Suggested Answer: The speaker's tone is light and humorous. The tone is light because his descriptions of the dilettante are neither scolding nor full of praise. Here is an example: "He studies almost everything / From social art to science;" The dilettante is not described as a master of anything, but the speaker reserves his judgment, until the end of the poem when he says, "his mamma looks pleased and proud, / And kindly pays expenses." This is supposed to be funny because he is implicitly criticizing this grown man for being unable to pay his own way.