Who's born for floth? To fome we find
The plough-fhare's annual toil affign'd.
Some at the founding anvil glow;
Some the swift-fliding fhuttle throw:
Some, ftudious of the wind and tide;
From pole to pole our commerce guide:
Some (taught by induftry) impart.
With hands and feet the works of art:
While fome, of genius more refin'd,
With head and tongue affift mankind :
Each, aiming at one common end,
Proves to the whole a needful friend.
Thus, born each other's useful aid,
By turns are obligations paid.
The monarch, when his table's spread,
Is to the clown oblig'd for bread;
And, when in all his glory dreft,
Owes to the loom his royal veft.
Do not the mason's toil and care,
Protect him from th' inclement air!
Does not the cutler's art fupply
The ornament that guards his thigh!
All thefe, in duty to the throne,
Their common obligations own.
"Tis he (his own and people's caufe)
Protects their properties and laws.
Thus they their honeft toil employ,

And with content their fruits enjoy.

*BARROW.

In ev'ry rank, or great or small,

'Tis induftry fupports us all.

The animals, by want opprefs'd,
To man their fervices addrefs'd.
While each purfu'd their selfish good,

They hunger'd for precarious food.
Their hours with anxious cares were vext;
One day they fed, and starv'd the next.
They faw that plenty, fure and rife,
Was found alone in focial life;
That mutual industry profefs'd,

The various wants of man redress'd.

The Cat, half-famish'd, lean and weak,

Demands the privilege to speak.

Well, Pufs (fays Man) and what can you To benefit the public do?

The Cat replies. These teeth, these claws, With vigilance fhall ferve the cause. The mouse, deftroy'd by my pursuit, No longer fhall your feafts pollute; Nor rats, from nightly ambufcade, With wasteful teeth your ftores invade.

I grant, fays Man, to gen'ral ufe Your parts and talents may conduce; For rats and mice purloin our grain, And threshers whirl the flail in vain : Thus fhall the Cat, a foe to spoil,

Protect the farmer's honeft toil.

Then

Then turning to the Dog, he cry'd,
Well, Sir; be next your merits try'd.
Sir, fays the Dog, by felf-applause
We seem to own a friendlefs caufe,
Ask those who know me, if distrust
E'er found me treach'rous or unjuft.
Did I e'er faith or friendship break?
Afk all thofe creatures; let them speak.
My vigilance and trufty zeal

Perhaps might serve the public weal.
Might not your flocks in fafety feed,
Were I to guard the fleecy breed?
Did I the nightly watches keep,

Could thieves invade you while you sleep?
The Man replies. 'Tis juft and right
Rewards fuch fervice fhould requite.
So rare, in property we find

Truft uncorrupt among mankind,
That, taken in a public view,

The firft diftinction is

your due.

Such merits all reward transcend :
Be then my comrade and my friend,
Addreffing now the Fly: From you
What public service can accrue ?
From me! (the flutt'ring infect faid)
I thought you knew me better bred.
Sir, I'm a gentleman. Is't fit
That I to industry submit ?

Let mean mechanics, to be fed,
By bus'nefs earn ignoble bread.
Loft in excess of daily joys,

No thought, no care my life

annoys.

At noon (the lady's matin hour)
I fip the tea's delicious flower.
On cates luxuriously I dine,

And drink the fragrance of the vine.
Studious of elegance and ease,
Myfelf alone I seek to please:

The Man his pert conceit derides,
And thus the ufelefs coxcomb chides.
Hence, from that peach, that downy feat;
No idlé fool deferves to eat.

Could you have fapp'd the blushing rind,
And on that pulp ambrofial din'd,
Had not fome hand, with fkill and toil,
To raise the tree, prepar'd the foil?
Confider, fot, what would enfue,
Were all fuch worthlefs things as you."
You'd foon be forc'd (by hunger ftung)
To make your dirty meals on dung;
On which fuch defpicable need,
Unpitied, is reduc'd to feed.
Befides, vain felfifh infect, learn,
(If you can right and wrong difcern)
That he who, with industrious zeal,
Contributes to the public weal,

By

By adding to the common good,
His own hath rightly understood.

So faying, with a fudden blow,
He laid the noxious vagrant low.
Crush'd in his luxury and pride,
The fpunger on the public dy'd.

FABLE IX.

The JACKALL, LEOPARD, and other Beafts. ·

I

ΤΟ Α MODERN POLITICIAN.

Grant corruption sways mankind;
That int'reft too perverts the mind;
That bribes have blinded common fenfe,
Foil'd reafon, truth, and eloquence:
I grant you too, our present crimes
Can equal thofe of former times.
Against plain facts shall I engage,
To vindicate our righteous age?
I know, that in a modern fift,
Bribes in full energy fubfift.

Since then these arguments prevail,
And itching palms are still so frail,
Hence Politicians you fuggeft,

Should drive the nail that goes the best;
That it shows parts and penetration,
To ply men with the right temptation.