Crop not their humours; let the wits proceed
    Till they have thrown
  Their venom up; and made themselves indeed
    Rare fops o’ergrown: 
  Let them on nasty garbage prey and feed,
    Till all is done;
  And, by thy great resentment, think it fit
  To crush their hopes, as humble as their wit.

  Consider the occasion, and you’ll find
    Yourself severe,
  And unto rashness much more here inclined,
    By far, than they’re: 
  Consider them as in their proper kind,
    ’Tween rage and fear,
  And then the reason will appear most plain,—­
  A worm that’s trod on will turn back again.

  What if they censure without brain or sense,
    ’Tis now the fashion;
  Each giddy fop endeavours to commence
    A reformation. 
  Pardon them for their native ignorance,
    And brainsick passion;
  For, after all, true men of sense will say,—­
  Their works can never parallel thy play.

  ’Twere fond to pamper spleen, ’cause owls detest
    The light of day;
  Or real nonsense, which endures no test,
    Condemns thy play. 
  Lodge not such petty trifles in thy breast,
    But bar their sway;
  And let them know, that thy heroic bays
  Can scorn their censure, as it doth their praise.

  Think not thy answer will their nice reclaim,
    Whose heads are proof
  Against all reason, and in spite of shame
    Will stand aloof;
  ’Twould cherish further libels on thy fame,
    Should these thee move. 
  Stand firm, my Dryden, maugre all their plots,
  Thy bays shall flourish when their ivy rots.

  But if you are resolved to break your use,
    And basely sin,
  In answer; I’ll be sworn some haggard muse
    Has you in her gin;
  Or in a fit you venture to abuse
    Your Polyhymn’,
  You may serve him so far:  But if you do,
  All your true friends, sir, will reflect on you.

The remonstrance of this friendly poet was unavailing; Dryden having soon after published the following Vindication.

Footnotes: 
1.  “A Defence of the Charter and Municipal Rights of the City of
   London, and the Rights of other Municipal Cities and Towns of
   England.  Directed to the Citizens of London, by Thomas Hunt.

     Si populus vult decipi, decipiatur.

   London, printed, and to be sold, by Richard Baldwin.” 4to, pages
   46.

Wood informs us, that Thomas Hunt, the author, was educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, and was esteemed a person of quick parts, and of a ready fluency in discourse, but withal too pert and forward.  He was called to the bar, and esteemed a good lawyer.  In 1659 he became clerk of the assizes at Oxford circuit, but was ejected from the office at the Restoration, to his great loss, to make room for the true owner.  He wrote, “An Argument for the Bishops’ right