Высокой страсти не имея
High passion having not completely
Для звуков жизни не щадить,
For sounds to not spare his life
Не мог он ямба от хорея,
He could not (please, believe me!) really
Как мы ни бились, отличить.
Poetic metres recognize.
Бранил Гомера, Феокрита;
He blamed Homer and Theocritus;
Зато читал Адама Смита
But had such an effective business
И был глубокой эконом,
Like Adam Smith’s read in details,
То есть умел судить о том,
That meant to speak with clever face
Как государство богатеет,
From what a state could be a rich one
И чем живет, и почему
Thanks what that lived and how should lead,
Не нужно золота ему,
Why golden was not right for that
Когда простой продукт имеет.
Whereas with produce plain had well run.
Отец понять его не мог
His dad could not him understand
И земли отдавал в залог.
And put in pledge the plots of land.