Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain ..

Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain, Who after birth didst by my side remain, Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, Who thee abroad, expos’d to publick view, Made thee in raggs, halting to th’ press to trudg, Where errors were not lessened (all may judge). At thy return my blushing was not small, My rambling brat (in print) should mother call, I cast thee by as one unfit for light, Thy Visage was so irksome in my sight; Yet being mine own, at length affection would Thy blemishes amend, if so I could: I wash’d thy face, but more defects I saw, And rubbing off a spot still made a flaw. I stretched thy joynts to make thee even feet, Yet still thou run’st more hobling than is meet; In better dress to trim thee was my mind, But nought save homespun Cloth i’ th’ house I find[. In this array 'mongst Vulgars may'st thou roam[.] In Criticks hands, beware thou dost not come; And take thy way where yet thou art not known; If for thy Father asked, say thou hadst none; And for thy Mother, she alas is poor, Which caus’d her thus to send thee out of door…