large/10022/essayoncriticism_1505_librivox_64kb_mp3/essayoncriticism_01_pope_64kb_13
large/10022/essayoncriticism_1505_librivox_64kb_mp3/essayoncriticism_01_pope_64kb
English
10022
Launch not beyond your depth, but be discreet And mark that point where sense and dullness meet. LAUNCH NOT BEYOND YOUR DEBT BUT BE DISCREET UNMARKED POINT WHERE SENSE AND DULNESS MEET
some made coxcombs nature meant but fools In search of wit these lose their common sense And then turn critics in their own defense Each burns alike who can or cannot write Or with a rival's or an eunuch's spite All fools have still an itching to deride And fain would be upon the laughing side If Maevius scribble in Apollo's spite [34] There are who judge still worse than he can write. Some have at first for wits then poets passed Turned critics next and proved plain fools at last Some neither can for wits nor critics pass As heavy mules are neither horse nor ass. Those half-learned witlings, numerous in our isle, As half-formed insects on the banks of Nile Unfinished things one knows not what to call Their generation is so equivocal To tell them would a hundred tongues require, Or one vain wits that might a hundred tire. But you who seek to give and merit fame, And justly bear a critic's noble name, Be sure yourself and your own reach to know How far your genius taste and learning go. ILDERED IN THE MAZE OF SCHOOL AND SOME MAKE COXCOMBS NATURE MEANT WITH FOOLS IN SEARCH OF WITH THIS LOSE THEIR COMMON SENSE AND THEN TURN CRITICS IN THEIR OWN DEFENSE EACH BURNS ALIKE WHO CAN OR CANNOT WRITE OR WITH RIVALS WHEN YOU NEXT SPITE ALL FOOLS ARE STILL AN ITCHING TO DO RIGHT AND FAIN WOULD BE UPON THE LIFE INSIDE IF MEDIAL SCRIBBLE AND APOLOGY THERE ARE OR JUDGE STILL WORSE THAN HE CAN WRITE SOME HAVE AT FIRST FOR WITS AND FOR WHAT'S PAST TURN CRITICS NEXT AND PROVE TO PLAIN FOOLS AT LAST SOME NEITHER COUNT FOR WITS NOR CRITICS PRESS AS HEAVY MULES AND NEITHER HORSE NOR ASS THOSE HALF LEARNED WHITMANS NUMEROUS IN OUR ISLES AS HALF ARMED INSECTS ON THE BANKS OF NILE UNFINISHED THINGS ONE KNOWS NOT WHAT TO CALL THE GENERATION SOCIVOCAL TO TELL EM WOULD A HUNDRED TONGUES REQUIRE OR ONE VAIN WITH THAT MIGHT A HUNDRED TIRE BUT YOU WHO SEEK TO GIVE MARRIED FAME AND JUSTLY BEAR A CRITIC'S NOBLE NAME BE SURE YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN RICH TO KNOW HOW FAR YOUR GENIUS TASTE AND LEARNING GO
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