He next the Mastiff's honour tried,
Whose honest jaws the bribe defied:
He stretch'd his hand to proffer more;
The surly dog his fingers tore.

Swift ran the Cur; with indignation
The master took his information.

"Hang him! the villain's cursed!" he cries;
And round his neck the halter ties.
The Dog his humble suit preferr'd,
And begg'd in justice to be heard.
The master sat. On either hand
The cited dogs confronting stand;
The Cur the bloody tale relates,
And, like a lawyer, aggravates.

66

'Judge not unheard," the Mastiff cried, "But weigh the cause of either side. Think not that treachery can be just; Take not informers' words on trust; They ope their hand to every pay, And you and me by turns betray." He spoke; and all the truth appear'd: The Cur was hang'd the Mastiff clear'd.

"Is there no hope?" the sick Man said.
The silent doctor shook his head;

And took his leave with signs of sorrow,
Despairing of his fee to-morrow.

When thus the Man, with gasping breath: "I feel the chilling wound of death! Since I must bid the world adieu,

Let me my former life review.

I grant my bargains well were made;
But all men over-reach in trade:
"Tis self-defence in each profession;
Sure, self-defence is no transgression.

The little portion in my hands,
By good security on lands,

Is well increased. If, unawares,
My justice to myself and heirs
Hath let my debtor rot in jail,
For want of good sufficient bail;
If I by writ, or bond, or deed,
Reduced a family to need,

My will hath made the world amends
My hope on charity depends.

When I am number'd with the dead,
And all my pious gifts are read,

;

By heaven and earth 'twill then be known
My charities were amply shown."

An Angel came: "Ah! friend," he cried,
"No more in flattering hope confide.
Can thy good deeds in former times
Outweigh the balance of thy crimes?
What widow or what orphan prays
To crown thy life with length of days?
A pious action's in thy power,
Embrace with joy the happy hour.
Now, while you draw the vital air,

Prove your intention is sincere :

This instant give a hundred pound;

Your neighbours want, and you abound.

"But why such haste?" the sick Man whines;

"Who knows as yet what Heaven designs? Perhaps I may recover still:

That sum and more are in my will."

"Fool!" says the Vision, "now 'tis plain Your life, your soul, your heaven, was gain.

From every side, with all your might,
You scraped, and scraped beyond your right,
And after death would fain atone,

By giving what is not your own."

66

While there is life, there's hope," he cried;

"Then why such haste ?". -so groan'd and died.

THE PERSIAN, THE SUN, AND THE CLOUD.

Is there a bard whom genius fires,
Whose every thought the god inspires?
When Envy reads the nervous lines,
She frets, she rails, she raves, she pines :
Her hissing snakes with venom swell;
She calls her venal train from hell:
The servile fiends her nod obey,
And all Curl's authors are in pay.
Fame calls up Calumny and Spite:
Thus shadow owes its birth to light.

As prostrate to the God of Day,
With heart devout, a Persian lay,
His invocation thus begun :

"Parent of light! all-seeing Sun!