I love to see my friend succeed;
I love to praise him; yes, indeed!
And so, no doubt, do you.
But will you tell me why it is
The praise we parcel out as his
So often goes askew,
And ends by running in the rut
Of “if,” “except” or “but”?
“Boggs is a clever chap. His trade
Is doubling yearly, and he's made
A fortune all right, but ——”
“Sharp is elected. Well, I say!
He'll hit a high mark yet, some day,
If ——” ( here one eye is shut ).
“Such acting! Why, I laughed and wept!
Fobb's art is great — except.”
“Miss Hautton has such queenly grace.
And then her figure and her face!
She'd be a beauty if ——”
“And Mrs. Follol entertains
With so much taste and so much pains;
But ——” ( here a little sniff ).
“And Mrs. Caste has ever kept
The narrow path — except.”
I wish some man were great and good
That I might praise him all I could
And never add a “but.”
I would that some would value me
And never hint what I would be
“If” — but why cavil? Tut!
Eternal justice still is kept
And Heaven is good — except!