To a Poet, Who Would Have Me Praise Certain Bad Poets, Imitators of His And Mine

p. 161

TO A POET, WHO WOULD HAVE ME PRAISE CERTAIN BAD POETS, IMITATORS OF HIS AND MINE

You say, as I have often given tongue
In praise of what another's said or sung,
’Twere politic to do the like by these;
But was there ever dog that praised his fleas?