Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

In the fair dawning of your mind,
Difcern you generous, mild, and kind :
They see you grieve to hear distress,
And pant already to redress.
Go on, the height of good attain,
Nor let a nation hope in vain:
For hence we justly may presage
The virtues of a riper age.

True courage shall your bofom fire,
And future actions own your fire.
Cowards are cruel; but the brave
Love mercy, and delight to fave.

A Tiger, roaming for his prey,
Sprung on a Traveller in the way;
The proftrate game a Lion spies,
And on the greedy tyrant flies:

With mingled roar refounds the wood,
Their teeth, their claws, diftil with blood;
Till, vanquish'd by the Lion's ftrength,

The spotted Foe extends his length.
The Man befought the fhaggy Lord,
And on his knees for life implor'd.
His life the generous hero gave.
Together walking to his cave,

The Lion thus befpoke his gueft:

"What hardy beast shall dare contest

"My matchless strength? You faw the fight,
“And must atteft my power and right.
"Forc'd to forego their native home,
"My starving flaves at distance roam.

45

50

"Within

3.

« Within these woods I reign alone;
"The boundless foreft is my own.
"Bears, wolves, and all the favage brood,
"Have dy'd the regal den with blood.

55

"Thefe carcaffes on either hand,

"Thofe bones that whiten all the land,

"My former deeds and triumphs tell,
"Beneath thefe jaws what numbers fell."

"True," fays the Man," the ftrength I faw
"Might well the brutal nation awe;
"But shall a monarch, brave, like you,
“Place glory in fo false a view?

"Robbers invade their neighbours' right.
"Be lov'd; let juftice bound your might.
"Mean are ambitious heroes' boasts
"Of wafted lands and flaughter'd hofts.
"Pirates their power by murders gain;
"Wife kings by love and mercy reign.
“To me your clemency hath shown
"The virtue worthy of a throne.
"Heaven gives you power above the reft,
"Like Heaven, to fuccour the diftreft."

"The cafe is plain," the monarch faid;

60

665

75

"False glory hath my youth misled;
"For beafts of prey, a fervile train,
"Have been the flatterers of my reign.
"You reafon well. Yet tell me, friend,

"Did ever you in courts attend?
"For all my fawning rogues agree,

$80

"That human heroes rule like me."

FABLE

[ocr errors]

FABLE II.

THE SPANIEL AND THE CAMELEON.

A SPANIEL, bred with all the care

That waits upon a favourite heir,

Ne'er felt Correction's rigid hand;
Indulg'd to disobey command,
In pamper'd ease his hours were spent :
He never knew what Learning meant.
Such forward airs, so pert, so smart,
Were sure to win his lady's heart ;
Each little mischief gain'd him praise ;
How pretty were his fawning ways!

The wind was fouth, the morning fair,
He ventures forth to take the air:
He ranges all the meadow round,
And rolls upon the fofteft ground;
When near him a Cameleon seen,
Was scarce diftinguish'd from the green.
“Dear emblem of the flattering host,
"What, live with clowns! a genius loft!
“To cities and the court repair;

"A fortune cannot fail thee there:
"Preferments fhall thy talents crown ;

"Believe me, Friend; I know the Town."
"Sir," fays the Sycophant, “like you,

"Of old, politer life I knew:

5

10

15

20

25

"Like you, a courtier born and bred,

[ocr errors]

66

Kings lean'd their ear to what I faid.

'My whisper always met fuccefs; "The ladies prais'd me for addrefs. "I knew to hit each courtier's paffion, "And flatter'd every vice in fashion. "But Jove, who hates the liar's ways, "At once cut short my profperous days,

66

'And, fentenc'd to retain my nature,

"Transform'd me to this crawling creature.
"Doom'd to a 'ife obfcure and mean,
"I wander in the fylvan scene:
"For Jove the heart alone regards;
"He punishes what man rewards.
"How different is thy cafe and mine!
"With men at least you fup and dine;
"While I, condemn'd to thinneft fare,
"Like those I flatter'd, feed on air."

30

35

[blocks in formation]

THE MOTHER, THE NURSE, AND THE FAIRY.

IVE me a fon. The bleffing fent,

GIVE

Were ever parents more content?

How partial are their doating eyes!
No child is half fo fair and wife.

Wak'd to the morning's pleafing care,
The mother rose, and fought her heir.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][merged small]

She faw the Nurfe like one poffest,
With wringing hands and sobbing breast.
"Sure fome difafter has befell!

Speak, Nurfe; I hope the boy is well.".
"Dear Madam, think not me to blame;
Invifibly the Fairy came:

Your precious babe is hence convey'd,
And in the place a changeling laid.

10

Where are the father's mouth and nofe?

15

The mother's eyes, as black as floes?

See, here, a fhocking aukward creature,
That speaks a fool in every feature!"

"The woman's blind, the Mother cries; I fee wit fparkle in his eyes."

"Lord! Madam, what a fquinting leer!
No doubt the Fairy hath been here.”
Juft as the fpoke, a pigmy sprite
Pops through the key-hole swift as light ;*
Perch'd on the cradle's top he ftands,
And thus her folly reprimands.

"Whence fprung the vain conceited lye,
That we the world with fools fupply ?
What give our sprightly race away
For the dull helplefs fons of clay!
Befides, by partial fondness fhewn,
Like you, we deat upon our own.
Where yet was ever found a Mother

20

25

30

Who'd give her booby for another?

And, fhould we change with human breed,
Well might we pafs for fools indeed."

35

FABLE

« ПредишнаНапред »