If these should an advantage take And on thy fame a depredation make, You must submit to the unhappiness; These are the common enemies of our belief and art, 90 And by hostility possess'd The world's much greater part: All things with them are measur'd by success: If the battle be not won; If the author do not sell; Into their dull capacities it will not sink, They cannot with deliberation think How bravely the commander led them on, No nor wherein the book was written well: When ('tis a thing impossible to do) 100 He cannot find his army courage (Sir), nor you Your readers, learning, wit, and judgement too. ROBERT THOMPSON, LL.D. [Line: 103 I have not identified Robert Thompson, LL.D., but I shall always think of him as author of some of the worst Pindaric of his time, which is saying a great deal.] To my Friend Mr. Thomas Flatman, on the Publishing of these his Poems. Let not (my friend) th' incredulous sceptic man Dispute what potent Art and Nature can! Let him believe, the birds that did bemoan The loss of Zeuxis' grapes in querulous tone, Were silenc'd by a painted dragon, found A _Telesme_ to restrain their chatt'ring sound, And that one made a mistress could enforce A neighing sigh, ev'n from a stallion horse! Let old Timanthes now unveil the face Of his Atrides, thou'lt give sorrow grace! 10 Now may Parrhasius let his curtain stand! And great Protogenes take off his hand! For all that lying Greece and Latium too Have told us of, thou (only thou) mak'st true. And all the miracles which they could show, Remain no longer faith; but science now. Thou dost those things that no man else durst do, Thou paint'st the lightning, and the thunder too! The soul and voice! Thou'lt make Turks, Jews, with Romanists consent, 20 To break the second great Commandement: And them persuade an adoration giv'n In picture, will as grateful be to Heav'n As one in metre. Th' art is in excess; But yet thy ingenuity makes it less. With pen and pencil thou dost all outshine, In speaking picture, Poesy divine. Poets, creators are! You made us know Those are above, and dread those are below; But 'tis no wonder you such things can dare, 30 That painter, poet, and a prophet are. The stars themselves think it no scorn to be Plac'd, and directed in their way by thee. Thou know'st their virtue, and their situation, The fate of years, and every great mutation; With the same kindness let them look on Earth, As when they gave thee first thy happy birth! The sober Saturn aspects Cynthia bright, Resigning hers, to give us thy new light. 40 The gentle Venus rose with Mercury (Presage of softness in thy Poesy), And Jove and Mars in amicable Trine Do still give spirit to thy polish'd line.