Our fkin fupplies the wrangling bar,
It wakes their flumbering fons to war;
And well Revenge may reft contented,
Since drums and parchment were invented."

25

FABLE

VI.

THE MISER AND PLUTUS.

HE wind was high, the window shakes,

THE

With fudden start the Mifer wakes;

Along the filent room he flalks,

Looks back, and trembles as he walks.
Each lock and every bolt he tries,
In every creek and corner pries;
Then opes the cheft with treasure ftor'd,
And ftands in rapture o'er his hoard.
But now, with fudden qualms poffeft,
He wrings his hands, he beats his breast;
By confcience ftung, he wildly ftares,
And thus his guilty foul declares :

"Had the deep earth her ftores confin'd,
This heart had known fweet peace of mind.
But virtue's fold. Good Gods! what price
Can recompenfe the pangs of vice!

O bane of good! feducing cheat!

Can man, weak man, thy power defeat?
Gold banish'd honour from the mind,
And only left the name behind;
Gold fow'd the world with every ill;
Gold taught the murderer's fword to kill :

'Twas

'Twas gold instructed coward-hearts
In treachery's more pernicious arts.
Who can recount the mifchiefs o'er?
Virtue.refides on earth no more!"
He fpoke, and figh'd. In angry mood
Plutus, his god, before him stood.
The Mifer, trembling, lock'd his chest ; =
The Vifion frown'd, and thus address'd:
“Whence is this vile ungrateful rant,,
Each fordid rafcal's daily cant?

Did I, bafe wretch! corrupt mankind? ·
The fault's in thy rapacious mind. -
Because my bleffings are abus'd,
Muft I be cenfur'd, cury'd, accus'd?
Ev'n Virtue's felf by knaves is made

A cloak to carry on the trade;

And Power (when lodg'd in their poffeffion)

Grows tyranny, and rank oppreffion.

Thus, when the villain crams his cheft,
Gold is the canker of the breast;
'Tis avarice, infolence, and pride,
And every fhocking vice befide:
But, when to virtuous hands 'tis given,
It bleffes, like the dews of Heaven:
Like Heaven, it hears the orphan's cries,
And wipes the tears from widows' eyes.
Their crimes on gold fhall Mifers lay,
Who pawn'd their fordid fouls for pay?
Let bravoes, then, when blood is fpilt,
Upbraid the paffive foul with guilt."
D. 4+

25

30%

35

40

455

50%

FABLE

THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE GEESE..

ALION, tir'd with ftate-affairs,

Quite fick of pomp, and worn with cares,
Refolv'd (remote from noise and strife)
In peace to pafs his latter life.

It was proclaim'd; the day was fet;
Behold the general council met.

The Fox was viceroy nam'd. The crowd-
To the new regent humbly bow'd.
Wolves, bears, and mighty tigers, bend,
And ftrive who moft fhall condefcend.
He straight affumes a folemn grace,
Collects his wifdom in his face.
The crowd admire his wit, his fenfe ;
Each word hath weight and confequence.
The flatterer all his art displays :

He who hath power is fure of praise...

A Fox ftept forth before the reft,
And thus the fervile throng addreft:

"How vaft his talents, born to rule,
And train'd in Virtue's honeft school!
What clemency his temper fways!
How uncorrupt are all his ways
Beneath his conduct and command,
Rapine fhall cease to waste the land.
His brain hath stratagem and art;
Prudence and mercy rule his heart.

20%

25

What

What bleffings must attend the nation
Under this good administration !"

He faid. A Goofe, who diftant ftood,
Harangu'd apart the cackling brood:
"Whene'er I hear a knave commend,
He bids me fhun his worthy friend.
What praise what mighty commendation !
But 'twas a Fox who spoke th' oration.
Foxes this government may prize,
As gentle, plentiful, and wife;
If they enjoy the fweets, 'tis plain
We Geefe muft feel a tyrant-reign.
What havock now fhall thin our race,
When every petty clerk in place,

Το prove his tafte, and feem polite,
Will feed on Geefe both noon and night!"

30

35

THE LADY AND THE WASP.

WHAT whispers must the Beauty bear!

What hourly nonfenfe haunts her ear!
Where'er her eyes difpenfe their charms,
Impertinence around her fwarms.

Did not the tender nonsense strike,
Contempt and fcorn might look diflike;
Forbidding airs might thin the place,
The flightest flap a fly can chace :
But who can drive the numerous breed?
Chace one, another will fucceed.

5%

10

Whe

Who knows a fool, muft know his brother
One fop will recommend another :
And with this plague the 's rightly curft,
Because the liften'd to the firft.

As Doris, at her toilette's duty,
Sate meditating on her beauty,
She now was pensive, now was gay,
And loll'd the fultry hours away.

As thus in indolence the lies,
A giddy Wasp around her flies.
He now advances, now retires,
Now to her neck and cheek afpires.
Her fan in vain defends her charms;
Swift he returns, again alarms
For by repulfe he bolder grew,

Perch'd on her lip, and fipt the dew

She frowns; the frets. "Good Gods! fhe cries,

Protect me from thefe teazing flies!

Of all the plagues that Heaven hath sent,
A Wafp is moft impertinent."

The hovering infect thus complain'd;
"Am I then flighted, fcorn'd, difdain'd? >
Can fuch offence your anger wake?
'Twas beauty caus'd the bold mistake.
Thofe cherry-lips that breathe perfume,
That cheek fo ripe with youthful bloom,
Made me with ftrong defire pursue
The fairest peach that ever grew."

"Strike him not, Jenny, Doris cries,, Nor murder Wafps like vulgar flies;

30TM

3*.

40 For