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IMITATION OF HORACE Ep 20--B 1

Methinks, Oh! vain ill-judging Book, I see thee cast a wishful look, Where reputations won and lost are In famous row called Paternoster Incensed to find your precious olio Buried in unexplored port-folio, You scorn the prudent lock and key, And pant well bound and gilt to see Your Volume in theset Of Stockdale, Hookhaerous bourn Whence never Book can back return: And when you find, condelected, blamed, and criticised, Abuse from All who read you fall, (If haply you be read at all Sorely will you your folly sigh at, And wish fornow a conjuror's office, I Thus on your future Fortune prophesy:-- Soon as your novelty is o'er, And you are young and new no more, In some dark dirty corner thrown, Mouldy with damps, with cobwebs strown, Your leaves shall be the Book-worm's prey; Or sent to Chandler-Shop away, And doomed to suffer public scandal, Shall line the trunk, or wrap the candle!

But should you meet with approbation, And some one find an inclination To ask, by natural transition Respecting me and my condition; That I am one, the enquirer teach, Nor very poor, nor very rich; Of passions strong, of hasty nature, Of graceless for; Extre all whoe; In friendship fir, And thinking in the present aera That Friendship is a pure chi, Proud, obstinate, and unforgiving, But yet for those who kindness show, Ready through fire and se, 'Pray, what e?' Your faults, no doubt, will make it clear, I scarce have seen my twentieth year, Which passed, kind Reader, on e the Third

Now then your venturous course pursue: Go, ue, Oct 28, 1794 M G L