Classic Poem

At your pleasure here I hold
" Atalanta snowy-souled":
Rather smudgy tho', — the gold
Not so brilliant as of old;
First E DITION , — that is plain;
Monogram of J. B. P AYNE ...
Dogg'rel this, but it was reckoned
Metre under G EORGE THE S ECOND .
Then a man was thought a Bard
If by striving very hard
He could write — say once a quarter,
Something just as long, or shorter.
Straight they crowned his head with bay,
Nobles took him home to " tay";
Maids of honour for his muse
Quite forgot their " P's" and " Q's."
See his name on all the posts;
People rush to buy in hosts
T ONSON'S last impression with
Author's portrait, done by Smith ;
All his little words are quoted;
All his little airs are noted;
And, if he goes trickling on
From his paltry Helicon,
He is made Court-Footman or,
Possibly, Ambassador!