Of such correction, will have cause to boast. 
  In such a satire all would seek a share,
  And every fool will fancy he is there. 
  Old story-tellers too must pine and die,
  To see their antiquated wit laid by;
  Like her, who miss’d her name in a lampoon,
  And grieved to find herself decay’d so soon. 
  No common coxcomb must be mentioned here: 
  Not the dull train of dancing sparks appear; 50
  Nor fluttering officers who never fight;
  Of such a wretched rabble who would write? 
  Much less half wits:  that’s more against our rules;
  For they are fops, the other are but fools. 
  Who would not be as silly as Dunbar? 
  As dull as Monmouth, rather than Sir Carr?[52]
  The cunning courtier should be slighted too,
  Who with dull knavery makes so much ado;
  Till the shrewd fool, by thriving too, too fast,
  Like AEsop’s fox becomes a prey at last. 60
  Nor shall the royal mistresses be named,
  Too ugly, or too easy to be blamed,
  With whom each rhyming fool keeps such a pother,
  They are as common that way as the other: 
  Yet sauntering Charles, between his beastly brace,[53]
  Meets with dissembling still in either place,
  Affected humour, or a painted face. 
  In loyal libels we have often told him,
  How one has jilted him, the other sold him: 
  How that affects to laugh, how this to weep; 70
  But who can rail so long as he can sleep? 
  Was ever prince by two at once misled,
  False, foolish, old, ill-natured, and ill-bred? 
  Earnely[54] and Aylesbury[55] with all that race
  Of busy blockheads, shall have here no place;
  At council set as foils on Danby’s[56] score,
  To make that great false jewel shine the more;
  Who all that while was thought exceeding wise,
  Only for taking pains and telling lies. 
  But there’s no meddling with such nauseous men; 80
  Their very names have tired my lazy pen: 
  ’Tis time to quit their company, and choose
  Some fitter subject for sharper muse.

   First, let’s behold the merriest man alive[57]
  Against his careless genius vainly strive;
  Quit his dear ease, some deep design to lay,
  ’Gainst a set time, and then forget the day: 
  Yet he will laugh at his best friends, and be
  Just as good company as Nokes and Lee.[58]
  But when he aims at reason or at rule, 90
  He turns himself the best to ridicule;
  Let him at business ne’er so earnest sit,
  Show him but mirth, and bait that mirth with wit;
  That shadow of a jest shall be enjoy’d,
  Though he left all mankind to be destroy’d. 
  So cat transform’d sat gravely and demure,
  Till mouse appear’d, and thought himself secure;
  But soon the lady had him in her eye,
  And from her friend did just as oddly