Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/88

30 On one that fits our purpose most, Whom therefore thus we do accost:— Thou that with ale, or viler liquors, Didst inspire Withers, Pryn, and Vickars, And force them, though it were in spite Of Nature, and their stars, to write; Who, as we find in sullen writs, And cross-grain'd works of modern wits, With vanity, opinion, want, The wonder of the ignorant, The praises of the author, penn'd By himself, or wit-insuring friend; The itch of picture in the front, With bays, and wicked rhyme upon't, All that is left o' th' forked hill To make men scribble without skill; Canst make a poet, spite of fate, And teach all people to translate; Though out of languages, in which They understand no part of speech; Assist me but this once, I 'mplore, And I shall trouble thee no more. In western clime there is a town, To those that dwell therein well known, Therefore there needs no more be said here, We unto them refer our reader; For brevity is very good. When w' are, or are not understood. To this town people did repair On days of market, or of fair,