Then come old age whene'er it will, APOLLO: OR, A PROBLEM SOLVED. Written in the year 1731. APOLLO, god of Light and Wit, No heir upon his first appearance, With twenty thousand pounds a-year rents, So fine a coach along the Strand: Yet with his beauty, wealth, and parts, No vulgar deity above Three weighty causes were assign'd, JUDAS. Written in the year 1731. By the just vengeance of incensed skies 25 30 Poor Bishop Judas late repenting dies. But some have kiss'd the Gospel fifty times, 10 Like hemp, which by a skilful spinster drawn 15 Drop from the tree with all his bowels burst, And let his bishopric another take. ON MR. PULTENEY BEING PUT OUT OF THE COUNCIL. Written in the year 1731. 21 26 SIR Robert, weary'd by Will. Pulteney's teasings, Who interrupted him in all his leasings, Nor lets him sit as justice on the bench, 5 10 Yet still I fear your work is done but half, 15 20 25 A Hare had long escap'd pursuing hounds, By often shifting into distant grounds, Till finding all his artifices vain, To save his life he leap'd into the main; But there, alas! he could no safety find, A pack of dog-fish had him in the wind. He scours away, and, to avoid the foe, Descends for shelter to the shades below. There Cerberus lay watching in his den; (He had not seen a Hare the Lord knows when) Out bounc'd the mastiff of the triple head; Away the Hare with double swiftness fled. Hunted from earth, and sea, and hell, he flies (Fear lent him wings) for safety to the skies. How was the fearful animal distrest! Behold a foe more fierce than all the rest; Syrius, the swiftest of the heav'nly pack, Fail'd but an inch to seize him by the back. He fled to earth, but first it cost him dear; He left his scut behind, and half an ear. 30 35 Thus was the Hare pursu'd, tho' free from guilt; Thus, Bob, shalt thou be maul'd, fly where thou Then, honest Robin! of thy corpse beware; [wilt: Thou art not half so nimble as as a Hare: Too pond'rous is thy bulk to mount the sky, Nor can you go to hell before you die : 40 So keen thy hunters, and thy scent so strong, Thy turns and doublings cannot save thee long. 44 TO MR. GAY*. Written in the year 1731. How could you, Gay, disgrace the Muses' train, Say, had the court no better place to chuse 5 10 15 But princely Douglas and his glorious dame Advanc'd thy fortune, and preserv'd thy fame; Nor will your nobler gifts be misapply'd, When o'er your patron's treasure you preside: The world shall own his choice was wise and just, For sons of Phoebus never break their trust. *The Author having been told by an intimate friend, that the Duke of Queensberry had employed Mr. Gay to inspect the accounts and management of his Grace's receivers and stewards, (which, however, proved afterwards to be a mistake) writ to Mr. Gay the above poem. |