The JACKALL, LEOPARD, and other Beafts..
GRANT, Corruption fways mankind;
That int'reft too perverts the mind;
That bribes have blinded common sense,
Foil'd reafon, truth, and eloquence:
I grant you too, our prefent crimes
Can equal thofe of former times.
Against plain facts fhall I engage,
To vindicate our righteous age?
I know, that in a modern fift,
Bribes in full energy subfift.
Since then these arguments prevail,
And itching palms are ftill fo 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.
To this I humbly muft diffent ;.
Fremifing no reftection's meant.
Does juftice or the client's fenfe
Teach lawyers either fide's defence?
The fee gives eloquence its fpirit;
That only is the client's merit.
Does art, wit, wifdom, or address,
Obtain the prostitute's carefs?
The guinea (as in other trades)
From ev'ry hand alike perfuades.
Man, Scripture fays, is prone to evil,
But does that vindicate the devil? ¡
Befides, the more mankind are prone,
The lefs the devil's parts are shown.
Corruption's not of modern date;
It hath been try'd in ev'ry ftate.
Great knaves of old their power have fenc
By places, penfions, bribes, difpens'd;
By these they glory'd in success,
And impudently dar'd opprefs;
By thefe defpoticly they fway'd,
And flaves extoll'd the hand that pay'd;
Nor parts, nor genius were employ'd,
By thefe alone were realms deftroy'd.
Now fee thefe wretches in difgrace,
Stript of their treafures, pow'r, and place
View 'em abandon'd and forlorn,
Expos'd to just reproach and fcorn.
What now is all your pride, your boast ?
Where are your flaves, your flatt'ring host
What tongues now feed you with applause?
Where are the champions of your caufe?
Now ev'n that very fawning train
Which fhar'd the gleanings of your gain,
Prefs foremost who fhall firft accufe
Your felfish jobbs, your paltry views,
Your narrow schemes, your breach of trust,
And want of talents to be juft.
What fools were thefe amidst their pow'r How thoughtless of their adverse hour! What friends were made? A hireling herd, For temporary votes preferr'd.
Was it, these fycophants to get,
Your bounty fwell'd a nation's debt?
You're bit. For thefe, like Swiss, attend;
No longer pay, no longer friend.
The Lion is (beyond difpute)
Allow'd the most majestic brute;
His valour and his gen'rous mind
Prove him fuperior of his kind.
Yet to Jackalls (as 'tis averr'd)
Some Lions have their pow'r transferr'd;
As if the parts of pimps and fpies
To govern forests could fuffice.
Once, ftudious of his private good,
A proud Jackall opprefs'd the wood;
To cram his own infatiate jaws,
Invaded property and laws.
The foreft groans with discontent,
Fresh wrongs the gen'ral hate foment,
The spreading murmurs reach'd his ear;
His fecret hours were vex'd with fear.
Night after night he weighs the cafe,
And feels the terrors of difgrace.
By friends (fays he) I'll guard my feat,
By thofe malicious tongues defeat:
I'll ftrengthen pow'r by new allies,
And all my clam'rous foes defpife.
To make the gen'rous beafts his friends,
He cringes, fawns and condefcends;
But thofe repuls'd his abject court,
And fcorn'd oppreffion to fupport.
Friends must be had. He can't fubfift.
Bribes fhall new profelytes inlift.
But these nought weigh'd in honeft paws;
For bribes confefs'd a wicked caufe:
Yet think not ev'ry paw withstands
What had prevail'd in human hands.
A tempting turnip's filver fkin
Drew a bafe hog through thick and thin:
Bought with aftag's delicious hanch,
The mercenary wolf was stanch:
The convert fox grew warm and hearty,
A pullet gain'd him to the party;
The golden pippin in his fist,
A chatt'ring monkey join'd the lift.
But foon expos'd to public hate,
The fav'rites fall redrefs'd the ftate.
The Leopard, vindicating right,
Had brought his fecret frauds to light,
As rats, before the manfion falls,
Defert late hofpitable walls,
In fhoals the fervile creatures run,
To bow before the rifing fun.
The hog with warmth exprefs'd his zeal,
And was for hanging thofe that steal;
But hop'd, though low, the public hoard
Might half a turnip ftill afford.
Since faving measures were profeft,
A lamb's head was the wolf's request.
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