"Right!" Yes a thousand times.--Each fool has heard
That Homer was a wonder of a bard.
Despise them civilly with all my heart-- 85
But to convince them is a desperate part,
Why should you teize one for what secret cause
One doats on Horace, or on Hudibras?
'Tis cruel, Sir, 'tis needless, to endeavour
To teach a sot of Taste he knows no flavour, 90
To disunite I neither wish nor hope
A stubborn blockhead from his fav'rite fop.
Yes--fop I say, were Maro's self before 'em:
For Maro's self grows dull as they pore o'er him.
But hear their raptures o'er some specious rhime
Dub'd by the musk'd and greasy mob sublime. 96
For spleen's dear sake hear how a coxcomb prates
As clam'rous o'er his joys as fifty cats;
_"Music has charms to sooth a savage breast,
To soften rocks, and oaks"_--and all the rest: 100
_"I've heard"_--Bless these long ears!--"Heav'ns what a strain!
Good God! What thunders burst in this _Campaign_!
Hark Waller warbles! Ah! how sweetly killing!
Then that inimitable Splendid Shilling!
Rowe breathes all Shakespear here!--That ode of Prior 105
Is Spencer quite! egad his very fire!--
As like"--Yes faith! as gum-flowers to the rose,
Or as to Claret flat Minorca's dose;
As like as (if I am not grosly wrong)
Erle Robert's Mice to aught e'er Chaucer sung.
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