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Oronte: In short, I am your servant. And now, dear friend, Since you have such fine judgement, I intend To please you, if I can, with a small sonnet I wrote not long ago. Please comment on it, And tell me whether I ought to publish it. Alceste:
Sir, these are delicate matters; we all desire To be told that we've the true poetic fire. But once, to one whose name I shall not mention, I said, regarding some verse of his invention, That gentlemen should rigorously control That itch to write which often afflicts the soul; That one should curb the heady inclination To publicize one's little avocation; And that in showing off one's works of art One often plays a very clownish part. ... You're under no necessity to compose; Why you should wish to publish, heaven knows. There's no excuse for printing tedious rot Unless one writes for bread, as you do not. Resist temptation, then, I beg of you; Conceal your pastimes from the public view.