Alexander Pope: Minor poems Edited by Norman Ault: Completed by John Butt |
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To EUSTACE BUDGELL, Esq.
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 | Alexander Pope: Minor poems |  |
123
To EUSTACE BUDGELL, Esq.
On his Translation of the Characters of THEOPHRASTUS.
Tis rumour'd, Budgell on a timeWriting a Sonnet, cou'd not rhime;
Was he discouragd? no such matter;
He'd write in Prose—To the Spectator.
There too Invention faild of late:
What then? Gad damn him, he'd Translate,
Not Verse, to that he had a Pique—
From French? He scornd it; no, from Greek.
He'd do't; and ne'r stand Shill—I Shall—I,
Ay, and inscribe to Charles Lord Halli—
Our Gallo-Grecian at the last
Has kept his word, Here's Teophraste.
How e're be not too vain, Friend Budgell!
Men of Ill Hearts, you know, will judge ill.
Some flatly say, the Book's as ill done,
As if by Boyer, or by Gildon;
Others opine you only chose ill,
And that this Piece was meant for Ozell.
For me, I think (in spite of Blunders)
You may, with Addison, do wonders.
But faith I fear, some Folks beside
These smart, new Characters supplyd.
The honest Fellow out at Heels
Pray between Friends, was not that Steel's?
The Rustic Lout so like a Brute,
Was Philips's beyond Dispute.
And the fond Fop so clean contrary,
Tis plain, tis very plain, was Cary.
Howe're, the Coxcomb's thy own Merit,
That thou hast done, with Life and Spirit.
| Alexander Pope: Minor poems | |