Like flaves, they crowd my flight behind,
And own me of fuperior kind."
The Farmer laugh'd, and thus reply'd:
"Thou dull important lump of pride,
Dar'st thou with that harsh grating tongue
Depreciate birds of warbling fong?
Indulge thy fpleen know men and fowl
Regard thee, as thou art, an Owl.
Befides, proud Blockhead! be not vain
Of what thou call'ft thy flaves and train :
Few follow Wisdom or her rules;
Fools in derifion follow fools."
AJUGGLER long through all the Town
Had rais'd his fortune and renown; You'd think (fo far his art tranfcends)
The devil at his fingers' ends.
Vice heard his fame, fhe read his bill; 5 Convinc'd of his inferior skill,
She fought his booth, and from the crowd
Defy'd the man of art aloud.
"Is this then he fo fam'd for fleight?
Can this flow bungler cheat your fight?
Dares he with me difpute the prize?
I leave it to impartial eyes.”
Provok'd, the Juggler cry'd, ""Tis done;
In fcience I fubmit to none."
Thus faid, the cups and balls he play'd;
By turns this here, that there, convey'd.
The cards, obedient to his words,
Are by a fillip turn'd to birds.
His little boxes change the grain:
Trick after trick deludes the train.
He shakes his bag, he fhews all fair;
His fingers fpread, and nothing there;
Then bids it rain with fhowers of gold;
And now his ivory eggs are told;
But, when from thence the hen he draws,
Amaz'd fpectators hum applaufe.
Vice now stept forth, and took the place,
With all the forms of his grimace.
"This magic looking-glafs, fhe cries, (There, hand it round) will charm your eyes." 30 Each eager eye the fight defir'd,
And every man himself admir'd.
Next, to a fenator addreffing,
"See this bank-note; obferve the bleffing, Breathe on the bill. Heigh, pafs! "Tis gone." 35 Upon his lips a padlock shown.
A fecond puff the magic broke;
The padlock vanish'd, and he spoke.
Twelve bottles rang'd upon the board
All full, with heady liquor ftor'd,
By clean conveyance disappear,
And now two bloody fwords are there.
A purse the to a thief expos'd;
At once his ready fingers clos'd.
He opes his fift, the treasure 's fled;
He fees a halter in its ftead.
She bids ambition hold a wand;
He grafps a hatchet in his hand.
A box of charity she shows.
"Blow here;" and a church-warden blows.
'Tis vanish'd with conveyance neat,
And on the table fmokes a treat.
She shakes the dice, the board fhe knocks,
And from all pockets fills her box.
She next a meagre rake addreft.
"This picture fee; her fhape, her breaft!
What youth, and what inviting eyes!
Hold her, and have her." With furprize,
His hand expos'd a box of pills,
And a loud laugh proclaim'd his ills.
A counter, in a mifer's hand,
Grew twenty guineas at command.
She bids his heir the fum retain,
And 'tis a counter now again.
A guinea with her touch you fee
Take every shape but Charity;
And not one thing you faw, or drew,
But chang'd from what was first in view.
The Juggler now, in grief of heart,
With this fubmiffion own'd her art.
"Can I fuch matchless fleight withstand!
How practice hath improv'd your hand!
But now and then I cheat the throng;
You every day, and all day long."
PON a time a neighing steed,
Who graz'd among a numerous breed,
With mutiny had fir'd the train,
And spread diffenfion through the plain.
On matters that concern'd the state
The Council met in grand debate.
A Colt, whose eye-balls flam'd with ire,
Elate with ftrength and youthful fire,
In haste stept forth before the reft,
And thus the listening throng addreft.
"Good Gods! how abject is our race,
Condemn'd to flavery and difgrace!
Shall we our fervitude retain,
Because our fires have borne the chain?
Confider, Friends! your strength and might; 15
'Tis conqueft to affert your right.
How cumbrous is the gilded coach!
The pride of man is our reproach.
Were we defign'd for daily toil,
To drag the plough-share through the foil,
To fweat in harness through the road,
To groan beneath the carrier's load ?
How feeble are the two-legg'd kind!
What force is in our nerves combin'd!
Shall then our nobler jaws fubmit
To foam and champ the galling bit?
Shall haughty man my back beftride ?
Shall the sharp fpur provoke my fide?
Forbid it, Heavens! Reject the rein;
Your shame, your infamy, disdain.
Let him the lion firft control,
And still the tiger's famish'd growl.
Let us, like them, our freedom claim,
And make him tremble at our name.'
A general nod approv'd the cause,
And all the circle neigh'd applause.
When, lo! with grave and folemn pace,
A Steed advanc'd before the race,
With age and long experience wife;
Around he caft his thoughtful eyes,
And, to the murmurs of the train,
Thus fpoke the Neftor of the plain.
"When I had health and ftrength, like you,
The toils of fervitude I knew ;
Now grateful man rewards my pains,
And gives me all these wide domains.
At will I crop the year's increase ;
My latter life is reft and peace.
I grant, to man we lend our pains,
And aid him to correct the plains;
But doth not he divide the care,
Through all the labours of the year?
How many thousand ftructures rife,
To fence us from inclement skies!
For us he bears the fultry day,
And ftores up all our winter's hay.
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