‘Art for art's sake,’—very well, br Your picture you don't care to sell? br Yes, yes, I do, and thus I try br To paint so bright they want to buy— br ‘Art for art's sake,’—then I fear br You want no sympathetic tear br From the stalls and boxes here? br Yes, yes, I do, I write it so, br A hundred nights the crowds shall go— br ‘Art for art's sake,’—Heavens! once more, br You'd say again things said before? br And pray, why not? I wish I could br Stand as Shakespeare, Fletcher, stood— br Nay, dear aspirant, rather write br As Shakespeare were he here to-night; br That would be far more worth prizing:— br But who can rise to that high pass— br Who can rise? alas, alas, br Shakespeare little thought of rising!br br William Bell Scottbr br