attributed to Dutch women; applied to a literary
composition, of a supplementary or imperfect
character’ (OED).
100 Settle, Banks, and Broome Settle was a former
laureate, the others were minor playwrights of time
past.
101 solid learning dull heavy books of a drab age.
104 tapers and defrauded pies the only other use such
volumes might still serve.
106 hecatomb a sacrifice.
unsullied that is, unreal.
110 birthday ode the laureate was expected to do his duty
on royal birthdays.
134 seven-fold face suggesting either the sevenfold
shield of epic (impenetrability) or the mobility of
the actor.
140 Thulé ‘an unfinished poem of that name of which one
sheet was printed fifteen years ago by A.Ph. [Ambrose
Philips] a northern author. It is an usual method of
putting out a fire to cast wet sheets upon it. Some
critics have been of the opinion that this sheet was of
the nature of the Asbestos which cannot be consumed
by fire: but I rather think it only an allegorical
allusion to the coldness and heaviness of the writing’
(1729).
156 Heideggre a strange bird from Switzerland.
159 Eusden a former laureate who died in 1730, Cibber’s
predecessor and equally dull.
sack wine that was part of the laureate’s fee.
166 ivy In ancient times the ivy crown is frequently
associated with poets.
175 chapel-royal ‘the voices and instruments used in the
service of the chapel royal being also employed in the
performance of the birthday and new year odes’
(1743).
from Book the SecondLines 17–120.