The Dunciad

Rounding out The Dunciad in Four Books is a collection of end materials. These are mostly items taken from earlier editions and included to provide insight into the author’s reason for writing.

Appendix I, subtitled “Preface to the first imperfect edition printed in 1727,” is an essay from the publisher to the reader.

Appendix II is an exhaustive list of people and institutions who had insulted Pope before The Dunciad was published.

Appendix III, subtitled “Advertisement to the first edition with Notes, 1729,” is an explanation of the rationale behind the inclusion of the notes in the Variorum.

Appendix IV is an introduction to the fourth book when published on its own in 1742.

Appendix V, “The Guardian,” is an essay on Pastorals from 1713.

Appendix VI is an essay on the position of Poet Laureate from 1729.

Appendix VII, titled “Advertisement printed in the Journals, 1730,” is a reply to certain criticisms.

Appendix VIII compares Dryden and Pope using the words of their contemporaries.

“By the Author” is a declaration similar to the one in the introductory materials, from 1732.

The book concludes with two indexes. The “Index of Persons” lists all those who appear in The Dunciad, while the “Index of Matters” itemizes all the issues covered in The Dunciad.