John H. Bartlett as Martin Scriblerus in The Rape of the Locke.
Around 1713 Pope, Swift, Gay, Parnell and Arbuthnot formed themselves into The Scriblerus Club. taking on the fictitious collective identity of one Martin Scriblerus they took the opportunity to compose scurrilous lampoons of figures from current literature, society and manners, mainly for their own amusement, but also in the spirit of correction so dear to the members of the Enlightenment.
