The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] ... With a Copious Index. To which is prefixed Some Account of his Life. In Four Volumes |
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 | The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] |  |
ODE XV.
Peter taketh leave—Displayeth wonderful Learning—Seemeth sorry to part with his Readers—Administereth Crumbs of Comfort.
My dearest readers! 'tis with grief I tell,
That now, for ever, I must bid farewell!—
Glad if an ode of mine with grins can treat ye, Valete:
And if you like the lyric Peter's oddity; Plaudite.
Rich as a Jew am I in Latian lore—
So, classic readers, take a sentence more:
Pulchrum est monstrari digito et dicier hic est!
Says Juvenal, who lov'd a bit of fame—
In English—ah! 'tis sweet amongst the thickest
To be found out, and pointed at, by name.
To hear the shrinking great exclaim, ‘that's Peter,
Who makes much immortality by metre,
Who nobly dares indulge the tuneful whim,
And cares no more for Kings than Kings for him!’
That now, for ever, I must bid farewell!—
Glad if an ode of mine with grins can treat ye, Valete:
And if you like the lyric Peter's oddity; Plaudite.
Rich as a Jew am I in Latian lore—
So, classic readers, take a sentence more:
Pulchrum est monstrari digito et dicier hic est!
Says Juvenal, who lov'd a bit of fame—
In English—ah! 'tis sweet amongst the thickest
To be found out, and pointed at, by name.
To hear the shrinking great exclaim, ‘that's Peter,
Who makes much immortality by metre,
Who nobly dares indulge the tuneful whim,
And cares no more for Kings than Kings for him!’
Yet one word more, before we part—
Should any take it grievously to heart,
Look melancholy, pale, and wan, and thin,
Like a poor pullet that hath eat a pin,
Put on a poor desponding face and pine,
Because that Peter the divine
Should any take it grievously to heart,
Look melancholy, pale, and wan, and thin,
Like a poor pullet that hath eat a pin,
Put on a poor desponding face and pine,
Because that Peter the divine
124
Resolves to give up painting odes:—
By all the rhiming goddesses and gods,
I here upon a poet's word protest,
That if it is the world's request
That I again in lyrics should appear,
Lo! rather than be guilty of the sin
Of losing George the Third one subject's skin,
My lyric bagpipe shall be tun'd next year.
By all the rhiming goddesses and gods,
I here upon a poet's word protest,
That if it is the world's request
That I again in lyrics should appear,
Lo! rather than be guilty of the sin
Of losing George the Third one subject's skin,
My lyric bagpipe shall be tun'd next year.
| The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] | |