THE CHAMELEON. Matthew Prior Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T075639 Prior, Matthew, 1664-1721. Poems on Several Occasions [English poems only]. London Printed for JACOB TONSON at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, and JOHN BARBER upon Lambeth-Hill. MDCCXVIII. 1718 pp. 192-193. [42],506,[6]p.: ill.; 2°.

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THE CHAMELEON . As the Chameleon , who is known To have no Colors of his own ; But borrows from his Neighbour's Hue His White or Black , his Green or Blew ; And struts as much in ready Light , Which Credit gives Him upon Sight ; As if the Rain-bow were in Tail Settl'd on Him , and his Heirs Male : So the young 'Squire , when first He comes From Country School to Will's or Tom's ; And equally , in Truth , is fit To be a Statesman , or a Wit ; Without one Notion of his own , He Santers wildly up and down ; 'Till some Acquaintance , good or bad , Takes notice of a staring Lad ; Admits Him in among the Gang : They jest , reply , dispute , harangue : He acts and talks , as They befriend Him , Smear'd with the Colors , which They lend Him . Thus merely , as his Fortune chances , His Merit , or his Vice advances . If happly He the Sect pursues , That read and comment upon News ; He takes up Their mysterious Face : He drinks his Coffee without Lace . This Week his Mimic-Tongue runs o'er What They have said the Week before . His Wisdom sets all Europe right ; And teaches Marlbrô when to Fight . Or if it be his Fate to meet With Folks who have more Wealth than Wit ; He loves cheap Port , and double Bub ; And settles in the Hum-Drum Club . He learns how Stocks will Fall or Rise ; Holds Poverty the greatest Vice ; Thinks Wit the Bane of Conversation ; And says , that Learning spoils a Nation . But if , at first , He minds his Hits , And drinks Champaign among the Wits ; Five deep , He toasts the tow'ring Lasses ; Repeats you Verses wrote on Glasses ; Is in the Chair ; prescribes the Law ; And Lies with Those he never saw .