Amongst the minor men of letters of the day was the surly John Dennis.

He was some thirty years Pope's senior; a writer of dreary tragedies which had gained a certain success by their Whiggish tendencies, and of ponderous disquisitions upon critical questions, not much cruder in substance though heavier in form than many utterances of Addison or Steele.

He could, however, snarl out some shrewd things when provoked, and was known to the most famous wits of the day.

He had corresponded with Dryden, Congreve, and Wycherley, and published some of their letters.

Pope, it seems, had been introduced to him by Cromwell, but they had met only two or three times.