Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ADVERSARIA CRITICA, by ALFRED DENNIS GODLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ADVERSARIA CRITICA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Wars and woes the world may fill
Last Line: Just as ill-informed as t'other!
Alternate Author Name(s): Godley, A. D.
Subject(s): War


WARS and woes the world may fill,
Nations rise and slaughter nations:
But the Emendator still
Publishes his Emendations!
Still he clears the frauds away
Which for long the public cozened:
Shows what Bavius meant to say,
Shows what Maevius might, but doesn't:

Thus and thus -- if rules be rules --
Said or sang the ancient poet;
Only criminals or fools
See the truth yet fail to know it:
(When the views of other men
Fill his soul with grief and loathing,
Not an editor but then
Sticks at practically nothing!)

Still in gall his pen is dipt, --
Save whene'er he advertises
That immortal Manuscript
Which confirms his own surmises:
Only here is Truth secure,
'Spite the scribes and 'spite the ages:
Inspiration clear and pure
Wells from out its happy pages....

Say, O say, inquiring muse!
Why do men of light and leading
Take these very serious views
All about a various reading?
What shall make their feuds to cease?
-- Death alone: which soon or later
Wafts alike to realms of peace
Common man and commentator:

In that dim Ellisian glade,
There where Horace not ungently
Chaffs the very learned shade
Of the reverend Dr. Bentley,
While the bard of Chios' isle
Sees with mere contemptuous pity
Men who deemed his epic style
Moulded by a mixed committee --

There Professors famed, who once
Each the other's creed refuted,
Jones, who branded Smith a dunce,
Smith, who proved that Jones was Putid,
When for settlement they bring
Texts corrupt that used to trouble 'em,
That the bard who wrote the thing
Haply may resolve the problem, --

Then they'll hear it plainly put
How the Laws they're both so pat in
Clearly point to nothing but
Ignorance of Greek and Latin:
Thus at length will Smith and Jones
Meet as brother meets with brother,
On the basis sure that one's
Just as ill-informed as t'other!





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