B: St. John Chapter Eight, Verse Six & Eight

[jeff harrison]

Readers, the liberty which I take 
in addressing to you the trifling 
production of a few idle hours, 
will doubtless move your wonder 
and probably your contempt 


I will not, however, with the futility of 
apologies, intrude upon your time, but 
briefly acknowledge the motives of 
my temerity lest by a premature exercise 
of that patience which I hope will befriend 
me, I should lessen its benevolence & be 
accessary to my own condemnation 


Without name, without recommendation, & 
unknown alike to success & disgrace, to whom 
can I so properly apply for patronage, as to 
those who publicly profess themselves inspectors 
of all literary performances? 


The extensive plan of your critical observations - 
which, not confined to works of utility or ingenuity, 
is equally open to those of frivolous experimentation - 
and, yet worse than frivolous, dullness, - encourages me 
to seek for your protection, since, - perhaps for my crimes! - 
it entitles me to your annotations. To resent, therefore, 
this offering, however insignificant, would ill become 
the universality of your undertaking; tho not to despise it 
may, alas!, be out of your power 


The language of adulation & the incense of flattery, 
tho the natural inheritance, & constant resource, 
from time immemorial, of the poet, to me offer nothing 
but the wistful regret that I dare not invoke their aid. 
Sinister views would be imputed to all I could say, 
since, thus situated, to extol your judgment wd seem 
the effect of art, & to celebrate your impartiality 
be attributed to creating desire for that impartiality 


You are bound by the sacred ties of integrity 
to exert the most spirited impartiality, and to 
which your suffrages should carry the marks of 
pure, dauntless, irrefragable truth - to appeal 
to your mercy were to solicit your dishonor 
and therefore, - though 'tis sweeter than 
frankincense - more grateful to the senses 
than all the perfumes of Arabia - and tho it 
droppeth like the gentle rain from heaven 
upon the place beneath - I court it not! To 
your justice alone am I entitled, and by that I 
must abide 


Your engagements are not to the supplicating 
poets but to the candid public, which will not 
fail to crave the penalty & forfeit of your bond 


No hackneyed writer, inured to abuse & callous 
to criticism, here braves your severity - neither 
does a half-starved garreteer obliged by hunger 
implore your lenity: your examination will be alike 
unbiased by partiality - no refractory murmuring 
will follow your censure, no private interest shall 
be gratified by your praise 


Here let me rest - & snatch myself, while I 
yet am able, from the fascination of egotism - 
an immortal who has more votaries than ever 
did homage to the most popular deity of antiquity 
& whose singular quality is that while it excites 
a blind & involuntary adoration in almost every 
individual its influence is universally disallowed, its 
power universally contemned, and its worship, 
even by its followers, never mentioned 
but with abhorrence, and present you here 
with my poem, a sequel at that, for your 
possible enjoyment & hopeful instruction: 


B: St. John Chapter Eight, Verse Six & Eight 


ST. JOHN CHAPTER EIGHT, VERSE SIX 

you were the toad, I was the sun's rat 
such, such did we seize! that the sun 
did herself turn rat in vengeance 



ST. JOHN CHAPTER EIGHT, VERSE EIGHT 

dark as 
flow long the skies through Assyrian 
king all shipwreck'd in perfumes & moon 
or 
dark as 
flies glad the king's hour has come 
no less 
dark as these, quiet as this, then - 
gleam ye, weary snare, gleam as Virginia's 
disimpassioned spectre you pierce through 


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