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 BULL AND THE MASTIFF.
SEEK you to train your fav'rite boy?
Each caution, ev'ry care employ;
And ere you venture to confide,
Let his preceptor's heart be try'd:
Weigh well his manners, life, and
On these depends thy future hope.
As on a time in peaceful reign, A bull enjoy'd the flow'ry plain, A mastiff pass'd; inflam'd with ire, His eye-balls shot indignant fire; He foam'd, he rag`d with thirst of blood. Spurning the ground, the monarch stood, And roar'd aloud. Suspend the fight; In a whole skin go sleep to night: Or tell me, ere the battle rage, What wrongs provoke thee to engage? Is it ambition fires thy breast, Or avarice that ne'er can rest? From these alone unjustly springs The world-destroying wrath of kings. The surly mastiff thus returns: Within my bosom glory burns. Like heroes of eternal name, Whom poets sing, I fight for fame.
The butcher's spirit-stirring mind
To daily war my youth inclin'd;
He train❜d me to heroick deed,
Taught me to conquer, or to bleed.
Curs'd dog, the bull reply'd, no more
I wonder at thy thirst of gore;
For thou (beneath a butcher train'd,
Whose hands with cruelty are stain'd,
His daily murders in thy view)
Must, like thy tutor, blood pursue.
Take then thy fate. With goring wound,
At once he lifts him from the ground;
Aloft the sprawling hero flies,
Mangled he falls, he howls, and dies.
THE ELEPHANT AND THE BOOKSELLER.
HE man who, with undaunted toils, Sails unknown seas, to unknown soils, With various wonders feasts his sight: What stranger wonders does he write! We read, and in description view Creatures which Adam never knew: For when we risk no contradiction, It prompts the tongue to deal in fiction. Those things that startle me or you I grant are strange, yet may be true. Who doubts that elephants are found For science and for sense renown'd? Borri records their strength of parts, Extent of thought, and skill in arts
How they perform the law's decrees,
And save the state the hangman's fees,
And how by travel understand
The language of another land.
Let those who question this report,
To Pliny's ancient page resort.
How learn'd was that sagacious breed!
Who now,
like them, the Greek can read?
As one of these, in days of yore,
Rummag'd a shop of learning o'er;
Not, like our modern dealers, minding
Only the margin's breadth and binding;
A book his curious eye detains,
Where, with exactest care and pains,
Were ev'ry beast and bird portray'd
That e'er the search of man surve'yd;
Their natures and their pow'rs were writ,
With all the pride of human wit.
The page he with attention spread,
And thus remark'd on what he read.
Man with strong reason is endow'd;
A beast scarce instinct is allow'd:
But let this author's worth be try'd,
'Tis plain that neither was his guide.
Can he discern the diff'rent natures,
And weigh the pow'r of other creatures,
Who by the partial work hath shown
He knows so little of his own?
How falsely is the spaniel drawn!
Did man from him first learn to fawn?
A dog proficient in the trade!
He, the chief flatt'rer nature made!
Go, man, the ways of courts discern,
You'll find a spaniel still might learn.
How can the fox's theft and plunder
Provoke his censure or his wonder?
From courtiers' tricks, and lawyers' arts
The fox might well improve his parts.
The lion, wolf, and tyger's brood,
He curses for their thirst of blood:
But is not man to man a prey?
Beasts kill for hunger, men for pay.
The bookseller, who heard him speak,
And saw him turn a page of Greek,
Thought, what a genius have I found!
Then thus address'd with bow profound.
Learn'd Sir, if you'd employ your pen
Against the senseless sons of men,
Or write the history of Siam,
No man is better pay than I am..
Or, since you're learn'd in Greek, let's see Something against the Trinity.
When wrinkling with a sneer his trunk,
Friend, quoth the elephant, you're drunk:
E'en keep your money, and be wise;
Leave man on man to criticise:
For that you ne'er can want a pen
Among the senseless sons of men:
They unprovok'd will court the fray:
Envy's a sharper spur than pay.
No author ever spar'd a brother;
Wits are game-cocks to one another.
THE PEACOCK, THE TURKEY AND THE GOOSE.
In beauty faults conspicuous grow ;
The smallest speck is seen on snow.
As near a barn, by hunger led, A. peacock with the poultry fed; All view'd him with an envious eye. And mock'd his gaudy pageantry. He, conscious of superior merit, Contemns their base reviling spirit; His state and dignity assumes, And to the sun displays his plumes; Which, like the heav'n's o'er-arching skies, Are spangled with a thousand eyes. The circling rays, and varied light, At once confound their dazzled sight: On ev'ry tongue detraction burns, And malice prompts their spleen by turns. Mark with what insolence and pride The creature takes his haughty stride! The turkey cries. Can spleen contain? Sure never bird was half so vain: But were intrinsick merit seen, We turkeys have the whiter skin.
From tongue to tongue they caught abuse;
And next was heard the hissing goose.
What hideous legs! what filthy claws!
I scorn to censure little flaws.
Then what a horrid squawling throat!
Ev'n owls are frighted at the note.
True, those are faults, the peacock cries;
My scream, my shanks you may despise;
But such blind criticks rail in vain:
What, overlook my radiant train !
Know, did my legs, your scorn and sport,
The turkey or the goose support,
And did ye scream with harsher sound,
Those faults in you had ne'er been found;
To all apparent beauties blind,
Each blemish strikes an envious mind.
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