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 |  |
Once in a gloomy Church-Yard fell,
From Birds that in old Yew Trees dwell,
A Show'r of Feathers, black as Night,
Of bloody Murders fit to write.
More dull they could not be, nor grave,
Tho' hatch'd within Trophonius' Cave.
Doctor Expositor, whose Head,
Like an old Church, was roof'd with Lead,
Gather'd the Quills as they came down,
And hurried with his Load to Town.
Then hemm'd—and call'd, with Voice profound,
His blockhead Family around.
The Dunces now conven'd; he said,
“Your Fortunes, now, my Boys, are made;”—
Then from beneath his Cassock drew
The sable Feathers forth to View;
Then thus—“Altho' your Brains are Lead,
“These Quills, my Lads, will get you Bread;
“Scripture's your Point—build on that Base,
“And eat the Bread of Paraphrase—
“Perplex, read wrong, and then read right,
“Make dark, or you cannot make light:
“Let Poets wear their Crown of Bays,
“A Belly-full surpasseth Praise—
“The Miracle of Loaves shall You
“Exhibit to the World anew;
“And of the Bible 'twill be said,
“Each Chapter is a Loaf of Bread.”
From Birds that in old Yew Trees dwell,
A Show'r of Feathers, black as Night,
Of bloody Murders fit to write.
More dull they could not be, nor grave,
Tho' hatch'd within Trophonius' Cave.
Doctor Expositor, whose Head,
Like an old Church, was roof'd with Lead,
Gather'd the Quills as they came down,
And hurried with his Load to Town.
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His blockhead Family around.
The Dunces now conven'd; he said,
“Your Fortunes, now, my Boys, are made;”—
Then from beneath his Cassock drew
The sable Feathers forth to View;
Then thus—“Altho' your Brains are Lead,
“These Quills, my Lads, will get you Bread;
“Scripture's your Point—build on that Base,
“And eat the Bread of Paraphrase—
“Perplex, read wrong, and then read right,
“Make dark, or you cannot make light:
“Let Poets wear their Crown of Bays,
“A Belly-full surpasseth Praise—
“The Miracle of Loaves shall You
“Exhibit to the World anew;
“And of the Bible 'twill be said,
“Each Chapter is a Loaf of Bread.”
| The Powers of the Pen | |