cv
English Encouragement of Art : Cro-
mek's opinions put into rhyme
1If you mean to Please Everybody, you will
Menny wouver both Bunglishness & skill ;
For a great conquest are Bunglers,
And . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . like mad ranters !
5Like displaying oil and water in a lamp, 5
'Twill hold forth a huge splutter with smoke and damp ;
For it 's all sheer loss, as it seems to me,
Of displaying up a light when we want not to see.
MS. Book, p. 41. EY i. 223 (with ' Encouragers' for 'Encouragement'
and 'opinion' for 'opinions' in title) print the earlier and clearer version
which reads : —
- *1 'If you mean to please everybody you will
- Set to work both ignorance and skill.
- For a great multitude are ignorant,
- And skill to them seems raving and rant.
- *5 Like putting oil and water in a lamp,
- 'Twill make a great splutter with smoke and damp.
- For there is no use as it seems to me
- Of lighting a lamp, when you don't wish to see.'
2 Menny wouver] read manoeuvre. See note to civ, 1. 4. 4 Obscurely
written. *5 in] into EY. *8 Of] For EY.
cxvi
1 You say their Pictures well Painted be,
And yet they are blockheads you all agree :
Thank God ! I never was sent to school
To be Flog'd into following the Style of a Fool.
5 The errors of a wise man make your Rule, 5
Rather than the Perfections of a Fool.
MS. Book, p. 42. The last couplet is separated from the two preceding
by a sketch. DGR and WMR print the second and third couplets as
separate epigrams ; EY i. 223, 11. 1-4, and 5, 6 as distinct pieces ; WBY the
last couplet only.
3 God] heaven EY. 4 To . . . Fool] To learn to admire the works
of a Fool MS. Book 1st rdg. del.
