Epistle to the Editor of Friendship’s Offering
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2022
Summary
Honoured and gifted Friend,
Why ask of me, a votary of the Nine,
My bootless aid to lend
E’en to one page of such a tome as thine?
Hast thou not heard the news,
That BARDS and POESY are “out of date?”
And that the only Mews,
Now cared for, is of quadrupedal state?
“Cui bono?” is the cry:—
Mechanics’ Institutes, Steam-engines, Shares
In some New Company,—
Omnium, and Scrip, the talk of Bulls and Bears.
Some new and vulgar wonder
Far more than Poetry may hope to please;—
Thames and its Tunnel under,
Or else Don Miguel and the Portuguese!
Or Wright, and his Champagne,
So much per dozen, counting in the packing;
The price of hides and grain,
Or peerless qualities of Warren's Blacking!
Such are the themes and things
Which now are popular: but who for such
Could tune the lyre's sweet strings,
Nor feel that he profaned them by his touch?
Then be the harp unstrung
’Till simple Nature re-assert her reign;
And hearts, once more grown young,
Respond with feeling to its gentlest strain.
’Till then, alas! I fear
Whoe’er may sing the world will heed them not;
But just as soon would hear
Sir William Curtis as Sir Walter Scott!
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- Information
- Selected Poems of Bernard Barton, the 'Quaker Poet' , pp. 194 - 196Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2020