FABLE IV.

THE SATYR'S ADDRESS.

Five fatyrs of the woodland fort,

Though politicians then :

Their ears prick'd up, their noses short,
And brows adorn'd like aldermen;
With affes hoofs, great gogle eyes,
And ample chins of Be-m's fize:

To Jove tript up with an addrefs,
In favour of the plains:
That it would please him to fupprefs

All heats and colds, his winds and rains;
The fun that he'd extinguish too,
And in the skies hang fomething new.
"My wife reforming friends, quoth Jove,
Our elements are good!
We manage for the best above,

Though not fo rightly understood; But fiace fuch profound fquires are fent, We'll treat you like the cream of Kent." Then Jove brought out ætherial fire

In a gilt chafing-dish :

The sparkling flame they all admire,

'Twas fine, they vow'd, as heart could wish : They gap'd, they grinn'd, they jump'd about! Jove, give us that, the fun put out!

The charming flames they all embrace,
Which, urg'd by Nature's laws,
Their fhaggy hides fet in a blaze,

And foundly fing'd their paws;

In corners then they fneak'd with terror dumb, And o'er th' immortal pavements feud it home.

THE MORAL.

How fenfelefs are our modern Whiggish tools,
Beneath the dignity of British fools!
With beef refolv'd, and fortify'd with ale,
They cenfure monarchs, and at fenates rail;
So eagerly to public mischief run,

That they prevent the hands, which loo them on.
O true machines! and heads devoid of brains!
Affront that fenate which your rights maintains!
Thus ideots fport with power, and flames embrace,
Till (marting folly glares them in the face.

FABLE V.

THE FARMER AND HIS DOG.

THERE dwelt a farmer in the weft,

As we're in ftory told;

Whofe herds were large and flocks the best That ever lin'd a fold.

Arm'd with a staff, his ruffet coat,

And Towser by his fide,

Early and late he tun'd his throat

And every wolf defy’d.

Lov'd Towfer was his heart's delight, In cringe and fawning skill'd, Intrusted with the flocks by night, And guardian of the field.

"Towfer, quoth he, I'm for a fair;
Be regent in my room:
Pray of my tender flocks take care,
And keep all fafe at home.

I know thee watchful, juft, and brave,
Right worthy fuch a place :
No wily fox fhall thee deceive,

เ

Nor wolf dare fhow his face."

But ne'er did wolves a fold infeft,
At regent Towfer's rate :
He din'd and fupp'd upon the best,

And frequent breakfasts ate.

The farmer oft receiv'd advice,
And laugh'd at the report:
But, coming on him by furprise,
Juft found him at the sport.

Ingrateful beast, quoth he, what means
That bloody mouth and paws?

I know the base, the treacherous ftains,
Thy breach of truß and laws.

The fruits of my past love I fee; Roger, the halter bring; 'E'en trufs him on that pippin tree,

And let friend Towfer fwing.

I'll spare the famifh'd wolf and fox,
That ne'er my bounty knew:
But, as the guardian of my flocks,
This neckcloth is your due."

3

[[corn,

Damn'd rascal shrub, quoth he, whom hedge-ftakes Beneath a furs bush, or the fcoundrel thorn!

"Good words, friend Ren, the bush reply'd,
Here no encroacher 'fcapes:

Thofe foxes that on brambles ride
Love thorns, as well as grapes;

But better language would your mouth become : If you must curse, go curse the fool at home."

THE MORAL.

Who first offend, then in disputes engage, Should check their paffions and indecent rage: But peevish age, of weak resentments proud, Like woman's ftubborn, impotent, and loud.

Ill-manners never found a just pretence, And rude expreffions show a barren fense: But, when high birth defcends to mean abufe, The crime runs fouleft, and finds no excufe.

FABLE VII.

THE POX AND WEAZLE,

To the late Honourable the Commissioners of the Prize

Office.

A NEEDY weazle heretofore,

Very rapacious, lank, and poor;

That had no place, fmall comings-in,
And liv'd in terror of the gin;
Nor got a morfel to his hole,

But what he either begg'd or stole ;
One night a foraging for prey,
He found a ftore-houfe in his way:
Each cranny then he nimbly past,
With lantern jaws and slender waist;
And made long time his quarters good,
On slaughter'd mice and wheaten food.
But, growing corpulent and round,
Too small the widest chink was found:
And now he fqueez'd and thrust in vain,
For liberty and home again,

A fox that chanc'd to ftroll that way,
For meditation's fake, or prey,
Stood grinning at him for a while,
With rogueifh looks and fneering (mile;
And though he shrewdly gave a guess,
Yet afk'd him how and what's the cafe;
And why his weazleship would keep
In durance vile, and play bo-peep.

Quoth he, "Alack, Sir, I was lean,
Haggard and poor, when I came in :
A skeleton, mere skin and bone!
Though now fo grofs and bulky grown,
That, with good cheer and dainties fed,
My rump is bigger than my head.
But if a helping paw you'll lend,
To force a board, and ferve a friend;
So fain I would my bacon fave,

I'll kiss your foot, and live your flave."
Quoth Ren, " We doctors hold it beft,
After a long debauch, to fast:
Then as for difcipline, 'tis fit,
You take a quantum fufficit.
Slacken with abstinence your skin,
And you'll return as you got in:
For, till each collop you refund,
You're like to quarter in Lob's-pound."

THE MORAL.

Cæfar, no more in foreign camps expofe Your facred life, to Britain's generous foes:

Thy dread tribunal now ere& at home,
And, arm'd with vengeance, to her rescue come
In power her bafeft enemies remain,
Opprefs thy fubjects, and thy treasures drain:
With fums immenfe they raise their fortunes high,
Though armies ftarve, and fleets neglected lie.

Bane of the war! curfe of thy martial reign! You thare the toil and dangers, they the gain: To justice then the known offenders bring, Avenge thy people, and affert the king.

FABLE VIII.

AN OWL AND THE SUN.

A SAUCY buffle-headed owl
One morning on the fun fell foul,
Because it made him blind:
But by his sophistry you'll guess
Him not of the Athenian race,

But a more modern kind.

The morn was fragrant, cool, and bright,
The fun illuftrious with his light,
Difpenfing warmth to all:
Madge on a pinnacle was got,
Sputtering and hooting like a fot,

And thus began the brawl.

"D'ye hear, you prince of red-fac'd fouls! Hot-headed puppy! foe to owls!

Why this offensive blaze?
Behind fome cloud go fneak afide,
Your carbuncles and rubies hide,

And quench that flaming face.
"When I'm a taking the fresh air,
Whip in my eyes you come full glare,
And fo much rudeness show!

I wonder when the modest moon
Would serve an owl as you have done,
Or tan and burn one fo!
Bright Phœbus fmil'd at what was said,
And cry'd, “ 'Tis well, Sir Logger-head,
You're neither fenfe nor fhame!
Because a blinking fool can't bear
An object so transcending fair,

The fun muft take the blame.
Shall I the universe benight,
And rob the injur'd world of light,
Becaufe rail and fcoul;
When birds of the most abje& fort
Deride and grin you for their sport,
And treat you like an owl?"

you

THE MORAL.

Who libel fenates, and traduce the great, Measure the public good by private hate : Intereft's their rule of love; fierce to oppose All whom fuperior virtue makes their foes.

Thy merits, Rochester *, thus give offence; The guilty faction hates difcerning sense:

Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, was then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. See an account of him in thự Supplement to Swift."

This Harley+, Seymour, Howe§, and Mackworth find,

Great eye fores to the loud rapacious kind;
But, whilft in holes addreffing owls repine,
Bright as the fun their patriot names will fhine.

FABLE IX.

THE SEA AND TH2 BANKS.

As out at fea a ruffling gale it blew,
And clouds o'ercaft the gloomy skies:
The furges they began to rife,
And terrify the failors, jocand crew.
This to the wanton billows was but sport,
They roar'd and gambol'd it along,
This was the burden of their song,
They'd have a storm, and fhow good reafon for't.
Then a fresh maggot takes them in the head,

To have one merry jaunt on shore :
They'd not be setter'd up, they swore,
But thus to the infulted margin said :
"Hey, flugs! d'ye hear, ye lazy hounds!
Open to right and left! make way,
And give free passage to the sea,

Down with your ramparts and obftructing mounds.
"See how they stir! awake, ye brutes!
And let us have one frisk at land;
Or, 'zbud, we'll wash you into fand,
Without the tedious form of long difputes."
*Hold! foft and fair! the banks reply'd; we're
bound,

In honour, to make good our post:
And will, for all your windy boast,

As barriers to the fea, maintain our ground.
Go, lord it in your watery realms, the main !
There rage and bluster as you please,
Licentious in your native feas,

But not an inch as trefpaffers you'll gain.
So, my fierce mutineers, be jegging home!
For if you dare invade our coaft,
You'll run your heads against a poft,
And shamefully retire in empty foam.

THE MORAL.

Though difcord forms the elements for war, Their well-pois'd strength prevents the fatal jar: Harmonious nature fets the balance right, And each compels the other to unite,

In empire thus true union is maintain'd,

Each power's by a fubordinate restrain'd:

But, when like raging waves they overflow Their ftated bounds, and on the weaker grow;

The injur'd fongfter modeftly reply'd; "Since you perform fo fine, The conteft let fome judge decide,

And try your skill with mine; Vauquif'd, I'll your fuperior genius own. The cuckow fhook her head, and cry'd 'twas done. A folemn plodding ass that graz'd the plain Was for an umpire chose :

The nightingale advanc'd his strain,

And charm'd with every close.

The cuckow's note was one unvary'd tone, Exceeding hoarfe, yet pleas'd, she roar'd it on. Appeal was made; the judge this fentence gave, "You, firrah, nightingale!

Of mufic you fome fmatterings have,

And may in time do well;

But for fubftantial fong, I needs must fay,
My friend, the cuckow, bears the bell away."

THE MORAL.

Mackworth *, who reads thy well-digefted lines,
Where eloquence with nervous reason shines,
Sees art and judgment flow through every page,
The patriot's zeal free from indecent rage;
So pure thy ftyie, thy mauners so refin'd,
Your pen tranfmits the candour of your mind.

Yet happier he that has the answer wrote,
In penury of sense, and dearth of thought :
Whilft afes judge, and faction claims a vote,
Abusive nonfenfe is th' admired note;
Where want of art and manners merit praik,
He robs the cuckow of her ancient bays.

FABLE XI.

THE SUN AND THE WIND.

THE fun and wind one day fell out
In matters they difcours'd about.
Old Boreas, in a rage,
Call'd the fun fool, and fwore he ly'd,

found,

To check invaders, and maintain their ground.

FABLE X.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND CUCKOW.

A TUNEFUL nightingale, whofe warbling throat
Was form'd for lofty foag,

+ Afterwards Earl of Oxford.
Charles Seymour, Duke of Somerset.
Juhu Howe, fq. of famous memory,

And dar'd him to engage.

Quoth he, "Yon goes a traveller, With formal cloak and looks demure,

The Whiggish signs of grace : Who fairly off the cloak can force, From one fo fliff, proud, and morofe, Deserves the upper place."

* Sir Humphry Mackworth, to whom Yalden addresed an excellent poetical epifle "On the mines late of Sic Carbery Price." Sir Humphry wrote fue political pamphlets about this time.

With that the wind began to rise,
Blufter'd and ftorm'd it through the fkies,
Making a disnial roar :

The non-con. wrapp'd his cloak about,
Trudg'd on, refolv'd to weather't out,
And fee the tempeft o'er.

The storm being spent, with piercing rays,
Full on his shoulders Phœbus plays,

Which foon the zealot felt;

Afide the cumberous cloak was thrown,
Panting and faint, he laid him down,

More decently to melt.

The fun then afk'd his bluftering friend,
If farther yet he durft contend,

And try fome other way:

But, confcious of fo plain a truth,
He put his finger in his mouth,
Without a word to say.

THE MORAL.

Your Whigs difgrac'd, like bullies of the town,
Libel and rail, the more they're tumbled down :
Superior merit still prevails at last,
The fury of their feeble storm is past.
But when the fenate darts its piercing rays,
Faction unbuttons, and rebates its pace:
The hypocritic cloak is tiresome found,
And the faint zealot pants upon the ground.

FABLE XII.

THE BOAR AND FOREST.

A LION, generous and brave,

For wars renown'd, belov'd in peace;
His lands in royal bounties gave,

And treasures much impair'd by acts of grace.

His minifters whole realms obtain'd;
And courtiers, much inclin'd to want,
His manors begg'd, and forfeits gain'd,
With patents to confirm the royal grant.
The boar, to show a subject's love,
Crav'd for the public good a boon,
His ancient foreft to improve,
By felling trees, and cutting timber down.
"Alcoves and fhady walks, quoth he,
Are laid aside, become a jest;
Your vistos lofty, wide, and free,
Are à la mode, and only in request."

The grant being pafs'd, the ravenous boar,
A defert of the foreft made:

Up by the roots vast oaks he tore,
And low on earth the princely cedars laid.
This act of violence and wrong
Alarum'd all the favage race;

With loud complaints to court they throng,
Stripp'd of their shades, and ancient refting-place.
With generous rage the lion fhook,
And vow'd the boar fhould dearly pay;
I hate, quoth he, a down caft look,
That robs the public in a friendly way.
"Unhappy groves, my empires pride!
Lov'd folitudes, ye fhades divine!

The rage of tempefts ye defy'd, Condemn'd to perifh by a fordid swine. "Ye rural deities, and powers unknown, What can fo great a lofs fuffice! If a hung brawner will atone, Accept friend chucky for a facrifice."

THE MORAL.

The British oak's our nation's ftrength and pride With which triumphant o'er the main we ride; Infulting foes are by our navies aw'd,

A guard at home, our dreaded power abroad.
Like Druids then your forefts facred keep,
Preferve with them your empire of the deep.
Subjects their prince's bounty oft abuse,
And spoil the public for their private use;
But no rapacious hand fhould dare deface,
The royal ftores of a well- timber'd chase.

FABLE XIII.

THE FOX AND FLIES.

As crafty Reynard ftrove to swim
The torrent of a rapid stream,

To gain the farther fide;
Before the middle space was past,
A whirling eddy caught him fast,
And drove him with the tide.
With vain efforts and ftruggling spent,
Half drown'd, yet forc'd to be content,
Poor ren a foaking lay;

Till fome kind ebb fhould fet him free,
Or chance restore that liberty

The waves had took away.

A swarm of half-ftarv'd haggard flies,
With fury feiz'd the floating prize,

By raging hunger led;

With many a curfe and bitter groan,
He shook his fides, and wifh'd them gone,
Whilst plenteously they fed.

A Hedge-hog faw his evil plight;
Touch'd with compaffion at the fight,

Quoth he, "To fhow I'm civil,
I'll brush those fwigging dogs away,
That on thy blood remorfelefs prey,
And fend them to the devil.'
"No, courteous Sir, the Fox reply'd,
Let them infeft and gore my hide,
With their infatiate thirst;

Since I fuch fatal wounds fuftain,
'Twill yield fome pleasure 'midft the pain,
To fee the blood-hounds burst."

THE MORAL; FROM NOSTRADAMUS.

"Le fang du Jufte à Londres fera faute
"Bruffer par feu, &c."

Thus guilty Britain to her Thames complains, "With royal blood defil'd, O cleanse my ftains! Whence plagues arife whence dire contagion

come!

And flames that my Augufta's pride confume!"

In vain, faith Thames; the Regicidal breed Will Twarm again, by them thy land fhall bleed: Extremeft curfe! but fo juft Heaven decreed!

1

Republicans fhall Britain's treasures drain,
Betray her monarch, and her church profane!
Till, gorg'd with fpoils, with blood the leeches

burst,

Or Tyburn add the fecond to the first."

FABLE XIV.

THE BEAR AND MOUNTEBANK,

THERE liv'd a quack in high repute,
By virtue of a velvet fuit,

And celebrated bill;

As for his knowledge, 'tis allow'd,
He had enough to cheat the crowd,
And that's good modern skill.
Once as this orator held forth
On topics of his medicines' worth,

And wondrous cures they wrought;
Though not a word they understood,
His eloquence fo charm'd the crowd,

That till they gap'd and bought. 'Midst his harangue, one day it chanc'd, Tom Dove the bear that way advanc'd,

In proceffion to his stake;

The rabble quit their doctor straight,
And with huzzas on Bruin wait,

Who thus the chief bespake :

"D'ye bear, ye pack of bawling louts, Compos'd of vermin, ftink, and clouts,

Why all this noife and do?
Though through my nofe a ring is got,
And here I'm baited like a lot,

Still 1 refemble you.
"Obferve that mountebanking fool,
Perch'd yonder on his three-legg'd ftool,
With poisonous drugs to fell;
See o'er his fhoulder how he fneers,
Three hours to lug you by the ears,
Yet pleases wondrous well.
"With fulfome lies and ftupid stuff,
He cheats and banters you enough,

Yet there ye flock by fhoals;
But if by chance a bear's brought out,
At him ye hollow, laugh, and thout,
And who's the greater fools?
So, brother monsters, face about,
The quack your keeper, wants his rout;
For, underneath the role,

Another fort of brutes there are,
Befides a ftupid Ruffian bear,
That's milled by the nofe."

THE MORAL.

Ill minifters, like quacks, the crowd deceive, Defraud them for their good; and they believe: At France and Rome they rail with specious arts, And, whilft they cheat the vulgar, gain their hearts.

But i agacious Bruin fmells them out, Their frands expofing to the injur'd rout; To muchii prone, implacable, and strong,

Ten thouland tongues and hands revenge the wrong.

Tom Dove has been celebrated by Dryden and King.

FABLE XV.

THE PEACOCK PROCLAIMED KING.

A VULTURE, old and feeble grown,
Took up and much reform'd his life;
His beak decay'd, and talons gone,
Yet ftill he relish'd noife and ftrife,
Once a young peacock to the birds brought forth
On his high birth harangued, and blooming
worth.

"The ifles and watery realm, faid he,
This hopeful monarch fhall command!
His fceptre to depend on me,
And rule the tributary land;
Referving only for our royal ufe,
Whate'er the feas and fertile coafts produce.".

The peacock, a pert dapper spark,
Made the fagacious vulture's choice;
His title and defcent, though dark,
Soon gain'd the whole affembly's voice,

The

pye except, a member of the board,

Who, 'midst their acclamations, crav'd a word.

"His highnefs' merits and defert, Quoth he, 'tis needlefs to difpute;

In giving empires we're too pert,

With neither right nor power to do't; You've made a peacock king: pray, now 'tis

done,

What champion here conducts him to his throne.
"Where the imperial eagle reigns,
Renown'd for arms, and warlike might,
Who fuch a feeble youth difdains,
And vultures dares engage in fight?
Therefore, meffieurs, it is my private voice,
That the poffeffor firft approve our choice."

THE MORAL.

Cæfar, that prince betrays his fears,
Who ftyles thee monarch in the field,
But, when thy army disappears,
To weak pretenders will thy titles yield.

But wifer politicians fay,
True conduct is not fo much shown,
In giving others' realms away,
As in defending well their own.

FABLE XVI.

A LACONIC CONDEMNED.

A SAGE laconic, truly wife,
Whofe converfation was concise,
Train'd up in rigid schools;
Once, when a fingle word would do,
Had lavishly made ufe of two,

In high contempt of rules.
A bill against him was preferr'd,
The charge by evidence averr'd,

That fully prov'd the fact:
The judges aggravate the crime,
In words as few, and little time,
As answer'd men compact.