ABSTRACT
By a Bookseller’s Journeyman Vers'd by experience in the subtle art, The myst'ries of a title I impart: Teach the young author how to please the town, And make the heavy drug of rhyme go down. Since Curl, immortal, never-dying name! 5 A double Pica in the book of Fame, By various arts did various dunces prop, And tickled ev'ry fancy to his shop, Who can, like Pottinger, ensure a book? Who judges with the solid taste of Cooke? 10 Villains, exalted in the midway sky, Shall live again to drain your purses dry: Nor yet unrivall'd they; see Baldwin comes, Rich in inventions, patents, cuts, and hums: The honourable Boswell writes, 'tis true, – 15 What else can Paoli's supporters do? The trading wits endeavour to attain, Like booksellers, the world's first idol – gain. For this they puff the heavy Goldsmith's line, And hail his sentiment, though trite, divine; 20 For this the patriotic bard complains, And Bingley binds poor Liberty in chains: For this was ev'ry reader's faith deceiv'd, 40And Edmunds swore what nobody believ'd: For this the wits in close disguises fight; 25 For this the varying politicians write; For this each month new magazines are sold, With dullness fill'd and transcripts of the old. The Town and Country struck a lucky hit, Was novel, sentimental, full of wit: 30 Aping her walk the same success to find, The Court and City hobbles far behind. Sons of Apollo, learn: merit's no more Than a good frontispiece to grace the door; The author who invents a title well 35 Will always find his cover'd dullness sell: Flexney and ev'ry bookseller will buy – Bound in neat calf, the work will never die.
