The Man of Taste

"The Man of Taste" by James Bramston is a humorous poem from the 1730s that makes fun of society and what people thought was good "taste" back then. It pokes fun at how shallow culture could be and how people who thought they knew a lot about art actually didn't. The poem introduces a character who thinks he's a "Man of Taste," but he comes across as both stuck-up and silly as he tries to show off his knowledge of art and society. The poem is a social commentary that reveals the emptiness hiding behind fancy appearances.