark
what you don't choose should be known in _Italicks_, viz.

"_