Preface to The Tragedy of Tragedies; or the Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great

The Town hath seldom been more divided in its Opinion, than concerning the Merit of the following Scenes. Whilst some publickly affirmed, That no Author could produce so fine a Piece but Mr. P[ope], others have with as much Vehemence insisted, That no one could write any thing so bad, but Mr. F[ielding].