HIPPODROMANIA ? 



Since I scarce know Van Tromp from Blue 

 Bonnet, 

 Though I might know Cigar from the Nun. 



With *' visions" you ought to be sated 



And sicken'd by this time, I swear 

 That mine are all myths, self-created. 



Air visions that vanish in air ; 

 If I had some loose coins I might chuck one, 



To settle this question and say, 

 " Here goes ! this is tails for the black one, 



And heads for my fav'rite, the bay." 



And must I rob Paul to pay Peter, 



Or Peter defraud to pay Paul ? 

 My rhymes, are they stale ? if my metre 



Is varied, one chime rings through all ; 

 One chime — though I sing more or sing less, 



I have but one string to my lute, 

 And it might have been better if, stringless 



And songless, the same had been mute. 



Yet not as a seer of visions, 



Nor yet as a dreamer of dreams, 



I send you these partial decisions 



On hackney'd, impoverish'd themes, 



141 



