The goods of fortune to possess;
Nor with mean arrogance of mind
Exult o’er others who have less.
“Thank you, my dear,” said Mr. Sedley, when she had concluded. “These lines, I see, are the production of Dick Wilmot, as he has signed them. You must know Sir,” added he, addressing Mr. Graves, “that our young friend discovers a propensity to the Muses, and often employs his leisure in the composition of such little pieces. But he has made two long a parenthesis at the beginning, which is only excusable from the laudable motive of praising a sister, who is one of the most accomplished and best tempered girls I am acquainted with. The design of a parenthesis is only to include a short sentence in a long one, and therefore should not be too long itself, as the sense of the author ought to be complete without it. But when it is extended to too great a length, we forget the foregoing passage, and the continuation of the subject appears awkward and perplexing.” “But if the sense is as good without, then what is its use?” said Miss Sedley. “It is sometimes by way of explanation, my dear,” replied he, taking up a book from the table: “as thus, Alexander reaped great advantage from the fine taste with which his master (than whom no man possessed greater talents for the education of youth) had inspired him with from his infancy.” “Now perhaps the reader might not be acquainted with the character of Alexander’s master; and this commendation of him will inform him, that he was a man of abilities, and therefore better qualified for his employment; and yet the sense would have been perfect without this addition. But it sometimes is likewise used as an exception. Suppose I was to say, you shall all go to Windsor to-morrow (except little Bob) to see the castle and the royal family.”—“O! but pray do not leave me at home,” said Robert, starting up from the ground, where he had been sitting spinning his six-pence on the carpet. “Pray, Sir, take me with you, and I will shew you some verses as well as my sister.” “Will you?” replied Mr. Sedley; “and pray where did you get them? but I am not going to Windsor: I was only teaching Nancy the use of a parenthesis.” “Was that all?” cried Bob in a tone of disappointment. “But you shall see the poetry however. I have it in my pocket,” with an emphasis he pronounced the word. “My brother gave it to me yesterday. They were inscribed,”
To Master Robert Sedley, on his Birth-Day.
Permit me now, my dearest boy,
Again to wish you ev’ry joy
On this your natal day:
Now cast your former cloaths aside,
To dress with more becoming pride