My Verse might here discharge its hasty Flight,
As Pencils that attempt Immortal Heighth
Droop in the Colours should convey its Light,
}

Did not this Poet’s Lines upon me call
For some Reflexions on a Lower Fall;
67 Where he by Rhyming, a Judaick Sham,
Obtrudes for Israelites some Seeds of Cham.
And this Inspexion needs no further go
Than where his Pen does most Indulgent show:
And ’tis no wonder if his Types of Sense
Should stroke such Figures as give down their Pence;
A Crime for which some Poets Lines so stretch,
As on themselves they Metaphor Jack Ketch.
Tho small the Varnish is to Humane Name,
Where Cogging Measures rob the truth of Fame.
And more to do his skew’d Encomiums right,
Some Persons speak by him their motly Sight:
Or much like Hudibras, on Wits pretence,
Some Lines for Rhyme, and some to gingle Sense.
Who else would Adriel, Jotham, Hushai, fit,
With loathed Amiell, for a Court of Wit?
For, as Men Squares of Circles hardly find,
Some think these Measures are as odly joyn’d.
What else could Adriell’s sharpness more abuse,
Than headlong dubb’d, to own himself a Muse,
Unless to spread Poetick Honours so
As should a Muse give each St. George’s Show?
A Mode of Glory might Parnassus fit,
Tho our Sage Prince knows few he’d Knight for Wit.
And thus this Freak is left upon the File,
Or as ’tis written in this Poet’s Stile.
Next, as in Course, to Jotham we’ll descend,
Thoughtful it seems which Side he’ll next befriend,
As thinking Brains can caper to and fro,
Before they jump into the Box they’d go.
68 And ’tis a moody Age, as many guess,
When some with busie Fears still forward press;
As ’tis Ambitions oft-deluding Cheat
To tempt Mens aims, secureless of defeat.
Hushai the Compass of th’Exchequer guides,
Propense enough unto the North besides:
As what can steady Stations more allure,
Than such, a Princely Bed does first secure?
Whose Part none are so ignorant to ask,
And does no less employ his Ends and Task.
But quitting these, we must for Prospect pass
To gaping Amiell, as reflects our Glass.
* See his, p. 27. The Him indeed of his own *Western Dome,
So near his praiseful Poet Sense may come:
* See his, p. 28. For *Amiell, Amiell, who cannot endite
Of his Thin Value won’t disdain to write?
The very Him with Gown and Mace did rule
The Sanedrim, when guided by a Fool.
The Him that did both Sense and Reason shift,
That he to gainful Place himself might lift.
The very Him that did adjust the Seed
Of such as did their Votes for Money breed.
The Mighty Him that frothy Notions vents,
In hope to turn them into Presidents.
The Him of Hims, although in Judgment small,
That fain would be the biggest at Whitehall.
The He that does for Justice Coin postpone,
As on Account may be hereafter shown.
If this plain English be, ’tis far from Trick,
Though some Lines gall, where others fawning lick;
Which fits thy Poet, Amiell, for thy Smiles,
If once more paid to blaze thy hated Toils.
69 Of Things and Persons might be added more,
Without Intelligence from Forreign Shore,
Or what Designs Ambassadors contrive,
Or how the Faithless French their Compass guide:
But Lines the busie World too much supply,
Besides th’Effects of evil Poetry,
Which much to Tory-Writers some ascribe,
Though hop’d no Furies of the Whiggish Tribe
Will on their Backs such Lines or Shapes convey,
To burn with Pope, on Great November’s Day.

FINIS.

71 [AZARIA] AND HUSHAI, A POEM. Quod cuique visum est sentiant. LONDON, Printed for Charles Lee,
An. Dom. 1682.

73

[TO THE]

READER.

I Shall not go about, either to excuse, or justifie the Publishing of this Poem; for that would be much more an harder Task than the Writing of it: But however, I shall say, in the words of the Author of the incomparable Absalom and Achitophel, That I am sure the Design is honest. If Wit and Fool be the Consequence of Whig and Tory, no doubt, but Knave and Ass may be Epithets plentifully bestowed upon me by the one party, whilst the other may grant me more favourable ones, than perhaps I do deserve. But as very few are Judges of Wit, so I think, much fewer of honesty; since Interest and Faction on either side, prejudices and blinds the Judgment; and the violence of Passion makes neither discernible in an Adversary. I know not whether my Poem has a Genius to force its way against prejudice: Opinion sways much in the World, and he that has once gained it writes securely. I speak not this any ways to lessen the merits of an Author, whose Wit has deservedly gained the Bays; but in this I have the advantage, since, as I desire not Glory or vain applause, I can securely wrap my self in my own Cloud, and remain unknown, whilest he is exposed through his great Lustre. I shall never envy what I desire not, nor am I altogether so doting, as to believe the Issues of my own Brain to exceed all others, and to be so very fond of them, (as most Authors, especially Poets, are) as to think them without fault, or be so blinded as not to see their blemishes, and that they are excelled by others; yet since Poems are like Children, it may be allowed me to be naturally inclined to have some good Opinion of my own, and not to believe this Poem altogether despicable or ridiculous. The Ancients say, that every thing hath two handles, I have laid hold of that opposite to the Author of Absalom: As to Truth, who has the better hold, let the World judge; and it is no new thing, for the same Persons, to be ill or well 74 represented, by several parties. I hope then, I may be excused as well as another, since I have told my Dreams with the same Liberty, for the fancies of Poets are no more than waking Dreams, and never imposed as dogmatical precepts, which are more agreeable to truth or falshood, or according to the Poets Language, which proceed from the Horny or Ivory Port, will be sentenced according to the Humour and Interest of several Parties who in spite of our Teeth will be our judges. Where I have been satyrical, ’tis without Malice or Revenge; and though I brag not of my Talent therein, I could have said much worse, of some Enemies to our Jewish Heroe. He that will lash others, ought not to be angry if the like be returned to himself: Lex talionis is a general and natural Law. I call not this an Answer to Absalom, I have nothing to do with him, he was a Rebel to his Father; my Azaria a good Son, influenced by a worthy and Loyal Counsellor, and Achitophel and Hushai were men of contrary Opinions, and different Principles: And if Poets (as it is often brought for their excuse, when they vary from known History) ought to represent Persons as they ought to be, I have not transcurred the Precepts of Poetry, and Absalom is not so good a Poem, because his Character is not so agreeable to the virtue of an Heroe, as this of Azaria is: But certainly when Poetry and Truth are joyned together, and that the persons are truly what they are represented, and liv’d their Character, the glory is double, both to the Heroe and the Poet: And I could wish, that the same Hand, that drew the Rebellious Son, with so much Ingenuity and Skill, would out do mine, in shewing the virtues of an obedient Son and loyal Counsellor, since he may have as much Truth for a Foundation to build upon, the Artful Structure of the Heroes Glory, with his own Fame and Immortality.