The complete poem was intended to appear with an elaborate mock commentary by Scriblerus, explaining some of the allusions, and with "proeme, prolegomena, testimonia scriptorum, index auctorum, and notae variorum." In the first instance, however, it appeared in a mangled form without this burlesque apparatus or the lines to Swift.

Four editions were issued in this form in 1728, and with a mock notice from the publisher, expressing a hope that the author would be provoked to give a more perfect edition.

This, accordingly, appeared in 1729.

Pope seems to have been partly led to this device by a principle which he avowed to Warburton.

When he had anything specially sharp to say he kept it for a second edition, where, it would, he thought, pass with less offence.