"
Mr. PAYN remarked sharply:--
"It would cost him some trouble to find one. I've never found a jolly
chapter of RABELAIS in my life, and what's more I mean to say so some
day and watch the faces."
Well, Mr. PAYN believed in stating his own views truthfully. No doubt
the necessity of finding a rhyme for "Chablis" had something to do
with the appearance of RABELAIS' name at the end of that line. But
_that_ cannot have been the reason why POPE, being under no compulsion
of rhyme, brought RABELAIS into his lines:--
"O thou! whatever title please thine ear,
Dean, Drapier, Bickerstaff or Gulliver!
Whether thou choose Cervantes' serious air
Or laugh and shake in Rabelais' easy-chair."
I don't much care whether I have quoted correctly or not. I
suggested last week in these columns that one might be allowed, as
a compensation for advancing years, to use one's quotations without
fastidious regard for their accuracy. On consideration I don't see why
this liberty should not be even further extended. I can see ("in my
mind's eye, Horatio") whole masterpieces coming within its scope and
yielding with a sufficiently bad grace to a courageous candour like
JAMES PAYN'S.
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