Cirrus@Austlit

The following correspondence between the editor and 'Omega' precedes the poem:
'We are sorry that we should have provoked the wrath of such an intelligent writer as "Omega," by the perpetration of a pun which we should have thought beneath the dignity of so lofty a mind to be ruffled at. As he might possibly wish to lay his letter as well as his verses before the public, we atone for our impudence in now publishing both.'
'Sir,- To Omega we say "O meagre!" Verily, Sir "We," thou art a brave punster. As an editor you were, of course, privileged to reject the contribution - but it was pitiful, let me tell you, to ridicule that which you published not. The most manly course, in such cases, would be, to print the effusion (when not too long) together with your strictures upon it - thereby either, effectually enlightening a (merely) erring aspirant, or striking down a vain and empty pretender. And what, pray, of the Poem which I first sent you? If you could not make better, as you proposed to do, you could, at least, make it worse. Try Man! Yours (not) obediently, Omega.'

At the conclusion of the poem, the editor writes:
'We do not think there is any occasion to "make strictures" upon the verses; we leave them to our readers, hoping that Omega will think his fame sufficiently vindicated by their publication. With reference to the other poem, which he reqests us to try to make worse, we must decline that attempt also; we are afraid it would be as hopeless a task as Omega himself seems to consider it.'