To a Knot of Ungenerous Critics
- 1Rail on, Rail on, ye heartless crew!
- 2My strains were never meant for you;
- 3Remorseless Rancour still reveal,
- 4And damn the verse you cannot feel.
- 5Invoke those kindred passions' aid,
- 6Whose baleful stings your breasts pervade;
- 7Crush, if you can, the hopes of youth,
- 8Trampling regardless on the Truth:
- 9Truth's Records you consult in vain,
- 10She will not blast her native strain;
- 11She will assist her votary's cause,
- 12His will at least be her applause,
- 13Your prayer the gentle Power will spurn;
- 14To Fiction's motley altar turn,
- 15Who joyful in the fond address
- 16Her favoured worshippers will bless:
- 17And lo! she holds a magic glass,
- 18Where Images reflected pass,
- 19Bent on your knees the Boon receive--
- 20This will assist you to deceive--
- 21The glittering gift was made for you,
- 22Now hold it up to public view;
- 23Lest evil unforeseen betide,
- 24A Mask each canker'd brow shall hide,
- 25(Whilst Truth my sole desire is nigh,
- 26Prepared the danger to defy,)
- 27"There is the Maid's perverted name,
- 28And there the Poet's guilty Flame,
- 29Gloaming a deep phosphoric fire,
- 30Threatening--but ere it spreads, retire.
- 31Says Truth Up Virgins, do not fear!
- 32The Comet rolls its Influence here;
- 33'Tis Scandal's Mirror you perceive,
- 34These dazzling Meteors but deceive--
- 35Approach and touch--Nay do not turn
- 36It blazes there, but will not burn."--
- 37At once the shivering Mirror flies,
- 38Teeming no more with varnished Lies;
- 39The baffled friends of Fiction start,
- 40Too late desiring to depart--
- 41Truth poising high Ithuriel's spear
- 42Bids every Fiend unmask'd appear,
- 43The vizard tears from every face,
- 44And dooms them to a dire disgrace.
- 45For e'er they compass their escape,
- 46Each takes perforce a native shape--
- 47The Leader of the wrathful Band,
- 48Behold a portly Female stand!
- 49She raves, impelled by private pique,
- 50This mean unjust revenge to seek;
- 51From vice to save this virtuous Age,
- 52Thus does she vent indecent rage!
- 53What child has she of promise fair,
- 54Who claims a fostering Mother's care?
- 55Whose Innocence requires defence,
- 56Or forms at least a smooth pretence,
- 57Thus to disturb a harmless Boy,
- 58His humble hope, and peace annoy?
- 59She need not fear the amorous rhyme,
- 60Love will not tempt her future time,
- 61For her his wings have ceased to spread,
- 62No more he flutters round her head;
- 63Her day's Meridian now is past,
- 64The clouds of Age her Sun o'ercast;
- 65To her the strain was never sent,
- 66For feeling Souls alone 'twas meant--
- 67The verse she seized, unask'd, unbade,
- 68And damn'd, ere yet the whole was read!
- 69Yes! for one single erring verse,
- 70Pronounced an unrelenting Curse;
- 71Yes! at a first and transient view,
- 72Condemned a heart she never knew.--
- 73Can such a verdict then decide,
- 74Which springs from disappointed pride?
- 75Without a wondrous share of Wit,
- 76To judge is such a Matron fit?
- 77The rest of the censorious throng
- 78Who to this zealous Band belong,
- 79To her a general homage pay,
- 80And right or wrong her wish obey:
- 81Why should I point my pen of steel
- 82To break "such flies upon the wheel?"
- 83With minds to Truth and Sense unknown,
- 84Who dare not call their words their own.
- 85Rail on, Rail on, ye heartless Crew!
- 86Your Leader's grand design pursue:
- 87Secure behind her ample shield,
- 88Yours is the harvest of the field.--
- 89My path with thorns you cannot strew,
- 90Nay more, my warmest thanks are due;
- 91When such as you revile my Name,
- 92Bright beams the rising Sun of Fame,
- 93Chasing the shades of envious night,
- 94Outshining every critic Light.--
- 95Such, such as you will serve to show
- 96Each radiant tint with higher glow.
- 97Vain is the feeble cheerless toil,
- 98Your efforts on yourselves recoil;
- 99Then Glory still for me you raise,
- 100Yours is the Censure, mine the Praise.
BYRON,