To his loving friend the Author.
To laud thy muse, or thee to crown with praise,
Is but to light my tapers to the rays
Of gold-locked Phœbus: since the scheme
Of fabled truth, thy waking seeming dream,
Thy ever-living-loving fame in arts—
Of arts, to us in whole and part imparts.
In arts, thy judgement, phrase, invention,
Of arts, thy poet's vindication.