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Letter to Editor
May 15, 1793
National Gazette
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
An extract from a New York letter criticizes Peter Pindar's poem 'The Captive King' mourning Louis XVI's death as hypocritical and whiny, accuses English poets of sycophancy to courts, and advocates for poetry to serve morality and republican virtue.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Extract of a letter from New York.
"A copy of verses, entitled The Captive King, has been published and avowed as his own by Peter Pindar, in a barren, whining, hypocritical strain, bemoaning the death of Louis the 16th, and reflecting on the national sentence. Such a production well accords with the liberality of a man who some years ago published to his countrymen, that in the free and independent republics of America, 'every Scoundrel is a king.'—It is remarkable, to the disgrace of genius, that most of the English poets have ever been sycophants, hangers on, and time-servers to courts— Peter Pindar, ultimately, does not appear to be an exception, notwithstanding he formerly filled his purse by ridiculing his poor king.—May the times advance when the divine spirit of poetry will only be subservient to the advancement of morality and republican virtue."
"A copy of verses, entitled The Captive King, has been published and avowed as his own by Peter Pindar, in a barren, whining, hypocritical strain, bemoaning the death of Louis the 16th, and reflecting on the national sentence. Such a production well accords with the liberality of a man who some years ago published to his countrymen, that in the free and independent republics of America, 'every Scoundrel is a king.'—It is remarkable, to the disgrace of genius, that most of the English poets have ever been sycophants, hangers on, and time-servers to courts— Peter Pindar, ultimately, does not appear to be an exception, notwithstanding he formerly filled his purse by ridiculing his poor king.—May the times advance when the divine spirit of poetry will only be subservient to the advancement of morality and republican virtue."
What sub-type of article is it?
Satirical
Persuasive
Social Critique
What themes does it cover?
Politics
Morality
What keywords are associated?
Peter Pindar
Louis Xvi
Captive King
English Poets
Sycophants
Republican Virtue
Morality
Letter to Editor Details
Main Argument
peter pindar's poem on louis xvi's death is hypocritical given his past writings, english poets are typically sycophants to courts, and poetry should advance morality and republican virtue.
Notable Details
Quotes Peter Pindar's Past Statement On America: 'Every Scoundrel Is A King.'
References To English Poets As Sycophants And Time Servers.