Their poet, a sad trimmer, but, no less,[CU]In company a very pleasant fellow,

Had been the favourite of full many a mess

Of men, and made them speeches when half mellow;[CV]And though his meaning they could rarely guess,

Yet still they deigned to hiccup or to bellow

The glorious meed of popular applause,

Of which the first ne'er knows the second cause.[CW]