A KEY to the LOCK.

SINCE this unhappy Diviſion of our Nation into Parties, it is not to be ima⯑gined how many Artifices have been made uſe of by Writers to obſcure the Truth, and cover Deſigns, which may be de⯑trimental to the Publick; in particular, it has been their Cuſtom of late to vent their Politi⯑cal Spleen in Allegory and Fable. If an ho⯑neſt believing Nation is to be made a Jeſt of, we have a Story of John Bull and his Wife; if a Treaſurer is to be glanced at, an Ant with a white Straw is introduced; if a Treaty of Com⯑merce is to be ridiculed, 'tis immediately me⯑tamorphoſed into a Tale of Count Tariff.

But if any of theſe Malevolents have never ſo ſmall a Talent in Rhime, they principally delight to convey their Malice in that pleaſing way, as it were, gilding the Pill, and con⯑cealing the Poyſon under the Sweetneſs of Numbers. Who could imagine that an Origi⯑nal [8] Canto of Spencer ſhould contain a Satyr upon one Adminiſtration; or that Yarhel's Kitchin, or the Dogs of Egypt, ſhould be a Sar⯑caſm upon another.

It is the Duty of every well deſigning Sub⯑ject to prevent, as far as in him lies, the ill Conſequences of ſuch pernicious Treatiſes; and I hold it mine to warn the Publick of the late Poem, entituled, the RAPE of the LOCK; which I ſhall demonſtrate to be of this nature. Many of theſe ſort of Books have been bought by honeſt and well-meaning People purely for their Diverſion, who have in the end found themſelves inſenſibly led into the Vio⯑lence of Party Spirit, and many domeſtick Quarrels have been occaſioned by the diffe⯑rent Application of theſe Books. The Wife of an eminent Citizen grew very noiſy upon reading Bob Huſh; John Bull, upon Change, was thought not only to concern the State, but to affront the City; and the Poem we are now treating of, has not only diſſolved an a⯑greeable Aſſembly of Beaus and Belles, but (as I am told) has ſet Relations at as great a di⯑ſtance, as if they were married together.

It is a common and juſt Obſervation, that when the Meaning of any thing is dubious, one can no way better judge of the true Intent of it, than by conſidering who is the Author, what is his Character in general, and his Diſ⯑poſition in particular.

[9] Now that the Author of this Poem is pro⯑feſſedly a Papiſt, is well known; and that a Genius ſo capable of doing Service to that Cauſe, may have been corrupted in the Courſe of his Education by Jeſuits or others, is juſtly very much to be ſuſpected; notwithſtanding that ſeeming Coolneſs and Moderation, which he has been (perhaps artfully) reproached with, by thoſe of his own Profeſſion. They are ſenſible that this Nation is ſecured with good and wholeſome Laws to prevent all evil Practi⯑ces of the Church of Rome; particularly the Publication of Books, that may in any ſort propagate that Doctrine: Their Authors are therefore obliged to couch their Deſigns the deeper; and tho' I cannot averr that the In⯑tention of this Gentleman was directly to ſpread Popiſh Doctrines, yet it comes to the ſame Point, if he touch the Government: For the Court of Rome knows very well, that the Church at this time is ſo firmly founded on the State, that the only way to ſhake the one is by attacking the other.

What confirms me in this Opinion, is an accidental Diſcovery I made of a very artful Piece of Management among his Popiſh Friends and Abettors, to hide this whole Deſign upon the Government, by taking all the Characters upon themſelves.

Upon the Day that this Poem was publiſhed, it was my Fortune to ſtep into the Cocoa Tree, where a certain Gentleman was railing very [10] liberally at the Author, with a Paſſion extreme⯑ly well counterfeited, for having (as he ſaid) reflected upon him in the Character of Sir Plume. Upon his going out, I enquired who he was, and they told me, a Roman Catholick Knight.

I was the ſame Evening at Will's, and ſaw a Circle round another Gentleman, who was railing in like manner, and ſhowing his Snuff⯑box and Cane to prove he was ſatyrized in the ſame Character. I asked this Gentleman's Name, and was told, he was a Roman Catho⯑lick Lord.

A Day or two after I was ſent for, upon a ſlight Indiſpoſition, to the young Lady's to whom the Poem is dedicated. She alſo took up the Character of Belinda with much Frank⯑neſs and good Humour, tho' the Author has given us a Key in his ^* Dedication, that he meant ſomething further. This Lady is al⯑ſo a Roman Catholick. At the ſame time others of the Characters were claim'd by ſome Per⯑ſons in the Room; and all of them Roman Catholicks.

But to proceed to the Work it ſelf.

In all things which are intricate, as Alle⯑gories in their own Nature are, and eſpecially [11] thoſe that are induſtriouſly made ſo, it is not to be expected we ſhould find the Clue at firſt ſight; but when once we have laid hold on that, we ſhall trace this our Author through all the Labyrinths, Doublings and Turnings of this intricate Compoſition.

Firſt then let it be obſerved, that in the moſt demonſtrative Sciences ſome Poſtulata are to be granted, upon which the reſt is naturally founded. I ſhall deſire no more than one Po⯑ſtulatum to render this obvious to the meaneſt Capacity; which being granted me, I ſhall not only ſhew the Intent of this Work in gene⯑ral, but alſo explain the very Names, and expoſe all his fictitious Characters in their true Light; and we ſhall find, that even his Spirits were not meerly contrived for the ſake of Machinary.

The only Conceſſion which I deſire to be made me, is, that by the Lock is meant

I. Firſt then I ſhall diſcover, that BELINDA repreſents GREAT BRITAIN, or (which is the ſame thing) her late MAJESTY. This is plain⯑ly ſeen in his Deſcription of her.

Alluding to the antient Name of Albion, from her white Cliffs, and to the Croſs, which is the Enſign of England.

[12] II. The BARON, who cuts off the Lock, or Barrier Treaty, is the E. of O [...]d.

III. CLARISSA, who lent the Sciſſars, my Lady M [...]m.

IV. THALESTRIS, who provokes Belinda to reſent the Loſs of the Lock or Treaty, the D [...]s of M [...]gh.

V. SIR PLUME, who is mov'd by Thaleſtris to redemand it of Great Britain, P [...]ce Eu [...]ne, who came hither for that purpoſe.

There are other inferior Characters, which we ſhall obſerve upon afterwards; but I ſhall firſt explain the foregoing.

The firſt Part of the Baron's Character is his being adventrous, or enterprizing, which is the common Epithet given the E [...] of O [...]d by his Enemies. The Prize he aſpires to is the T [...]y, in order to which he offers a Sacrifice.

Our Author here takes occaſion maliciouſly to inſinuate this Stateſman's Love to France; re⯑preſenting the Books he chiefly ſtudies to be [13] vaſt French Romances. Theſe are the vaſt Pro⯑ſpects from the Friendſhip and Alliance of France, which he ſatyrically calls Romances, hinting thereby, that theſe Promiſes and Pro⯑teſtations were no more to be relied on than thoſe idle Legends. Of theſe he is ſaid to build an Altar; to intimate, that all the Foun⯑dation of his Schemes and Honours was fix'd upon the French Romances abovementioned.

One of the things he ſacrifices is a Fan, which both for its gaudy Show and perpetual Flutt'ring, has been made the Emblem of Woman. This points at the Change of the Ladies of the Bed⯑chamber; the Garter alludes to the Honours he conferr'd on ſome of his Friends; and we may without ſtraining the Senſe, call the Half Pair of Gloves, a Gauntlet; the Token of thoſe Military Employments, which he is ſaid to have ſacrificed to his Deſigns. The Prize, as I ſaid before, means the T [...]y, which he makes it his Prayers ſoon to obtain, and long to poſſeſs.

[14] In the firſt of theſe Lines he gives him the T [...]y, and in the laſt ſuggeſts that he ſhould not long poſſeſs that Honour.

That Thaleſtris is the D [...]s of M [...]gh, appears both by her Nearneſs to Belinda, and by this Author's malevolent Suggeſtion, that ſhe is a Lover of War.

But more particularly in ſeveral Paſſages in her Speech to Belinda, upon the cutting off the Lock, or Treaty. Among other things ſhe ſays, Was it for this you bound your Locks in Paper Durance? Was it for this ſo much Paper has been ſpent to ſecure the Barrier Treaty?

This deſcribes the Aſperſions under which that good Princeſs ſuffer'd, and the Repen⯑tance which muſt have followed the Diſſolution of that Treaty, and particularly levels at the Refuſal ſome People made to drink her M [...]y's Health.

Sir Plume (a proper Name for a Soldier) has all the Circumſtances that agree with P [...]ce Eu [...]ne.

'Tis remarkable, this General is a great Taker of Snuff as well as Towns; his Conduct of the clouded Cane gives him the Honour which is ſo juſtly his due, of an exact Conduct in Battle, which is figured by his Truncheon, the Enſign of a General. His earneſt Eye, or the Viva⯑city of his Look, is ſo particularly remarkable in him that this Character could be miſtaken for no other, had not this Author purpoſely obſcur'd it by the fictitious Circumſtance of a round, unthinking Face.

Having now explained the chief Characters of his Human Perſons (for there are ſome o⯑thers that will hereafter fall in by the by, in the Sequel of this Diſcourſe) I ſhall next take in pieces his Machinary, wherein his Satyr is wholly confined to Miniſters of State.

The SYLPHS and GNOMES at firſt ſight ap⯑peared to me to ſignify the two contending Parties of this Nation; for theſe being placed in the Air, and thoſe on the Earth, I thought agreed very well with the common Denomi⯑nation, HIGH and LOW. But as they are made to be the firſt Movers and Influencers of [16] all that happens, 'tis plain they repreſent pro⯑miſeuouſly the Heads of Parties, whom he makes to be the Authors of all thoſe Changes in the State, which are generally imputed to the Levity and Inſtability of the Britiſh Na⯑tion.

But of this he has given us a plain Demonſtra⯑tion; for ſpeaking of theſe Spirits, he ſays in expreſs Terms.

And here let it not ſeem odd, if in this my⯑ſterious way of Writing, we find the ſame Perſon, who has before been repreſented by the Baron, again deſcribed in the Character of Ariel; it being a common way with Authors, in this fabulous Manner, to take ſuch a Liber⯑ty. As for inſtance, I have read in the Engliſh St. Evremont, that all the different Characters in Petronius are but Nero in ſo many different Appearances. And in the Key to the curious Romance of Barclay's Argenis, that both Poli⯑archus and Archombrotus mean only the King of Navarre.

[17] We obſerve in the very Beginning of the Poem, that Ariel is poſſeſs'd of the Ear of Be⯑linda; therefore it is abſolutely neceſſary that this Perſon muſt be the Miniſter who was neareſt the Queen. But whoever would be fur⯑ther convinced, that he meant the late T [...]r, may know him by his Enſigns in the follow⯑ing Line.

His ſitting on the Maſt of a Veſſel ſhows his preſiding over the S [...]th S [...]a Tr [...]de. When Ariel aſſigns to his Sylphs all the Poſts about Belinda, what is more clearly deſcri⯑bed, than the Tr [...]r's diſpoſing all the Pla⯑ces of the Kingdom, and particularly about her M [...]y? But let us hear the Lines.

He has here particularized the Ladies and Wo⯑men of the Bed-Chamber, the Keeper of the Cabinet, and her M [...]y's Dreſſer, and im⯑pudently given Nick-names to each.

[18] To put this Matter beyond all diſpute, the Sylphs are ſaid to be wond'rous fond of Place, in the Canto following, where Ariel is perched uppermoſt, and all the reſt take their Places ſubordinately under him.

Here again I cannot but obſerve, the exceſ⯑ſive Malignity of this Author, who could not leave this Character of Ariel without the ſame invidious Stroke which he gave him in the Cha⯑racter of the Baron before.

Being another Prophecy that he ſhould reſign his Place, which it is probable all Miniſters do with a Sigh.

At the Head of the Gnomes he ſets Ʋmbriel, a dusky melancholy Spright, who makes it his Buſineſs to give Belinda the Spleen; a vile and malicious Suggeſtion againſt ſome grave and worthy Miniſter. The Vapours, Fantoms, Viſions, and the like, are the Jealouſies, Fears, and Cries of Danger, that have ſo often af⯑frighted and alarm'd the Nation. Thoſe who are deſcribed in the Houſe of Spleen under thoſe ſeveral fantaſtical Forms, are the ſame whom their Ill-willers have ſo often called the Whimſical.

The two foregoing Spirits being the only conſiderable Characters of the Machinary, I [19] ſhall but juſt mention the Sylph that is wound⯑ed with the Sciſſars at the Loſs of the Lock, by whom is undoubtedly underſtood my L [...]d To [...]d, who at that time received a Wound in his Character for making the Barrier Trea⯑ty, and was cut out of his Employment upon the Diſſolution of it: But that Spirit reunites, and receives no Harm; to ſignify, that it came to nothing, and his L-rdſh-p had no real Hurt by it.

But I muſt not conclude this Head of the Characters, without obſerving, that our Au⯑thor has run through every Stage of Beings in ſearch of Topicks for Detraction; and as he has characterized ſome Perſons under Angels and Men, ſo he has others under Animals, and things inanimate. He has repreſented an emi⯑nent Clergy-man as a Dog, and a noted Writer as a Tool. Let us examine the former.

By this Shock, it is manifeſt he has moſt auda⯑tiouſly and profanely reflected on Dr. Sa [...]ch [...]ll, who leapt up, that is, into the Pulpit, and a⯑waken'd Great Britain with his Tongue, that is, [20] with his Sermon, which made ſo much Noiſe; and for which he has frequently been term'd by others of his Enemies, as well as by this Author, a Dog: Or perhaps, by his Tongue, may be more literally meant his Speech at his Trial, ſince immediately thereupon, our Au⯑thor ſays, her Eyes open'd on a Billet-doux; Billets-doux being Addreſles to Ladies from Lovers, may be aptly interpreted thoſe Ad⯑dreſſes of Loving Subjects to her M [...]y, which enſued that Trial.

The other Inſtance is at the End of the third Canto.

Here he moſt impudently attributes the De⯑molition of Dunkirk, not to the Pleaſure of her M [...]y, or her Miniſtry, but to the frequent Inſtigations of his Friend Mr. Steel; a very artful Pun to conceal his wicked Lampoo⯑nery!

Having now conſidered the general Intent and Scope of the Poem, and open'd the Cha⯑racters, I ſhall next diſcover the Malice which is covered under the Epiſodes, and particular Paſſages of it.

[21] The Game at Ombre is a myſtical Repreſen⯑tation of the late War, which is hinted by his making Spades the Trump; Spade in Spaniſh ſignifying a Sword, and being yet ſo painted in the Cards of that Nation; to which it is well known we owe the Original of our Cards. In this one Place indeed he has unawares paid a Compliment to the Queen, and her Suc⯑ceſs in the War; for Belinda gets the better of the two that play againſt her, the Kings of France and Spain.

I do not queſtion but ev'ry particular Card has its Perſon and Character aſſigned, which, no doubt, the Author has told his Friends in private; but I ſhall only inſtance in the De⯑ſcription of the Diſgrace under which the D [...] of M [...]ough then ſuffer'd, which is ſo appa⯑rent in theſe Verſes.

That the Author here had an Eye to our modern Tranſactions, is very plain from an unguarded Stroke towards the End of this Game.

After the Concluſion of the War, the pub⯑lick Rejoicings and Thankſgivings are ridiculed in the two following Lines.

Immediately upon which there follows a ma⯑licious Inſinuation, in the manner of a Prophe⯑cy (which we have formerly obſerv'd this ſe⯑ditious Writer delights in) that the Peace ſhould continue but a ſhort time, and that the Day ſhould afterwards be curſt which was then celebrated with ſo much Joy.

As the Game at Ombre is a ſatyrical Repre⯑ſentation of the late War; ſo is the Tea-Table that enſues, of the Council-Table and its Con⯑ſultations after the Peace. By this he would hint, that all the Advantages we have gain'd by our late extended Commerce, are only Cof⯑fee [23] and Tea, or things of no greater Value. That he thought of the Trade in this Place, appears by the Paſſage where he repreſents the Sylphs particularly careful of the rich Bro⯑cade; it having been a frequent Complaint of our Mercers, that French Brocades were im⯑ported in too great Quantities. I will not ſay, he means thoſe Preſents of rich Gold Stuff Suits, which were ſaid to be made her M [...]y by the K [...] of F [...], tho' I cannot but ſuſ⯑pect, that he glances at it.

Here this Author, as well as the ſcandalous John Dunton, repreſents the Mi [...]ry in plain Terms taking frequent Cups.

Upon the whole, it is manifeſt he meant ſomething more than common Coffee, by his calling it,

And by telling us, it was this Coffee, that

I ſhall only further obſerve, that 'twas at this Table the Lock was cut off; for where but at the Council Board ſhould the Barrier Treaty be diſſolved?

[24] The enſuing Contentions of the Parties upon the Loſs of that Treaty, are deſcribed in the Squabbles following the Rape of the Lock; and this he raſhly expreſſes, without any diſguiſe in the Words.

Here firſt you have a Gentleman who ſinks beſide his Chair: a plain Alluſion to a Noble Lord, who loſt his Chair of Pre [...]nt of the Co [...]l.

I come next to the Bodkin, ſo dreadful in the Hand of Belinda; by which he intimates the Britiſh Scepter ſo rever'd in the Hand of our late Auguſt Princeſs. His own Note upon this Place tells us he alludes to a Scepter; and the Verſes are ſo plain, they need no Remark.

An open Satyr upon Hereditary Right. The three Seal Rings plainly allude to the three Kingdoms.

Theſe are the chief Paſſages in the Battle, by which, as hath before been ſaid, he means the Squabble of Parties. Upon this Occaſion he could not end the Deſcription of them, without teſtifying his malignant Joy at thoſe Diſſentions, from which he forms the Proſpect that both ſhould be diſappointed, and cries out with Triumph, as if it were already accom⯑pliſhed.

The Lock at length is turn'd into a Star, or the Old Barrier Treaty into a new and glori⯑ous Peace; this no doubt is what the Author, at the time he printed his Poem, would have been thought to mean, in hopes by that Com⯑plement to eſcape Puniſhment for the reſt of his Piece. It puts me in mind of a Fellow, who concluded a bitter Lampoon upon the Prince and Court of his Days, with theſe Lines.

Whatever this Author may think of that Peace, I imagine it the moſt extraordinary Star that ever appear'd in our Hemiſphere. A Star that is to bring us all the Wealth and Gold of the Indies; and from whoſe Influence, not Mr. John Partridge alone, (whoſe worthy Labours this Writer ſo ungenerouſly ridicules) but all true Britains may, with no leſs Autho⯑rity than he, prognoſticate the Fall of Lewis, in the Reſtraint of the exorbitant Power of France, and the Fate of Rome in the triumphant Con⯑dition of the Church of England.

We have now conſidered this Poem in its Political View, wherein we have ſhewn that it hath two different Walks of Satyr, the one in the Story it ſelf, which is a Ridicule on the late Tranſactions in general; the other in the Machinary, which is a Satyr on the Mini⯑ſters of State in particular. I ſhall now ſhow that the ſame Poem, taken in another Light, has a Tendency to Popery, which is ſecretly inſinuated through the whole.

In the firſt place, he has conveyed to us the Doctrine of Guardian Angels and Patron Saints in the Machinary of his Sylphs, which being a [27] Piece of Popiſh Superſtition that hath been endeavoured to be exploded ever ſince the Re⯑formation, he would here revive under this Diſguiſe. Here are all the Particulars which they believe of thoſe Beings, which I ſhall ſum up in a few Heads.

1st. The Spirits are made to concern them⯑ſelves with all human Acts in general.

2dly. A diſtinct Guardian Spirit or Patron is aſſigned to each Perſon in particular.

3dly. They are made directly to inſpire Dreams, Viſions, and Revelations.

4thly. They are made to be ſubordinate, in different Degrees, ſome preſiding over others. So Ariel hath his ſeveral Under-Officers at Command.

5thly. They are employed in various Offices, and each hath his Office aſſigned him.

6thly. He hath given his Spirits the Charge of the ſeveral Parts of Dreſs; intimating there⯑by, that the Saints preſide over the ſeveral Parts of Human Bodies. They have one Saint to cure the Tooth-ach, another cures the Gripes, another the Gout, and ſo of all the reſt.

7thly. They are repreſented to know the Thoughts of Men.

8thly. They are made Protectors even to Animals and irrational Beings.‘Ariel himſelf ſhall be the Guard of Shock.’ So St. Anthony preſides over Hogs, &c.

9thly. Others are made Patrons of whole Kingdoms and Provinces.

[29] So St. George is imagined by the Papiſts to de⯑fend England; St. Patrick, Ireland; St. James, Spain, &c. Now what is the Conſequence of all this? By granting that they have this Power, we muſt be brought back again to pray to them.

The Toilette is an artful Recommendation of the Maſs, and pompous Ceremonies of the Church of Rome. The unveiling of the Altar, the Silver Vaſes upon it, being rob'd in White, as the Prieſts are upon the chief Feſtivals, and the Head uncover'd, are manifeſt Marks of this.

Plainly denotes Image-Worſhip.

The Goddeſs, who is deck'd with Treaſures, Jewels, and the various Offerings of the World, manifeſtly alludes to the Lady of Loretto. You have Perfumes breathing from the Incenſe Pot in the following Line.

The Character of Belinda, as we take it in this third View, repreſents the Popiſh Reli⯑gion, or the Whore of Babylon; who is deſcri⯑bed in the State this malevolent Author wiſhes for, coming forth in all her Glory upon the Thames, and overſpreading the Nation with Ceremonies.

She is dreſs'd with a Croſs on her Breaſt, the Enſign of Popery, the Adoration of which is plainly recommended in the following Lines.

Next he repreſents her as the Ʋniverſal Church, according to the Boaſts of the Papiſts.

After which he tells us,

Tho' it ſhould be granted ſome Errors fall to her ſhare, look on the pompous Figure ſhe makes throughout the World, and they are not worth regarding. In the Sacrifice following ſoon after, you have theſe two Lines.

[31] In the firſt of them, he plainly hints at their Matins; in the ſecond, by adoring ev'ry Power, the Invocation of Saints.

Belinda's Viſits are deſcribed with numerous Wax-Lights, which are always uſed in the Ce⯑remonial Parts of the Romiſh Worſhip.

The Lunar Sphere he mentions, opens to us their Purgatory, which is ſeen in the following Line.

It is a Popiſh Doctrine, that ſcarce any Perſon quits this World, but he muſt touch at Purga⯑tory in his way to Heaven; and it is here alſo repreſented as the Treaſury of the Romiſh Church. Nor is it much to be wonder'd at, that the Moon ſhould be Purgatory, when a Learned Divine hath in a late Treatiſe proved Hell to be in the Sun ^*.

I ſhall now before I conclude, deſire the Reader to compare this Key with thoſe upon any other Pieces, which are ſuppoſed to be ſe⯑cret Satyrs upon the State, either antient or modern; as with thoſe upon Petronius Arbiter, [32] Lucian's true Hiſtory, Barclay's Argenis, or Rab⯑lais's Garagantua; and I doubt not he will do me the Juſtice to acknowledge, that the Ex⯑planations here laid down, are deduced as na⯑turally, and with as little force, both from the general Scope and Bent of the Work, and from the ſeveral Particulars, and are every way as conſiſtent and undeniable as any of thoſe; and ev'ry way as candid as any modern Interpre⯑tations of either Party on the myſterious State Treatiſes of our Times.

To ſum up my whole Charge againſt this Author in a few Words: He has ridiculed both the preſent Mi [...]ry and the laſt; abuſed great Stateſmen and great Generals; nay the Trea⯑ties of whole Nations have not eſcaped him, nor has the Royal Dignity it ſelf been omitted in the Progreſs of his Satyr; and all this he has done juſt at the Meeting of a new Parliament. I hope a proper Authority may be made uſe of to bring him to condign Puniſhment: In the mean while I doubt not if the Perſons moſt concern'd would but order Mr. Bernard Lin⯑tott, the Printer and Publiſher of this dange⯑rous Piece, to be taken into Cuſtody, and exa⯑min'd; many further Diſcoveries might be made both of this Poet's and his Abettor's ſe⯑cret Deſigns, which are doubtleſs of the utmoſt Importance to the Government.