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We all of times corrupt have heard, When paltry minions were preferr'd; When all great offices, by dozens,

Were fill'd by brothers, fons, and coufins.

What matter ignorance and pride?

The man was happily ally'd,
Provided that his clerk was good,
What though he nothing understood?
In church and ftate, the forry race
Grew more confpicuous fools in place.
Such heads, as then a treaty made,
Had bungled in the cobler's trade.
Confider, patrons, that fuch elves
Expofe your folly with themfelves.
"Tis yours, as 'tis the parent's care,
To fix each genius in its sphere.
Your partial hand can wealth difpenfe,
But never give a blockhead fenfe.

An Owl of magifterial air,
Of folemn voice, of brow auftere,
Affum'd the pride of human race,
And bore his wifdom in his face;
Not to depreciate learned eyes,
I've seen a pedant look as wife.

Within a barn from noise retir'd,

He scorn'd the world, himself admir'd ;

And,

And, like an ancient fage, conceal'd
The follies public life reveal'd.
Philofophers of old, he read,

Their country's youth, to fcience bred,
Their manners form'd for ev'ry ftation,
And deftin'd each his occupation.
When XENOPHON, by numbers brav'd,
Retreated, and a people fav'd,
That laurel was not all his own;
The plant by SOCRATES was fown.
To ARISTOTLE's greater name
The MACEDONIAN own'd his fame.
Th' ATHENIAN bird, with pride replete,
Their talents equall'd in conceit;
And, copying the SOCRATIC rule,
Set up for mafter of a fchool.
Dogmatic jargon learnt by heart,
Trite fentences, hard terms of art,
To vulgar ears feem'd fo profound,
They fancy'd learning in the found.

The fchool had fame: the crowded place
With pupils fwarm'd of ev'ry race.
With these the Swan's maternal care
Had fent her scarce-fledg'd cygnet heir:
The Hen (though fond and loth to part)
Here lodg'd the darling of her heart:
The Spider, of mechanic kind,

Afpir'd to fcience more refin'd:

The

The Ass learnt metaphors and tropes,
But most on mufic fix'd his hopes.
The pupils now, advanc'd in age,
Were call'd to tread life's bufy ftage;
And to the mafter 'twas fubmitted,
That each might to his part be fitted.
The Swan (fays he) in arms fhall shine;
The foldier's glorious toil be thine.

The Cock fhall mighty wealth attain:
Go, feek it on the ftormy main.

The court shall be the Spider's sphere:
Pow'r, fortune, fhall reward him there.
In mufic's art the Afs's fame
Shall emulate CORELLI's name.
Each took the part that he advis'd,
And all were equally defpis'd.

A Farmer, at his folly mov'd,
The dull preceptor thus reprov'd.

Blockhead (fays he) by what you've done,
One would have thought 'em each your son:
For parents, to their offspring blind,
Confult nor parts nor turn of mind;
But ev'n in infancy decree

What this, what t'other fon fhould be.
Had you with judgment weigh'd the cafe,
Their genius thus had fix'd their place.
The Swan had learnt the failor's art;
The Cock had play'd the foldier's part;

The

The Spider in the weaver's trade
With credit had a fortune made;
But for the fool, in ev'ry clafs
The blockhead had appear'd an Ass.

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The COOK-MAID, the TURNSPIT, and the Ox.

C

TO A POOR MAN.

Onfider man in ev'ry sphere,

Then tell me, is your lot severe ?

'Tis murmur, difcontent, diftruft,

That makes you wretched. God is juft.
I grant, that hunger muft be fed,

That toil too earns thy daily bread.

What then? Thy wants are feen and known.

But ev'ry mortal feels his own.

We're born a restless needy crew:

Shew me the happier man than you.

ADAM, though bless'd above his kind,

For want of focial woman pin'd.
Eve's wants the subtle ferpent faw.
Her fickle tafte tranfgrefs'd the law:
Thus fell our fires; and their disgrace

The curfe entail'd on human race.

When

When PHILIP's fon, by glory led,
Had o'er the globe his empire spread;
When altars to his name were drefs'd,
That he was man, his tears confefs'd.
The hopes of avarice are check'd :
The proud man always wants respect.
What various wants on pow'r attend?
Ambition never gains its end.

Who hath not heard the rich complain
Of furfeits and corporeal pain?

He, barr'd from ev'ry ufe of wealth,
Envies the plowman's ftrength and health.
Another in a beauteous wife

Finds all the miseries of life:
Domestic jars and jealous fear
Imbitter all his days with care.
This wants an heir; the line is loft:
Why was that vain entail ingrost ?
Canft thou difcern another's mind?
Why is't you envy? Envy's blind.
Tell envy, when she would annoy,
That thousands want what you enjoy.

The dinner must be dish'd at one.
Where's this vexatious Turnfpit gone?
Unless the skulking Cur is caught,
The fir-loin's spoil'd, and I'm in fault.
Thus faid; (for fure you'll think it fit
That I the Cook-maid's oaths omit),

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