Lie Philo untouch’d, on my peaceable shelf,
Nor take it amiss that so little I heed thee;
I’ve no envy to thee, and some love to myself:
Then why should I answer since first I must read thee?
Drunk with Helicon’s waters, and double-brew’d bub,
Be a linguist, a poet, a critic, a wag;
To the solid delight of thy well-judging club,
To the damage alone of thy bookseller Brag.
Pursue me with satire; what harm is there in’t?
But from all viva voce reflection forbear;
There can be no danger from what thou shalt print,
There may be a little from what thou may’st swear.
(Matthew Prior)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Literature Poems, Poets PoemsBased on Keywords: voce, viva, bookseller, bub, linguist, philo, well-judging