 | Satires and miscellaneous poetry and prose |  |
240
WRITERS
As 'tis the greatest Mastry in the Art
Of Painting, to Foreshorten any Part
Then draw it out, So 'tis in Bookes, the Chief
Of all Perfections, to be Plain, and Brief.
Of Painting, to Foreshorten any Part
Then draw it out, So 'tis in Bookes, the Chief
Of all Perfections, to be Plain, and Brief.
For He that Plainly writs his Busenes down,
He is obligd to Justify and owne,
Appeares more wise, then if he did Compile
Far Greater Matters in a Polishd Style.
He is obligd to Justify and owne,
Appeares more wise, then if he did Compile
Far Greater Matters in a Polishd Style.
It is impossible to write
Satyrically, and not light
On something of him unawares
As Spaniels Casually Start Hares.
Satyrically, and not light
On something of him unawares
As Spaniels Casually Start Hares.
The Modern times have no Arithmetique
Of th' Antient Roman Masters, nor the Greek.
Of th' Antient Roman Masters, nor the Greek.
The Antients Seldom did translate a Book,
But only what was for their Purpose tooke,
And left the Rest for others to make use
Of what they Pleasd, and freely Pick and Choose.
But what is more Familiar in their Books
Then Men begetting children upon Brooks?
From which they fetch their Antique Pedigrees
And own themselves at first a Spawne of Fish.
Others derive their Races from the Gods
That Ravisht silly Virgins in the woods,
As Naturally as the Spanish Kinde
Of Running Nags ingendred by the wind.
But only what was for their Purpose tooke,
And left the Rest for others to make use
Of what they Pleasd, and freely Pick and Choose.
But what is more Familiar in their Books
Then Men begetting children upon Brooks?
From which they fetch their Antique Pedigrees
And own themselves at first a Spawne of Fish.
Others derive their Races from the Gods
That Ravisht silly Virgins in the woods,
As Naturally as the Spanish Kinde
Of Running Nags ingendred by the wind.
As Cutpurses do never minde what Sum
Nor who the Person is, they take it from,
And, though their Throttles are layd down at Stake,
Know nothing if they Gold or Silver take,
Some strive the Cheapest ways to understand
And take their Notions up at second Hand.
Nor who the Person is, they take it from,
And, though their Throttles are layd down at Stake,
Know nothing if they Gold or Silver take,
Some strive the Cheapest ways to understand
And take their Notions up at second Hand.
241
All Plagiarys do but Steal, and Poch
And upon other Careless wits encroach.
Converst with wits, and Rallyers, to way lay
And Intercept, all that they Chancd to say.
Made Topiques, Indexes, and Concordances,
Of smart Reflexions, Repartees, and Fancies,
When that which may be tru enough, turn's False
When 'tis but weyd in false uneven Scales.
And upon other Careless wits encroach.
Converst with wits, and Rallyers, to way lay
And Intercept, all that they Chancd to say.
Made Topiques, Indexes, and Concordances,
Of smart Reflexions, Repartees, and Fancies,
When that which may be tru enough, turn's False
When 'tis but weyd in false uneven Scales.
As He that both condemnd and stole from Hobs
Like a French Thief that murthers when he Robs.
Like a French Thief that murthers when he Robs.
For evry Author is a Criminall,
That by his Pere's is Bound to stand, or Fall;
And like the Laws Mediety o' th' Tongue
By Fooles, or wise men, Censurd Right or wrong;
Altho in one Epistle Dedicatory,
He Pawnes the Notes, He gatherd under Glory;
And lays out all the Inventory of Prayses,
H' had Scrapd together, in his Comon-Places:
To settle all the Property upon
Some Honorable, Singular Patrone,
Provided the Mecænas undertook
Against the Critiques, to secure his Book:
And, like a Man of Honor, kept his Promise,
To Rescue him from Zoilus, and Momus,
That when his Felonys, should be Detected,
They might by him, as vainly, be Protected;
When all the Powr he has, will not afford
A Dispensation, to one Faulty word;
A Lewd, and most Ridiculous Divice,
And yet by Custome Past for Learnd, and wise.
That by his Pere's is Bound to stand, or Fall;
And like the Laws Mediety o' th' Tongue
By Fooles, or wise men, Censurd Right or wrong;
Altho in one Epistle Dedicatory,
He Pawnes the Notes, He gatherd under Glory;
And lays out all the Inventory of Prayses,
H' had Scrapd together, in his Comon-Places:
To settle all the Property upon
Some Honorable, Singular Patrone,
Provided the Mecænas undertook
Against the Critiques, to secure his Book:
And, like a Man of Honor, kept his Promise,
To Rescue him from Zoilus, and Momus,
That when his Felonys, should be Detected,
They might by him, as vainly, be Protected;
When all the Powr he has, will not afford
A Dispensation, to one Faulty word;
A Lewd, and most Ridiculous Divice,
And yet by Custome Past for Learnd, and wise.
Next this the Præface Follows, with excuses
For all the Faults, the Author knows, but uses.
Makes his Submission to the Grave, and wise,
But the Ignorant, and Criticall De[f]y's:
Put's in his own Exceptions before Hand,
'Gainst all that shall Prætend to understand.
And like a Guilty Criminall in Books
Excepts against his Jury by their Looks
Only to Put in Caveats, and Demurrers
And Cuningly Assignes himself his Errors;
Calls all his Gentle Readers, Thou, and thee:
But styles himself, Our Person, us, and wee.
Makes Honorable Mention, of all others
Who've undergone the Dignity of Authors,
And never Names them, but for Honors sake,
Especially, of those that seeme to take
And have the Naturallest Inclynations
To all his own Opinions, and Perswasions.
But as the Devill blows both Hot, and Cold
So if it be His Chance to Rayle, or Scold
H' has foul words enough, for th' extirpation
Of all Good maners, in the Civillst Nation.
With Tropes, and Figures such as Western-Pugs,
Repeate upon the Thames in Dialogues.
Until the Porch grow's Bigger then the House:
As Mountaines Swel and Ly-in of a Mouse.
For all the Faults, the Author knows, but uses.
Makes his Submission to the Grave, and wise,
But the Ignorant, and Criticall De[f]y's:
Put's in his own Exceptions before Hand,
'Gainst all that shall Prætend to understand.
And like a Guilty Criminall in Books
Excepts against his Jury by their Looks
242
And Cuningly Assignes himself his Errors;
Calls all his Gentle Readers, Thou, and thee:
But styles himself, Our Person, us, and wee.
Makes Honorable Mention, of all others
Who've undergone the Dignity of Authors,
And never Names them, but for Honors sake,
Especially, of those that seeme to take
And have the Naturallest Inclynations
To all his own Opinions, and Perswasions.
But as the Devill blows both Hot, and Cold
So if it be His Chance to Rayle, or Scold
H' has foul words enough, for th' extirpation
Of all Good maners, in the Civillst Nation.
With Tropes, and Figures such as Western-Pugs,
Repeate upon the Thames in Dialogues.
Until the Porch grow's Bigger then the House:
As Mountaines Swel and Ly-in of a Mouse.
The Smartest of all Libels and Lampoones
Like vermin Scratch, and Bite, but break no Bones;
For all their Edges and their Claws are turnd,
As soon as once they are Dispisd, and Scornd.
Like vermin Scratch, and Bite, but break no Bones;
For all their Edges and their Claws are turnd,
As soon as once they are Dispisd, and Scornd.
For some are stil most constantly Imployd
In doing what they study to avoyd:
For to consider's nothing but to Prune
All that's superfluous, and over don,
And not impertinently to ad more
To what was too extravagant before;
And, therefore, a Judicious Authors Blots
Are more Ingenious then his first Free thoughts,
And those that understand, are modester
In telling truth, then Pedants, when they erre;
Are most severe themselvs to all they write,
As Candles tremble when they give us light.
In doing what they study to avoyd:
For to consider's nothing but to Prune
All that's superfluous, and over don,
And not impertinently to ad more
To what was too extravagant before;
And, therefore, a Judicious Authors Blots
Are more Ingenious then his first Free thoughts,
And those that understand, are modester
In telling truth, then Pedants, when they erre;
Are most severe themselvs to all they write,
As Candles tremble when they give us light.
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