When the crab views the pearly ftrands,
Or TAGUS, bright with golden fands;
Or crawls befide the coral grove,
And hears the ocean roll above;
Nature is too profufe, fays he,
Who gave all these to pleasure me!
When bord'ring pinks and rofes bloom,
And ev'ry garden breathes perfume;
When peaches glow with funny dyes,
Like LAURA's check, when blushes rife ;
When with huge figs the branches bend,
When clusters from the vine depend;
The fnail looks round on flow'r and tree,
And cries, all these were made for me!
What dignity's in human nature ?
Says Man, the most conceited creature,
As from a cliff he caft his eye,...
And view'd the fea and arched sky;
The fun was funk beneath the main,
The moon, and all the ftarry train,
Hung the vast vault of heav'n. The Man
His contemplation thus began:
When I behold this glorious fhow,
And the wide wat'ry world below,
The fcaly people of the main, on ca
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The beafts that range the wood or plain,
The wing'd inhabitants of air,
The day, the night, the varicus year, qanday
And know all these by heav'n defign'd
As gifts to pleasure human kind;
I cannot raife my worth too high;
Of what vaft confequence am I !
Not of th' importance you fuppofe,
Replies a Flea, upon his nose.
Be humble, learn thyfelf to scan;
Know, pride was never made for Man.
"Tis vanity that fwells thy mind.
What, heav'n and earth for thee defign'd!
For thee, made only for our need,
That more important Fleas might feed.
The HARE and many FRIENDS.
Friendship, like love, is but a name,
Unless to one you flint the flame.
The child, whom many fathers share,
Hath feldom known a father's care.
'Tis thus in friendships; who depend
On many, rarely find a friend.
A Hare, who, in a civil way,
Comply'd with ev'ry thing, like GAY,
Was known by all the bestial train
Who haunt the wood, or graze the plain.
Her care was, never to offend,
And ev'ry creature was her friend.
As forth fhe went at early dawn,
To taste the dew-befprinkled lawn,
Behind the hears the hunter's cries,
And from the deep-mouth'd thunder flies.
She starts, she stops, fhe pants for breath ;
She hears the near advance of death;
She doubles to mislead the hound,
And measures back her mazy round;
Till, fainting in the publick way,
Half-dead with fear fhe gasping lay. ·
What transport in her bofom grew,
When firft the Horfe appear'd in view!
Let me, fays fhe, your back ascend,
And owe my fafety to a friend.
You know my feet betray my flight.
To friendship ev'ry burden's light.
The Horse reply'd, Poor honeft Pufs,
It grieves my heart to fee thee thus.
Be comforted, relief is near;
For all your friends are in the rear.
She next the stately Bull implor'd;
And thus reply'd the mighty lord.
Since ev'ry beaft alive can tell
That I fincerely wish you well,
I may, without offence, pretend
To take the freedom of a friend.
Love calls me hence; a fav'rite cow
Expects me near yon barley-mow;
And when a lady's in the case,
You know all other things give place.
To leave you thus, might feem unkind;
But fee, the Goat is just behind.
The Goat remark'd her pulse was high,
Her languid head, her heavy eye.
My back, fays he, may do you harm ;
The Sheep's at hand, and wool is warm.
The Sheep was feeble, and complain'd
His fides a load of wool fuftain'd:
Said he was flow, confefs'd his fears;
For hounds eat sheep, as well as Hares.
She now the trotting Calf addrefs'd, To fave from death a friend diftrefs'd.
Shall I, fays he, of tender.
In this important care engage?
Older and abler pass'd you by ;
How ftrong are those! how weak am I!
Should I prefume to bear you hence,
Those friends of mine may take offence.
Excufe me then. You know my heart.
But dearest friends, alas! must part.
How fhall we all lament! Adieu:
For fee the hounds are just in view.
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