One of the main motifs in The Dunciad, and certainly the one that contemporary readers would have been paying most attention to, is defamation. The early editions named fewer names than the later ones in a vain attempt to prevent direct accusations of defamation from the Dunces. However, when various “keys” were published (incorrectly) claiming to identify them, Alexander Pope had to set the record straight.

Still not wanting to be accused of baselessly insulting members of London literary and political society, Pope devises a workaround: He primarily uses the Dunces’ own words against them, either to lampoon each other or themselves. The note affixed to Line 268 of Book 2, regarding Sir Richard Blackmore, contains quotes from at least four different sources insulting his work. Pope felt that he could hardly be blamed for the opinions of others.

In addition, many of the notes specifically address claims that a line or passage from an earlier edition was meant as an insult and correct them: “It is amazing how the sense of this hath been mistaken by all the former commentators,” reads a note from Book 1 that is emblematic of this approach (1: R36). Everyone knew exactly what Pope was doing, but the satirical mode of his writing allowed him to play the innocent victim.