The Powers of the Pen A poem addressed to John Curre ... By E. Lloyd ... The second edition, with large additions |
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 | The Powers of the Pen |  |
Jove had sent Hermes to invite
To blue Olympus' airy Height,
Each God and Goddess to a Feast,
Nectar and Wit, in highest Taste—
Apollo had observ'd before,
That Comus got not one Encore;
That all Attempts to please were vain,
The Gods look'd grave, or sneer'd Disdain;
Better to entertain each Guest,
With hum'rous Tale and witty Jest.
To furnish Elegance of Mirth,
He shot this fav'rite Quill to Earth,
And fix'd it in the Hand of Sterne,
The finest Strokes of Wit to learn.
Tutor'd in the Shandean art,
So well it play'd the Jester's Part,
That Jove, to have of Wit his Fill,
Not well contented with the quill,
Sent Hermes down the other day,
To fetch its Tutor too away,
And plac'd him in the Chair of Wit
Which Comus was compell'd to quit—
To blue Olympus' airy Height,
Each God and Goddess to a Feast,
Nectar and Wit, in highest Taste—
Apollo had observ'd before,
That Comus got not one Encore;
That all Attempts to please were vain,
The Gods look'd grave, or sneer'd Disdain;
Better to entertain each Guest,
With hum'rous Tale and witty Jest.
To furnish Elegance of Mirth,
He shot this fav'rite Quill to Earth,
And fix'd it in the Hand of Sterne,
The finest Strokes of Wit to learn.
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So well it play'd the Jester's Part,
That Jove, to have of Wit his Fill,
Not well contented with the quill,
Sent Hermes down the other day,
To fetch its Tutor too away,
And plac'd him in the Chair of Wit
Which Comus was compell'd to quit—
| The Powers of the Pen | |