FABLES AND ANIMALS.

107

The BABOON and the POULTRY.

ONCE on a time, an ancient maid,
By wishes and by time decay'd,

To cure the pangs of restless thought,
In birds and beasts amusement sought:
Dogs, Parrots, Apes, her hours employ'd;
With these alone she talk'd and toy'd.

A huge Baboon her fancy took,
(Almost a man in size and look,)
He finger'd every thing he found,
And mimick'd all the servants round.
Then, too, his parts and ready wit
Shew'd him for ev'ry business fit.
With all these talents, 'twas but just
That Pug should hold a place of trust:
So to her favourite was assign'd

The charge of all her feather'd kind. ⠀`
'Twas his to tend 'em eve and morn,
And portion out their daily corn.

Behold him now, with haughty stride,
Assume a ministerial pride.
P 2

The morning rose. In hope of picking,

Swans, Turkies, Peacocks, Ducks, and Chicken,

Fowls of all ranks, surround his hut,

To worship his important strut.

The minister appears. The crowd,

Now here, now there, obsequious bow'd.

This prais'd his parts, and that his face,
T'other his dignity in place.

From bill to bill the flatt'ry ran ;

He hears and bears it like a man:

For, when we flatter self-conceit,

We but his sentiments repeat.

If we're too scrupulously just,

What profit's in a place of trust?
The common practice of the great,
Is, to secure a snug retreat.

So Pug began to turn his brain
(Like other folks in place) on gain.
An apple-woman's stall was near,
Well stock'd with fruits thro' all the

year;

Here ev'ry day he cramm'd his guts,

Hence were his hoards of pears and nuts;

For 'twas agreed (in way of trade)

His payments should in corn be made.

FABLES AND ANIMALS.

The stock of grain was quickly spent,
And no account which way it went.

Then, too, the Poultry's starv'd condition
Caus'd speculations of suspicion.

The facts were prov'd beyond dispute:
Pug must refund his hoards of fruit;

And, though then minister in chief,
Was branded as a public thief.
Disgrac'd, despis'd, confin'd to chains,
He nothing but his pride retains.

A Goose pass'd by; he knew the face,
Seen ev'ry levee while in place.

What, no respect, no rev'rence shown?
How saucy are these creatures grown!
Not two days since, says he, you bow'd
The lowest of my fawning crowd.

Proud fool, replies the Goose, 'tis true,

Thy corn a flutt'ring levee drew;
For that I join'd the hungry train,
And sold thee flatt'ry for thy grain:
But then, as now, conceited Ape,
We saw thee in thy proper shape.

109

The OWLS and the SPARROW.

Two forinal Owls together sat,
Conferring thus in solemn chat:
How is the modern taste decay'd!
Where's the respect to wisdom paid?
Our worth the Grecian sages knew ;
They gave our sires the honour due ;
They weigh'd the dignity of fowls,
And pry'd into the depth of Owls.
Athens, the seat of learned fame,
With gen'ral voice rever'd our name;

On merit title was conferr'd,

And all ador'd th' Athenian bird.

Brother, you reason well, replies The solemn mate, with half-shut eyes'; Right-Athens was the seat of learning,

And truly wisdom is discerning.

Besides, on Pallas' helm we sit,

The type and ornament of wit:
But now, alas! we're quite neglected,
And a pert Sparrow's more respected.