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THE EAGLE AND THE ROBIN.

A Lady liv'd in former days..
That well deferv'd the utmost praise,
For greatness, birth, and justice, fam'd,
And ev'ry virtue could be nam'd,
Which made her course of life so-ev'n
That she is a faint (if dead) in heav'n.
This lady had a little feat
Just like a palace it was so neat,
From aught but goodness her retreat.
One morning, in her giving way,

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As was her custom ev'ry day,
To cheer the poor, the fick, and cold,
Or with apparel, food, or gold,
There came a gazing stranger by

On whom she quickly cast an eye.

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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."
"Madam, a Redbreast that I found,
"By this wet season almost drown'd."

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* 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;
"Robins do never any harm."
They foon obey'd, and chopt him meat,

Gave him whatever he would eat;

The lady care herself did take,
And made a neft for Robin's fake:

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
The world well mended on his fide.

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With welltun'd throat he whistled long, dai

And ev'ry body lik'd his fong.
"At last," said they, " this little thing

"Will kill itself so long to fing;
"We 'll closet him among the rest
"Of those my lady loves the best."
They little thought that faw him come

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That Robins were fo quarrelsome.

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The door they open'd, in he pops,
And to the highest perch he hops;

The party-colour'd birds he chose,

The gold finches, and such as thofe;

With them he 'd peck, and bill, and feed,

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And very well (at times) agreed:

Canary birds were his delight,

With them he'd tête-tête all night;

But the brown linnets went to pot;
He kill'd them all upon the spot.

The servants were employ'd each day
Instead of work to part some fray,
And wish'd the awkward fellow curst:
That brought him to my lady first:
At last they all resolv'd upon it
Some way to tell my lady on it.
Meanwhile he 'd had a noble swing,
And rul'd just like the Gallick king;
Having kill'd or wounded all
Unless the Eagle in the hall,
With whom he durst but only jar,
He being the very foul of war,
But hated him for his defert,
And bore him malice at his heart.

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This Eagle was my lady's pride,
The guardian fafety of her fide
He often brought home foreign prey,
Which humbly at her feet he lay,
For colour, pinions, and stature,
The fairest workmanship of Nature;
'Twould do one good to fee him move,
So full of grandeur, grace, and love;
He was indeed a bird for Jove.
He foar'd aloft in Brucum's field,

And thousand kites and vultures kill'd,

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Which made him dear to all that flew,
Unless to Robin and his crew.

One day poor Bob, puff'd up with pride,
Thinking the combat to abide,
A goosequill on for weapon ty'd,
Knowing by ufe that now and then
A fword less hurt does than a pen.

As for example-What at home
You've well contriv'd to do at Rome
A pen blows up-before you come.
You are fuppos'd to undermine
The foe-in fome immenfe design.
A pen can bite you with a line;
There is forty ways to give a fign.

Well-all on fire away he stalk'd,
Till come to where the Eagle walk'd.

Bob did not fhill-1-shall-1 go,

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Nor faid one word of friend or foe,

But flirting at him made a blow,
As gamecocks with their gantlets do;

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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,

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Who ponder'd these things in her mind,

And took th' conduct of th Eagle kind.

Volume 11.

E

Upon reflection now-to show
What harm the least of things may do,
Mad Robin with his curfed flirt

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One of the Eagle's * eyes had hurt,
Inflam'd it, made it red and fore,
But the affront inflam'd it more.
Oh, how the family did tear!
To fire the house could fcarce forbear:

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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
"Are fit, but in a year or two;
"And should this mighty warriour fall
"They should not want a general."

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As men have long obferv'd that one
Misfortune feldom comes alone,
Just in the moment this was done
Ten thousand foes in fight were come;
Vultures and kites, and birds of prey,
In flocks so thick-they darken'd day.
A long-concerted force and strong,
Vermine of all kinds made the throng;

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* Οφθαλμο amongst the Greeks fignifies "Honour as " tender as the eye" King.

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