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Poem
January 5, 1788
The Daily Advertiser
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
A satirical poem addressed to 'Mr.', rebuking him as a vain, malicious fool and urging him to repent and retreat into obscurity for his crimes and base assertions.
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OCR Quality
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Excellent
Full Text
To Mr.:
TELL me, thou fool—and tremble while
I ask
Art thou accomplished for the liberal task?
Tell me where art thou—where didst thou
acquire
Such vain—such proud—impertinent desires
Say, dastard caitiff, would it not be right
To hurl thee headlong from thy vaunting
height
Prone to the earth! There for thy crimes
atone—
For crimes which infamy would blush to
own:
Then might thy tongue infernal malice
spend.
And base assertions there might have an end.
Look o'er thy conduct—read this honest
blame,
And if a particle of sense or shame
Lives in thy breast, thou must of course re-
treat
To dark oblivion, and renounce the great:
When by the tears of penitence thou may
Attempt to wash thy heavier guilt away;
And there, while favored by the dark abode.
Learn to pursue some unambitious road.
Jan. 3d. J. C. D.
TELL me, thou fool—and tremble while
I ask
Art thou accomplished for the liberal task?
Tell me where art thou—where didst thou
acquire
Such vain—such proud—impertinent desires
Say, dastard caitiff, would it not be right
To hurl thee headlong from thy vaunting
height
Prone to the earth! There for thy crimes
atone—
For crimes which infamy would blush to
own:
Then might thy tongue infernal malice
spend.
And base assertions there might have an end.
Look o'er thy conduct—read this honest
blame,
And if a particle of sense or shame
Lives in thy breast, thou must of course re-
treat
To dark oblivion, and renounce the great:
When by the tears of penitence thou may
Attempt to wash thy heavier guilt away;
And there, while favored by the dark abode.
Learn to pursue some unambitious road.
Jan. 3d. J. C. D.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Satire
Vanity
Rebuke
Penitence
Malice
Shame
What entities or persons were involved?
J. C. D.
Poem Details
Title
To Mr.:
Author
J. C. D.
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
Tell Me, Thou Fool—And Tremble While I Ask
Art Thou Accomplished For The Liberal Task?
Say, Dastard Caitiff, Would It Not Be Right
To Hurl Thee Headlong From Thy Vaunting Height
Look O'er Thy Conduct—Read This Honest Blame