Page:The Dunciad - Alexander Pope (1743).djvu/269

 Dunciad, beginning with the words The Mighty Mother, and ending with the words buries all, containing the entire sum of one thousand seven hundred and fifty four verses, declare every word, figure, point, and comma of this impression to be authentic: And do therefore strictly enjoin and forbid any person or persons whatsoever, to erase, reverse, put between hooks, or by any other means directly or indirectly change or mangle any of them. And we do hereby earnestly exhort all our brethren to follow this our example, which we heartily with our great predecessors had heretofore set, as a remedy and prevention of all such abuses. Provided always, that nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to limit the lawful and undoubted right of every subject of this realm, to judge, censure, or condemn, in the whole or in part, any Poem or Poet whatsoever.

Declarat' cor' me, Mayor.