Answertotheforegoing,1731.ByJ.S.—MYdearestboy,Apollo'sandtheprelate'sjoy;Yoursharprebukecamesafetohand,Andspeedyanswerdoesdemand.Youchargemehome—ourconsciousMuseWou'dfainsaysomethinginexcuse.Thepromisemademustbeconfess'd,Buthere,Sir—distinguendumest.Apromisebrokeandonedelay'dDifferasmuchaslightandshade.BythisdistinctionallyourwhoresAndcourtiersIturnoutofdoors,And,byinductionlogicalProve,theyaffectnotmeatall.Butifmylogicbenotgood,I'llproveitfromthewordofGod,Whichservestoclearallsortsofcases,Andwearsamasqueradeoffaces.Whenbloody-mindedJephthaswore,Ifhereturn'daconqueror,He'dofferupinsacrificeWhatfromhishousefirstmethiseyes;AndwhenhisgirlandonlychildHasten'dtowelcomefromthefieldWithpiousjoyherprosp'roussire,Gailydancingtothelyre;TheholybutcherunderstoodHispromise'sperformancegood,Tho'forayearthevirginstray'd,Andweptherunlostmaidenhead.Thus,Sir,youseewemenoflettersCan,likeJackShepherd,cutourfetters;Whenpinch'd,wefilescholasticsaw,Andironisnomorethanstraw:Themanisthoughttohavenobrains,Whocan'tbreakloose,orbindinchains.YourSykes'sandyourWaterlandsHavenothingelseupontheirhands:Theystandprepar'dwithdoubletackleTofix,ortoremovetheshackle.But,mydearboy,we'llonlytyeThesilkenbandsofamity;Orsuchashock-tideboysandmissesWithlaughterbind,andharmlesskisses;Indulgethefreepoeticmeasure,Andmimicdiscordformorepleasure.Butafteralltheselongpreambles,Inwhichournag,atbest,butambles:Afterourpleaofmeredelay,'Tisfitwethinkourdebttopay.Soonthenasbusinesswillpermit,We'llsendyouupanothersheet,Fullfraughtwithourmostlearn'dadvice,Inwhichwemustbesomewhatnice;We'llrouseourthoughts,andtakeduetime,Andtriflenotindogrelrhime;Butboldlywhipthewingedsteed,Andraisehimtoanoblerspeed.Quoddignumtantoferethicpromissorhiatu?Horace, De Arte Poetica liber138.