FA BL E X.

譬

The ELEPHANT and the BOOKSELLER.

THE man who with undaunted toils

Sails unknown feas to unknown foils.
With various wonders feaft his fight:
What ftranger wonders does he write!
We read, and in defcription view
Creatures which ADAM never knew:
For, when we rifk no contradiction
It prompts the tongue to deal in fiction.

Thofe

Thofe things that startle me or you,
I grant are strange; yet may be true.
Who doubts that Elephants are found
For science and for sense renown'd ?
BORRI records their ftrength of parts,
Extent of thought, and fkill in arts;
How they perform the law's decrees,
And save the state the hangman's fees ;
And how by travel understand
The language of another land.
Let thofe, who question this report,
TO PLINY's ancient page refort,
How learn'd was that fagacious breed!
Who now (like them) the Greek can read!

As one of thefe, in days of yore,
Rummag'd a shop of learning o'er;
Not, like our modern dealers, minding
Only the margin's breadth and binding;
A book his curious eye detains,
Where, with exacteft care and pains,
Were ev'ry beaft and bird portray'd,
That e'er the search of man furvey'd
Their natures and their powers were writ,
With all the pride of human wit.
The page he with attention fpread,
And thus remark'd on what he read.

Man with ftrong reason is endow'd;
A beast scarce instinct is allow'd.

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But let this author's worth be try'd,
'Tis plain that neither was his guide.
Can he difcern the diff'rent natures,
And weigh the power of other creatures,
Who by the partial work hath shown
He knows fe little of his own?
How fally is the spaniel drawn !

Did man from him firft learn to fawn?
A dog proficient in the trade!
He, the chief Alatt'rer nature made!
Go, Man, the ways of courts difcern,
You'll find a spaniel still might learn.
How can the Fox's theft and plunder
Provoke his cenfure or his wonder;
From courtiers tricks, and lawyers arts,
The fox might well improve his parts.
The lion, wolf, and tyger's brood,
He curfes, for their thirst of blood:
But is not man to man a prey?
Beafts kill for hunger, men for pay.

The Bookfeller, who heard him fpeak,
And saw him turn a page of Greek,
Thought, what a genius have I found!
Then thus addrefs'd with bow profound.

Learn'd, Sir, if you'd employ your pen
Against the fenfeless son of men,
Or write the Hiftory of Siam,
No man is better pay than I am;

Or

Or, fince you're learned in Greek, let's fee
Something against the Trinity.

When wrinkling with a freer his tronk,
Friend, quoth the Elephant, you're drunk ;
E'en keep your money and be wife:
Leave man on man to criticife;
For that you ne'er can want a pen
Among the fenfelefs fons of men.
They unprovok'd will court the fray:
Envy's a fharper spur than pay.
No author ever spar❜d a brother;
Wits are game-cocks to one another.

The PEACOCK, the TURKEY, and the Goos".

་་་་

IN beauty faults confpicuous grow:
The smallest speck is feen on fnow.
As near a barn, by hunger led,
A Peacock with the Poultry fed;
All view'd him with an envious eye,
And mock'd his gaudy pageantry.
He, conscious of fuperior merit,
Contemns their bafe reviling fpirit;
His ftate and dignity affumes,
And to the fun difplays his plumes;
Which, like the heav'n's o'er arching skies,

Are fpangled with a thousand eyes.

The