An Answer to Some Verses Made in his Praise

The ancient poets and their learned rimesWe still admire in these our later times,And celebrate their fames. Thus, though they die,Their names can never taste mortality:Blind Homer's muse and Virgil's stately verse,5While any live, shall never need a herse.Since then to these such praise was justly dueFor what they did, what shall be said to you?These had their helps: they writ of gods and kings,Of temples, battles, and such gallant things;10But you of nothing: how could you have writ,Had you but chose a subject to your wit?To praise Achilles, or the Trojan crew,Shewed little art, for praise was but their due.To say she's fair that's fair, this is no pains:15He shows himself most poet, that most feigns.

To find out virtues strangely hid in me;Ay, there's the art and learned poetry!To make one striding of a barbed steed,Prancing a stately round—I use indeed20To ride Bat Jewel's jade—this is the skill,This shows the poet wants not wit at will.I must admire aloof, and for my partBe well contented, since you do 't with art.