But then, consider, that one day
(Perhaps the hour's not far away)
You, by the duties of your post,
Shall turn the spit when I'm the roast;
And for reward shall share the feast,
I mean, shall pick my bones at least.'
'Till now,' th' astonish'd Cur replies,
'I look'd on all with envious eyes.
How false we judge by what appears!
All creatures feel their several cares.
If thus yon mighty beast complains,
Perhaps man knows superior pains.
Let envy then no more torment:
Think on the Ox, and learn content.'
Thus said, close following at her heel,
With cheerful heart he mounts the wheel..
THE LADY AND THE WASP.
WHAT whispers must the beauty bear!
What hourly nonsense haunts her ear!
Where'er her eyes dispense their charms,
Impertinence around her swarms.
Did not the tender nonsense strike,
Contempt and scorn might look dislike;
Forbidding airs might thin the place,
The slightest flap a fly can chase:
But who can drive the numerous breed?
Chase one, another will succeed.
Who knows a fool, must know his brother;
One fop will recommend another:
And with this plague she's rightly curst,
Because she listen'd to the first.
As Doris, at her toilet's duty,
Sat meditating on her beauty,
She now was pensive, now was gay,
And loll'd the sultry hours away.
As thus in indolence she lies,
A giddy wasp around her flies.
He now advances, now retires,
Now too her neck and cheek aspires.
Her fan in vain defends her charms;
Swift he returns, again alarms;
For by repulse he bolder grew,
Perch'd on her lip, and sipt the dew.
She frowns; she frets. Good gods!' she cries,
'Protect me from these teasing flies :
Of all the plagues that Heav'n hath sent,
A Wasp is most impertinent.'
The hovering insect thus complain'd:
'Am I then slighted, scorn'd, disdain'd?
Can such offence your anger wake?
'Twas beauty caus'd the bold mistake.
Those cherry lips that breathe perfume,
That cheek so ripe with youthful bloom,
Made me with strong desire pursue
The fairest peach that ever grew.'
'Strike him not, Jenny,' Doris cries, 'Nor murder Wasps like vulgar flies; For though he's free (to do him right), The creature's civil and polite.'
In ecstasies away he posts;
Where'er he came the favour boasts;
Brags how her sweetest tea he sips,
And shows the sugar on his lips.
The hint alarm'd the forward crew:
Sure of success, away they flew :
They share the dainties of a day,
Round her with airy music play:
And now they flutter, now they rest,
Now soar again, and skim her breast.
Nor were they banish'd till she found
That Wasps have stings, and felt the wound.
THE YOUNG LADY AND THE LOOKING-GLASS.
YE deep philosophers who can
Explain that various creature, man,
Say, is there any point so nice,
As that of offering advice?
To bid your friend his errours mend,
Is almost certain to offend :
Though you in softest terms advise,
Confess him good; admit him wise;
In vain you sweeten the discourse,
He thinks you call him fool, or worse:
You paint his character, and try
If he will own it, and apply;
Without a name reprove and warn;
Here none are hurt, and all may learn :
This, too, must fail; the picture shown,
No man will take it for his own.
In moral lectures treat the case,
Say this is honest, that is base;
In conversation none will bear it;
And for the pulpit, few come near it.
And is there then no other way
A moral lesson to convey?
Must all that shall attempt to teach,
Admonish, satirize, or preach?
Yes, there is one, an ancient art, By sages found to reach the heart, Ere science, with distinctions nice, Had fix'd what virtue is and vice, Inventing all the various names On which the moralist declaims: They would by simple tales advise, Which took the hearer by surprise ; Alarm'd his conscience, unprepar'd, Ere pride had put it on its guard; And made him from himself receive The lessons, which they meant to give. That this device will oft prevail, And gain its end when others fail, If any shall pretend to doubt, The tale which follows it makes out. There was a little stubborn dame Whom no authority could tame, Restive by long indulgence grown, No will she minded but her own: At trifles oft she'd scold and fret, Then in a corner take a seat, And sourly moping all the day Disdain alike to work or play.. Papa all softer arts had tried, And sharper remedies applied; But both were vain, for every course He took, still made her worse and worse. Tis strange to think how female wit So oft should make a lucky hit, When man, with all his high pretence To deeper judgment, sounder sense, Will err, and measures false pursue— 'Tis very strange I own, but true.
Mamma observ'd the rising lass
By stealth retiring to the glass,
To practice little airs unseen,
In the true genius of thirteen:
On this a deep design she laid
To tame the humour of the maid;
Contriving like a prudent mother
To make one folly cure another.
Upon the wall against the seat
Which Jessy us'd for her retreat,
Whene'er by accident offended,
A looking-glass was straight suspended,
That it might show her how deform'd
She look'd, and frightful, when she storm'd;
And warn her, as she priz'd her beauty,
To bend her humour to her duty-
All this the looking-glass achiev'd,
Its threats were minded and believ'd.
The maid, who spurn'd at all advice,
Grew tame and gentle in a trice;
So when all other means had fail'd
The silent monitor prevail'd.
Thus, fable to the humankind
Presents an image of the mind;
It is a mirror where we spy
At large our own deformity,
And learn of course those faults to mend
Which but to mention would offend.
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