THE EAGLE AND THE ROBIN. A Lady liv'd in former days.. 1 1 5 10 As was her custom ev'ry day, On whom she quickly cast an eye. IS The man admiring made a stand; He had a bird upon his hand : "What is that," says she, "that hangs its head? "Sinking and faint! it is almost dead." 20 * Queen Anne, If the reader recollects the change which the made in her miniftry in 1709, the year in which this poem was written, and looks into our Author's Rufinus, or, The Fa vourite, the political moral of this apologue will appear evi dent. "O! bring him in and keep him warm; Gave him whatever he would eat; The lady care herself did take, But he perkt up into her chair, In which he plentcoufly did fare, Afssuming quite another air. The neighbours thought when this they spy'd 30 With welltun'd throat he whistled long, dai And ev'ry body lik'd his fong. "Will kill itself so long to fing; A 25 } 35 That Robins were fo quarrelsome. 40 The door they open'd, in he pops, The party-colour'd birds he chose, The gold finches, and such as thofe; With them he 'd peck, and bill, and feed, 45 And very well (at times) agreed: Canary birds were his delight, With them he'd tête-à-tête all night; But the brown linnets went to pot; The servants were employ'd each day 1 This Eagle was my lady's pride, And thousand kites and vultures kill'd, Which made him dear to all that flew, One day poor Bob, puff'd up with pride, As for example-What at home Well-all on fire away he stalk'd, Bob did not fhill-1-shall-1 go, ४० 85 90 Nor faid one word of friend or foe, But flirting at him made a blow, 95 At which the Eagle gracefully Cast a difdaining sparkling eye, As who should fay-"What is this, a fly? But no revenge at all did take; He spar'd him for their lady's fake, 100 Who ponder'd these things in her mind, And took th' conduct of th Eagle kind. Volume 11. E Upon reflection now-to show 105 One of the Eagle's * eyes had hurt, FIO With fcorn not pain the Eagle fir'd Murmur'd disdain, and fo retir'd. Robin to offer fome relief In words like these would heal their grief: "Should th' Eagle die (which Heav'n forbid!) 115 "We ought fome other to provide. " I do not fay that any now 120 As men have long obferv'd that one 125 * Οφθαλμο amongst the Greeks fignifies "Honour as " tender as the eye" King. |