The Lion, the Tiger, and the Traveller.
WILLIAM, DUKE KE OF CUMBERLAND. ACCEPT, young Prince, the moral lay, And in these tales mankind survey; With early virtues plant your breastThe specious arts of vice detest.
Princes, like beauties, from their youth,
Are strangers to the voice of truth.
Learn to contemn all praise betimes,
For flattery's the nurse of crimes :
Friendship by sweet reproof is shewn,
(A virtue never near a throne);
In Courts such freedom must offend;
There none presumes to be a friend.
To those of your exalted station,
Each courtier is a dedication.
Must I too flatter like the rest,
And turn my morals to a jest?
The Muse disdains to steal from those
Who thrive in Courts by fulsome prose.
But shall I hide your real praise,
Or tell you what a nation says?
They in your infant bosom trace
The virtues of your royal race;
In the fair dawning of your mind,
Discern you generous, mild, and kind:
They see you grieve to hear distress,
And pant already to redress.-
Go on, the height of good attain,
Nor let a nation hope in vain.
From hence we justly may presage
The virtues of a riper age.
True courage shall your bosom fire,
And future actions own your sirė.
Cowards are cruel; but the brave
Love mercy, and delight to save.
A Tiger, roaming for his prey,
Sprung on a Traveller in the way:
The prostrate game a Lion spies,
And on the greedy tyrant flies.
With mingled roar resounds the wood;
Their teeth, their claws, distil with blood;
Till, vanquish'd by the Lion's strength,
The spotted foe extends his length.
The man besought the shaggy Lord,
And on his knees for life implor'd.
His life the gen'rous hero gave.
Together walking to his cave,
The Lion thus bespoke his guest:-
What hardy beast shall dare contest
My matchless strength! You saw the fight,
And must attest my power and right.
Forc'd to forego their native home,
My starving slaves at distance roam.
Within these woods I reign alone;
The boundless forest is my own.
Bears, wolves, and all the savage brood,
Have dy'd the regal den with blood!
These carcases on either hand,
Those bones that whiten all the land,
My former deeds and triumphs, tell
Beneath these jaws what numbers fell!
True, says the Man, the strength I saw
Might well the brutal nation awe:
But shall a monarch, brave like you,
Place glory in so false a view?
Robbers invade their neighbour's right.
Be lov'd: let justice bound your might.
Mean are ambitious heroes' boasts
Of wasted lands, and slaughter'd hosts.
Pirates their power by murders gain;
Wise Kings by love and mercy reign.
To me your clemency hath shewn
The virtue worthy of a throne.
Heav'n gives you pow'r above the rest,
Like Heav'n to succour the distress'd.
The case is plain, the Monarch said:
False glory hath my youth misled;
For beasts of prey, a servile train,
Have been the flatt'rers of my reign.
You reason well; yet tell me, friend,
Did ever you in Courts attend?
For all my fawning rogues agree,
That human heroes rule like me.
A SPANIEL, bred with all the care
That waits upon a fav'rite heir,
Ne'er felt correction's rigid hand :
Indulg'd to disobey command,
In pamper'd ease his hours were spent ;
He never knew what learning meant.
Such forward airs, so pert, so smart,
Were sure to win his lady's heart:
Each little mischief gain'd him praise
How pretty were his fawning ways!
The wind was south, the morning fair;
He ventures forth to take the air;
He ranges all the meadow round,
And rolls upon the softest ground;
When near him a Cameleon seen,
Was scarce distinguish'd from the green.
Dear emblem of the flatt'ring host,
What! live with clowns! a genius lost!
To cities and the Court repair;
A fortune cannot fail thee there:
Preferment shall thy talents crown;
Believe me, friend; I know the town.
Sir, says the Sycophant, like you,
Of old, politer life I knew:
Like you, a courtier born and bred;
Kings lean'd their ear to what I said
My whisper always met success;
The ladies prais'd me for address.
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