So shall sleek mice your chase reward,
And no keen cat find more regard." 1

(1) The moral of the fable is rather forced, for the owl was dedicated to Minerva, the patroness of Athens, on account of its symbolizing the far-sightedness of wisdom, in looking through the darkness of ignorance and error; thus a wise man, like an owl, sees where others are blind. Otherwise the reproof by the poet of vain assumption is forcible enough, as well as of the error of human judgment, in being guided by external appearances. The temper of the owls here depicted, is a very common one; and men talk of the excellence of former times, and of the value then set upon certain qualities, which they always give themselves the credit of possessing, as though all veneration for real merit, had passed away. It has ever been the characteristic of servile indolence, to be a "laudator temporis acti," whereas, in fact, exertion has been applauded in all ages, and never more than when, with increasing experience, the world has learned to discriminate between the puling querulousness of the shallow upstart, and the real unlamenting energy of the active and enduring mind. Fortune ought to have broad shoulders, to bear the burden of complaints which idleness and conceited arrogance set upon her!

WHENE'ER a Courtier's out of place,
The country shelters his disgrace;
Where, doom'd to exercise and health,
His house and gardens own his wealth.
He builds new schemes, in hope to gain
The plunder of another reign;
Like Philip's son, would fain be doing,
And sighs for other realms to ruin.1

(1) Vide Plutarch in Vitâ.

As one of these (without his wand),
Pensive along the winding strand
Employ'd the solitary hour,

In projects to regain his power,
The waves in spreading circles ran,
Proteus arose, and thus began:

66 Came you from court? for in your mien A self-important air is seen."

He frankly own'd his friends had trick'd him, And how he fell his party's victim.

"Know," says the god, "by matchless skill I change to every shape at will;

But yet I'm told, at court you see

Those who presume to rival me."

Thus said: a snake, with hideous trail,

Proteus extends his scaly mail.

66

Know," says the Man, " tho' proud in place, All courtiers are of reptile race.

Like you, they take that dreadful form,
Bask in the sun, and fly the storm;
With malice hiss, with envy gloat,
And for convenience change their coat;
With new-got lustre rear their head,
Though on a dunghill born and bred.
Sudden the god a lion stands;

He shakes his mane, he spurns the sands;
Now a fierce lynx, with fiery glare;
A wolf, an ass, a fox, a bear.

"Had I ne'er lived at court," he cries,
"Such transformation might surprise;
But there, in quest of daily game,
Each able Courtier acts the same.

Wolves, lions, lynxes, while in place,
Their friends and fellows are their chase.
They play the bear's and fox's part,
Now rob by force, now steal with art.
They sometimes in the senate bray,
Or, changed again to beasts of prey,
Down from the lion to the ape,
Practise the frauds of every shape."
So said, upon the god he flies,
In cords the struggling captive ties.

"Now, Proteus! now (to truth compell'd)
Speak, and confess thy art excell❜d.
Use strength, surprise, or what you will,
The Courtier finds evasions still;

Not to be bound by any ties,

And never forced to leave his lies."1

(1) This pungent satire upon the life of fraud, which is the wretched lot of a courtier, is only to be equalled by Swift's biting apophthegm, "That a courtier's creed is the shortest, but best observed, he ever knew, namely, always to keep his place, and never to keep his promise." The various images of the wily venom of the snake, the power without the generosity of the lion, the cat-like, cunning cruelty of the lynx, the voracity and brutal sensuality of the bear, the craftiness of the fox, and the dull indolence and stupidity of the ass,-all ingredients in the character of courtiers,-are drawn literally after nature. Truly,

"What man of sense would rack his generous mind

To practise all the base formalities

And forms of business? Force a grave starch'd face

When he's a very libertine in 's heart?
Seem not to know this or that man in public,
When privately perhaps they meet together,
And lay the scene of some brave fellow's ruin?
Such things are done in courts."-OTWAY, Oph.

I

THOSE Who in quarrels interpose,
Must often wipe a bloody nose.

A Mastiff, of true English blood, Loved fighting, better than his food. When dogs were snarling for a bone, He long'd to make the war his own, And often found (when two contend) To interpose obtain'd his end.