A Proposal For Publishing a Poetical Translation Both in Latin and English, of The Reverend Mr. Tutor Bentham's Letter to a young Gentleman of Oxford. By a Master of Arts. [i.e. William King] The Second Edition |
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 | A Proposal For Publishing a Poetical Translation |  |
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[Men of Oxford, I tell you, (and faith! it is true)]
1
Men of Oxford, I tell you, (and faith! it is true)Not a Page of this Work did I write with a View
To inflame our great Folk, or to hurt one of you.
2
But howe'er, to cajole my good Friends at Whitehall,And to find out the Way to some pretty neat Stall,
Let me loudly declare, Ye are Jacobites all!
3
This is surely the Cause, why I publish this Tract,As an Antidote made of a Parliament-Act,
To secure all my Pupils, in case they're attackt.
4
Quiet Men, who reside here, are so situ-ated;That they want Ears to hear what is daily related,
How abroad in the World we are rail'd at, and rated.
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5
And so quiet these studious poor Souls are, alas!Well I wot, they ne'er ken (is not this a hard Case?)
What is said, or transacted in this very Place.
6
So they never pursue proper Measures from meerWant of Prudence, like mine, tho' the Danger be near;
And are backward to answer Reports they don't hear.
7
There are Seasons for all Things: and I a LogicianA Divine, and a Preacher, and Metaphysician,
Am obliged on a sudden to turn Politician.
8
Can I write, is the Question? You see, that I can:Yet I vaunt not myself, that I've form'd a fine Plan:
For, perhaps in the World I'm the modestest Man.
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9
Neither write I for Fame, or an handful of Pelf,But to silence my stubborn young Jacobite Elf;
And—to do all the Good, that I can, to myself.
10
There are Seasons for all Things! And this is the Season,When my Brethren, like me, thus should loyally reason,
And unteach the hot Youth, who have learnt to speak Treason.
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