Classic Poem

On his Translation of the Characters of THEOPHRASTUS

Tis rumour'd, Budgell on a time
Writing 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? God 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 .