FABLE

IV.

The EAGLE, and the Affembly of ANIMALS.

AS JUPITER's all-feeing eye

Ꭺ

Survey'd the worlds beneath the sky,
From this fmall fpeck of earth were fent,
Murmurs and founds of difcontent;
For ev'ry thing alive complain'd,
That he the hardest life fuftain'd.
Jove calls his Eagle. At the word
Before him ftands the royal bird.

The bird, obedient, from heav'n's height,
Downward directs his rapid flight;

Then

Then cited ev'ry living thing,
To hear the mandates of his king.

Ungrateful creatures, whence arise
Thefe murmurs which offend the skies?
Why this diforder? fay the cause;
For just are Jove's eternal laws.
Let each his discontent reveal;
To yon four Dog, I first appeal.

Hard is my lot, the Hound replies,
On what fleet nerves the Greyhound flies.
While I, with weary ftep and flow,
O'er plains and vales, and mountains go.
The morning fees my chafe begun,

Nor ends it till the fetting fun,

When (fays the Greyhound) I purfue,
My game is loft, or caught in view;
Beyond my fight the prey's fecure:
The Hound is flow, but always fure.
And had I his fagacious fcent,
Jove ne'er had heard my difcontent.

The Lion crav'd the Fox's art;
The Fox, the Lion's force and heart.
The Cock implor'd the Pigeon's flight,
Whose wings were rapid, ftrong, and light:
The Pigeon ftrength of wing defpis'd,
And the Cock's matchlefs valour priz❜d :
The Fishes wish'd to graze the plain ;
The beafts to skim beneath the main.

Thus, envious of another's ftate,
Each blam'd the partial hand of Fate.
The bird of heav'n then cry'd aloud,
Jove bids difperfe the murm'ring crowd;
The God rejects your idle prayers.
Would ye, rebellious mutineers,
Entirely change your name and nature,
And be the very envy'd creature?
What, filent all, and none confent!
Be happy then, and learn content:
Nor imitate the reftlefs mind,
And proud ambition of mankind.

FABLE

FABLE V.

The WILD BOAR and the RAM.

A

GAINST an elm a fheep was ty'd

The butcher's knife in blood was dy'd:

The patient flock in filent fright,
From far beheld the horrid fight.
A favage Boar, who near them stood,
Thus mock'd to fcorn the fleecy brood.

All cowards fhould be ferv'd like you.
See, fee, your murd'rer is in view.
With purple hands, and reeking knife,
He trips the fkin yet warm with life :

Your

Your quarter'd fires, your bleeding dams,
The dying bleat of harmlefs lambs,

Call for revenge. O ftupid race!
The heart that wants revenge, is base.
I grant, an ancient Ram replies,
We bear no terror in our eyes;
Yet think us not of foul fo tame,
Which no repeated wrongs inflame;
Infenfible of ev'ry ill,

Because we want thy tusks to kill.
Know, those who violence purfue,
Give to themselves the vengeance due;
For in thefe maffacres they find

The two chief plagues that waste mankind.
Our skin fupplies the wrangling bar,

It wakes their flumb'ring fons to war;
And well revenge may reft contented,
Since drums and parchment were invented.

FABLE