Sandys Ghost ; A Proper Ballad on the New Ovid’s Metamorphosis poem – Alexander Pope

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) , the greatest English poet of “Augustan” or Georgian period

Ye Lords and Commons, Men of Wit,

And Pleasure about Town;

Read this ere you translate one Bit

Of Books of high Renown.

Beware of Latin Authors all!

Nor think your Verses Sterling,

Though with a Golden Pen you scrawl,

And scribble in a Berlin:

For not the Desk with silver Nails,

Nor Bureau of Expense,

Nor standish well japann’d avails,

To writing of good Sense.

Hear how a Ghost in dead of Night,

With saucer Eyes of Fire,

In woeful wise did sore affright

A Wit and courtly ‘Squire.

Rare Imp and Phoebus, hopeful Youth

Like Puppy tame that uses

To fetch and carry, in his Mouth,

The Works of all the Muses.

Ah! why did he write Poetry,

That hereto was so civil;

And sell his soul for vanity,

To Rhyming and the Devil?

A Desk he had of curious Work,

With glittering Studs about;

Within the same did Sandys lurk,

Though Ovid lay without.

Now as he scratch’d to fetch up Thought,

Forth popp’d the Sprite so thin;

And from the Key-hole bolted out,

All upright as a Pin.

With Whiskers, Band, and Pantaloon,

And Ruff composed most duly;

This ‘Squire he dropp’d his Pen full soon,

While as the Light burnt bluely.

“Ho! Master Sam,” quoth Sandys’ sprite,

“Write on, nor let me scare ye;

Forsooth, if Rhymes fall in not right,

To Budgell seek, or Carey.

“I hear the Beat of Jacob’s Drums,

Poor Ovid finds no Quarter!

See first the merry Pembroke comes

In Haste, without his Garter.

“Then Lords and Lordlings, ‘Squires and Knights,

Wits, Witlings, Prigs and Peers!

Garth at St. James’s, and at White’s,

Beats up for Volunteers.

“What Fenton will not do, nor Gay,

Nor Congreve, Rowe, nor Stanyan,

Tom Burnet or Tom D’Urfey may,

John Dunton, Steele, or any one.

“If Justice Philips’ costive head

Some frigid Rhymes disburses;

They shall like Persian Tales be read,

And glad both Babes and Nurses.

“Let Warwick’s Muse with Ashurst join,

And Ozell’s with Lord Hervey’s:

Tickell and Addison combine,

And P-pe translate with Jervas.

“Landsdowne himself, that lively Lord,

Who bows to every Lady,

Shall join with Frowde in one Accord,

And be like Tate and Brady.

“Ye Ladies too draw forth your pen,

I pray where can the hurt lie?

Since you have Brains as well as Men,

As witness Lady Wortley.

“Now, Tonson, list thy Forces all,

Review them, and tell Noses;

For to poor Ovid shall befal

A strange Metamorphosis.

“A Metamorphosis more strange

Than all his Books can vapour;”

‘To what’ (quoth ‘squire) ‘shall Ovid change?’

Quoth Sandys: “To waste paper.”

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• Reproof: A Satire. by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
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• Love Elegy (in imitation of Tibullus) by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• “Let the nymph still avoid and be deaf to the swain” by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• To Independence by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• “From the man whom I love, though my heart I disguise,” by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• “Come listen, ye students of every degree” by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• Blue-Eyed Ann by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• Advice: A Satire. by Tobias Smollett by Tobias Smollett
• You Will Forget! by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• Words Of Love Forevermore by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• What Is Woman But A Song! by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• The Squirrel by Todd H. C. Fischer by Poetry In English
• The Pulling Away by Timothy Cole by Poetry In English
• The moon at noon by Tom Mukasa by Poetry In English
• The Leather Suitcase by Tom Berman by Poetry In English
• The Mocking Bird by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• The Heart That Is Pining by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• The Clime Of My Birth by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English
• The Bird Has Vanished by Timothy Thomas Fortune by Poetry In English

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