Upon the same Subject

1

Some will a line or two from Horace take,2
And pick his fancies, which their own they make,3
And some4 of Homer, Virgil, Ovid sweet
Will steal, and make them in their books5 to meet,
Yet make6 them not in their right shapes appear,7             5
But like as spirits in dark shades to err;8
Thus as magicians spirit-troublers they’re,9
And may the name of poet-jugglers bear,10
Which th’ignorant by sorcery11 delude,
Showing false glasses to the multitude,                                 10
And with a small and undiscernèd12 hair,
They pull Truth out the place wherein13 she were.
These should by th’poets laws be hanged, and so14
Into the Hell of condemnation go.15

  1. This title does not appear in 1653, though the change of poetic form pretty clearly signals the start of a new poem.
  2. Some will a line or two from Horace take,] Some take a Line, or two of Horace Wit, 1653
  3. And pick his fancies, which their own they make,] And here, and there they will a Fancy pick. 1653
  4. some] so 1653
  5. Will steal, and make them in their books] Makes all those Poets in their Book 1653
  6. make] makes 1653
  7. in their right shapes appear,] appeare in their right shapes, 1653
  8. as spirits in dark shades to err;] to Ghosts do wander in dark Shades. 1653
  9. Thus as magicians spirit-troublers they’re,] But those that do so, are but Poet-Juglers, 1653
  10. may the name of poet-jugglers bear,] like to Conjurers, are Spirit-troublers. 1653
  11. Which th’ignorant by sorcery] By Sorcery the Ignorant 1653
  12. undiscernèd] undiscerning 1653
  13. They pull Truth out the place wherein] Do pull great Truth out of her place 1664, 1668
  14. These should by th’poets laws be hanged, and so] But by the Poets Lawes they should be hang’d, 1653
  15. Into the Hell of condemnation go.] And in the Hell of Condemnation damn’d. 1653