By these they glory'd in fuccefs,
And impudently dar'd opprefs;
By thefe defpoticly they fway'd,
And flaves extoll'd the hand that paid;
Nor parts, nor genius were employ'd,
By thefe alone were realms deftroy'd.
Now, fee thefe wretches in difgrace,
Stript of their treasures, power, and place:
View 'em abandon'd and forlorn,
Expos'd to juft reproach and scorn.
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 e'en that very fawning train,
Which fhar'd the gleanings of your gain,
Prefs foremost who fhall firft accufe
Your felfish jobs, your paltry views,
Your narrow schemes, your breach of truft,
And want of talents to be juft.
What fools were thefe amidst their power!
How thoughtless of their adverse hour!
What friends were made? A hireling herd,
For temporary votes preferr'd.
Was it, thefe fycophants to get,
Your bounty fwell'd a nation's debt?
You're bit. For thefe, like Swifs, 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 power transferr'd:
As if the parts of pimps and spies
To govern forefts could fuffice.
Once, ftudious of his private good,
A proud Jackall oppreft the wood:
To cram his own infatiate jaws,
Invaded property and laws:
The foreft groans with difcontent,
Fresh wrongs the gen'ral hate foment.
The fpreading 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 enlist.
But these nought weigh'd in honeft paws;
For bribes confefs a wicked caufe:
Yet think not ev'ry paw withstands
What had prevail'd in human hands.
A tempting turnip's filver skin
Drew a bafe Hog through thick and thin;-
Bought with a ftag's delicious haunch,
The mercenary Wolf was ftaunch:
The convert Fox grew warm and hearty,
A pullet gain'd him to the party:
The golden pippin in his fift,
A chatt'ring Monkey join'd the list.
But foon, expos'd to public hate,
The Fav'rite's fall redrefs 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 rising Sun.
The Hog with warmth expreft his zeal,
And was for hanging those that steal;
But hop'd, though low, the public hoard
Might half a turnip ftill afford.
Since faving meafures were profeft,
A lamb's head was the Wolf's request.
The Fox fubmitted, if to touch
A goflin would be deem'd too much.
The Monkey thought his grin and chatter
Might afk a nut or fome fuch matter.
Ye hirelings, hence, the Leopard cries,
Your venal confcience I defpife:
He, who the public good intends,
By bribes, needs never purchase friends
Who acts this juft, this open part,
Is propt by ev'ry honeft heart.
Corruption now too late has fhew d
That bribes are always ill-bestow'd;
By you your bubbled mafter's taught,
Time-ferving tools, not friends, are bought.
LXI. The DEGENERATE BEES.
To the Rev. Dr SWIFT, Dean of St Patrick's.
HOUGH courts the practice difallow,
A friend at all times I'll avow.
In politics I know 'tis wrong;
A friendship may be kept too long;
And that the call the prudent part,
Is to wear int'reft next the heart.
As the times take a diff'rent face,
Old friendships fhould to new give place.
I know too you have many foes,
That owning you is fharing those;
That ev'ry knave in ev'ry station,
Of high and low denomination,
For what you fpeak and what you write,
Dread you at once and bear you fpite.
Such freedoms in your works are fhewn,
They can't enjoy what's not their own.
All dunces too in church and ftate
In frothy nonfenfe fhew their hate,
With all the petty fcribbling crew,
(And those pert fots are not a few)
'Gainft you and Pope their envy fpurt.
The bookfellers alone are hurt.
Good Gods! by what a powerful race
(For blockheads may have pow'r and place)
Are fcandals rais'd, and libels writ,
To prove your honefty and wit!
Think with yourfelf: Thofe worthy men
You know have fuffer'd by your pen;
From them you've nothing but your due.
From hence 'tis plain, your friends are few:
Except myself, I know of none,
Befides the wife and good alone.
To fet the cafe in fairer light,
My fable fhall the reft recite;
Which (though unlike our present state)
I for the moral's fake relate.
A Bee, of cunning, not of parts,
Luxurious, negligent of arts,
Rapacious, arrogant, and vain,
Greedy of pow'r, but more of gain,
Corruption fow'd throughout the hive.
By petty rogues the great ones thrive.
As pow'r and wealth his views fupply'd,
"Twas feen in overbearing pride;
With him loud impudence and merit,
The Bee of confcience wanted spirit;
And thofe who followed honour's rules
Were laugh'd to fcorn for fqueamish fools:
Wealth claim'd diftinction, favour, grace,
And poverty alone was base;
The Hog with warmth expreft his zeal,
And was for hanging those 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.
The Fox fubmitted, if to touch
A goflin would be deem'd too much.
The Monkey thought his grin and chatter
Might afk a nut or fome fuch matter.
Ye hirelings, hence, the Leopard cries,
Your venal confcience I defpife:
He, who the public good intends,
By bribes, needs never purchase friends;
Who acts this juft, this open part,
Is propt by ev'ry honeft heart.
Corruption now too late has fhew d
That bribes are always ill-bestow'd;
By you your bubbled master's taught,
Time-ferving tools, not friends, are bought.
LXI. The DEGENERATE BEES.
To the Rev. Dr SWIFT, Dean of St Patrick's.
HOUGH courts the practice difallow,
A friend at all times I'll avow.
In politics I know 'tis wrong;
A friendship may be kept too long;
And that the call the prudent part,
Is to wear int'reft next the heart.
As the times take a diff'rent face,
Old friendships fhould to new give place.
I know too you have many foes,
That owning you is fharing thofe ;
That ev'ry knave in ev'ry ftation,
Of high and low denomination,
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