Page:Vida's Art of Poetry.djvu/110

 Then can we fear with groundless diffidence A want of words that shall express our sense?


 * if compell'd by want, you may produce

And bring an antiquated word in use; A word earsterst [sic] well receiv'd, in days of Yore, A word our old forefathers us'd before: O'er ages past, the daring bard may climb, Nathless, and maugre the dark walks of time. Well pleas'd the reader's wonder to engage, He brings our grandsiresgrandsires' [sic] habit on the stage, And garbs that whilom grac'd an uncouth age. Yet must not such appear in ev'ry place; When rang'd too thick, the poem they disgrace. Since of new words such numbers you command, Deal out the old ones with a sparing hand. When e'er your images can lay no claim To a fixt term, and want a certain name; To paint one thing, the licens'd bard affords A pompous circle, and a crowd of words.