Each thinks his own the best pretension-
This asks a place, and that a pension.
The Nightingale was set aside;
A forward Daw his room supply'd.
This bird, says he, for bus'ness fit,
Hath both sagacity and wit:

With all his turns, and shifts, and tricks,
He's docile, and at nothing sticks.
Then with his neighbours one so free
At all times will connive at me.
The Hawk had due distinction shewn,
For parts and talents like his own.

Thousands of hireling Cocks attend him,
As blust'ring bullies, to defend him.
At once the Ravens were discarded,
And Magpies with their posts rewarded.
Those fowls of omen I detest,
That pry into another's nest.

State lies must lose all good intent;
For they foresee and croak th' event.
My friends ne'er think, but talk by rote,
Speak what they're taught, and so to vote.
When rogues like these, a Sparrow cries,
To honours and employments rise,
I court no favour, ask no place;
For such preferment is disgrace..
Within my thatch'd retreat I find
(What these ne'er feel) true peace of mind.

FABLE III.

The Baboon and the Poultry.

TO A LEVEE-HUNTER.

WE frequently misplace esteem, By judging men by what they seem. To birth, wealth, pow'r, we should allow Precedence, and our lowest bow. In that is due distinction shewn. Esteem is Virtue's right alone.

With partial eye we're apt to see The man of noble pedigree. We're prepossess'd my Lord inherits, In some degree, his grandsire's merits; For those we find upon record; But find him nothing but my Lord. When we, with superficial view Gaze on the rich, we're dazzled to. We know that wealth, well understood, Hath frequent pow'r of doing good; Then fancy that the thing is done, As if the pow'r and will were one. Thus oft the cheated crowd adore The thriving knaves that keep 'em poor. The cringing train of pow'r survey: What creatures are so low as they! With what obsequiousness they bend! To what vile actions condescend! Their rise is on their meanness built, And flatt'ry is their smallest guilt!

What homage, rev'rence, adoration,
In ev'ry age, in ev'ry nation,
Have sycophants to pow'r address'd!
No matter who the pow'r possess'd.
Let ministers be what they will,
You find their levees always fill.
E'en those who have perplex'd a state,
Whose actions claim contempt and hate,
Had wretches to applaud their schemes,
Tho' more absurd than madmen's dreams!
When barb'rous Moloch was invok'd,
The blood of infants only smok'd!
But here, unless all hist'ry lies,
Whole realms have been a sacrifice.
Look thro' all Courts. "Tis pow'r we find
The gen'ral idol of mankind;

There worshipp'd under ev'ry shape;
Alike the lion, fox, and ape,

Are follow'd by time-serving slaves,
Rich prostitutes, and needy knaves.
Who then shall glory in his post?
How frail his pride, how vain his boast!
The followers of his prosperous hour
Are as unstable as his pow'r.

Pow'r, by the breath of flatt'ry nurst,
The more it swells, is nearer burst.
The bubble breaks, the gewgaw ends,
And in a dirty tear descends.

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:

H

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 ev'ry thing he found,
And mimick'd all the servants round.
Then, too, his parts and ready wit
Shew'd him for ev'ry bus'ness fit.
With all these talents, 'twas but just
That Pug should hold a place of trust:
So to her fav'rite 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.

The morning rose. In hope of picking, Swans, turkeys, peacocks, ducks, and chicken,

Fowls of all rank 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. 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 shewn! 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.