On Bentley's Emendations of Milton

When Milton's forfeit life was in debate, Some urg'd his crime, and some th' unsettled state; Hyde paus'd:—now keen resentment fill'd his breast, Now softness sooth'd, while genius shone confest: At length the lingering statesman thus his thoughts exprest: When I consider, with impartial view, The crimes he wrought, the good he yet may do; His violated faith, and fictions dire, His towering genius, and poetic fire; I blame the rebel, but the bard admire. Mercy unmerited his muse may raise, To sound his Monarch's, or his Maker's praise. Yet come it will, the day decreed by fate;— By Bentley's pen reduc'd to woeful state, Far more thou'lt dread his friendship than our hate. Procrustes like, he'll ever find pretence To strain, or pare thee to his wretched sense: Rack'd, screw'd, enerv'd by emendation sad, The hangman had not us'd thee half so bad.