Page:The Dunciad - Alexander Pope (1743).djvu/132

Book II. With horns and trumpets now to madness swell, Now sink in sorrows with a tolling bell; Such happy arts attention can command, When fancy flags, and sense is at a stand. Improve we these. Three Cat-calls be the bribe Of him, whose chatt'ring shames the Monkey tribe: And his this Drum, whose hoarse heroic base Drowns the loud clarion of the braying Ass. Now thousand tongues are heard in one loud din: The Monkey-mimics rush discordant in; 'Twas chatt'ring, grinning, mouthing, jabb'ring all, And Noise and Norton, Brangling and Breval, Dennis and Dissonance, and captious Art, And Snip-snap short, and Interruption smart, And Demonstration thin, and Theses thick, And Major, Minor, and Conclusion quick. Hold (cry'd the Queen) a Cat-call each shall win; Equal your merits! equal is your din!