Sentence:  ("referring to the practice of newspapers removing all intermediate vowels from the names of people about whom they were making potentially libelous statements, as eg Fl-r-o, compare 1714 cite of past participle, below") For he to keep him from the vapours, /Subscribed at Hookham's, saw the papers; /Was deep in poet's-corner wit; /Knew what was in italics writ; /Explain'd fictitious names at will, /Each <WSD>gutted</WSD> syllable cou'd fill; /There oft, in paragraphs, his name /Gave symptom sweet of growing fame. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  With the most important parts destroyed (often by fire), removed or rendered useless.