Miscellaneous Poems. i i 3

In spite of Faction, this would Favour get;

But * FaIstaff seems inimitable yet.

Another Fault which often does befal,

Is, when the Wit of some great Poet shall,

So overflow, that is, be none at all,

That all his Fools speak Sense, as if poflest,

And each, by Inspiration, breaks his Jest.

If once the Justness of each Part be lost,

Well may we laugh, but at the Poet’s Cost.

That silly Thing Men call Sheer-Wit, avoid,

With which our Age so nauseously is doy’d.

Humour is all, Wit lhould be only broughtTo turn agreeably some proper Thought.

But since the Poets we of late have known,

Shine in no Dress so much as in their own;

The better by Example to convince,

Cast but a View on this wrong Side of Sense.

First a Soliloquy is calmly made,

Where ev’ry Reason is exactly weigh’d ;

Which once perform’d, most opportunely comesA Hero frighted at the Noise of Drums,

For her sweet Sake, whom at first Sight he loves.

And all in Metaphor his Passion proves;

But some sad Accident, tho’ yet unknown,

Parting this Pair, to leave the Swain alone.

He streight grows jealous, yet we know not why •,And, to oblige his Rival, needs must die :

But first he makes a Speech, wherein he tells,

The absent Nymph, how much his Flame excels,

And yet bequeaths her generously nowTo that dear Rival whom he does not know;

Who streight appears, but who can Fate withstand ?

To late, alas! to hold his hasty Hand,

That just has giv’n himself the cruel Stroke,

At which this very Stranger's Heart is broke;

Ho

* An admirable Character in Shakespear’s Hesrythe IVth.