Reading the fable of that famous falling,
The face of every guest you quickened with a smile,
And thus came honor to the poet's calling.
For this good turn, meanwhile,
I shall not haughtily claim due
The laurels reaped by you.
Had you not read him then,
Phaëton might, perhaps, have fallen flat again.



1811

(And an alternate presentation which shows the distinctive line indentations, which I don't know how to produce neatly with html):

Reading the fable of that famous falling,

The face of every guest you quickened with a smile,

And thus came honor to the poet's calling.

For this good turn, meanwhile,

I shall not haughtily claim due

The laurels reaped by you.

Had you not read him then,

Phaëton might, perhaps, have fallen flat again.

1811

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