With all the petty fcribbling crew
pert fots are not a few),
'Gainft you and Pope their envy spurt.
The bookfellers alone are hurt.
Good Gods! by what a powerful race
(For blockheads may have power and place)
Are fcandals rais'd, and libels writ!
To prove your honefty and wit!
Think with yourself: 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. 30
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 power, but more of gain,
Corruption fow'd throughout the hive:
By petty rogues the great ones thrive.
As power and wealth his views fupply'd,
'Twas feen in overbearing pride.
With him loud impudence had merit ;
The Bee of conscience wanted spirit;
And thofe who follow'd honour's rules
Were laugh'd to fcorn for fqueamish fools.
Wealth claim'd distinction, favour, grace,
And poverty alone was bafe.
He treated industry with flight,
Unless he found his profit by 't.
Rights, laws, and liberties, give way,
To bring his selfish schemes in play.
The fwarm forgot the common toil,
To share the gleanings of his fpoil.
While vulgar fouls, of narrow parts,
Waste life in low mechanic arts,
Let us (fays he), to genius born,
The drudgery of our fathers fcorn.
The Wafp and Drone, you must agree,
Live with more elegance than we.
Like gentlemen they sport and play;
No business interrupts the day:
Their hours to luxury they give,
And nobly on their neighbours live.
A ftubborn Bee, among the fwarm,
With honeft indignation warm,
Thus from his cell with zeal reply'd:
"I flight thy frowns, and hate thy pride. 70 The laws our native rights protect;
Offending thee, I those respect.
Shall luxury corrupt the hive,
And none against the torrent ftive?
Exert the honour of your race;
He builds his rife on your difgrace.
"Tis induftry our ftate maintains;
"Twas honest toil and honeft gains
That rais'd our fires to power and fame.
Be virtuous; fave yourselves from shame.
Know that, in felfish ends pursuing,
You fcramble for the public ruin.”
He fpoke; and, from his cell difmifs'd,
Was infolently fcoff'd and hifs'd.
With him a friend or two refign'd,
Difdaining the degenerate kind.
"Thefe Drones (fays he), these insects vile,
(I treat them in their proper ftyle)
May for a time opprefs the ftate:
They own our virtue by their hate;
By that our merits they reveal,
And recommend our public zeal;
Difgrac'd by this corrupted crew,
We're honour'd by the virtuous few.
EGIN, my Lord, in early youth,
To fuffer, nay, encourage truth;
And blame me not for disrespect,
If I the flatterer's ftyle reject;
With that, by.menial tongues fupply'd,
You're daily cocker'd up in pride.
The tree's diftinguish'd by the fruit.
Be virtue then your first pursuit ;
Set your great ancestors in view,
Like them deferve the title too;
Like them ignoble actions fcorn;
Let virtue prove you greatly born.
Though with lefs plate their fide-board fhone, 'Their confcience always was their own; They ne'er at levees meanly fawn'd,
Nor was their honour yearly pawn'd;
Their hands, by no corruption ftain'd,
The minifterial bribe difdain'd;
They ferv'd the crown with loyal zeal,
Yet, jealous of the public weal,
They stood the bulwark of our laws,
And wore at heart their country's cause;
By neither place or pension bought,
They spoke and voted as they thought.
Thus did your fires adorn their feat;
And fuch alone are truely great.
If you the paths of learning flight,
You're but a dunce in ftronger light.
In foremost rank the coward plac'd,
Is more confpicuously disgrac'd.
If you, to ferve a paltry end,
To knavish jobbs can condefcend,
We pay you the contempt that's due;
In that you have precedence too.
Whence had you this illuftrious name ?
From virtue and unblemish'd fame.
By birth the name alone defcends
Your honour on yourfelf depends:
Think not your coronet can hide
Affuming ignorance and pride.
Learning by ftudy must be won;
'Twas ne'er entail'd from fon to fon.
Superior worth your rank requires ;
For that mankind reveres your fires:
If you degenerate from your race,
Their merits heighten your disgrace.
A Carrier, every night and morn,
Would fee his horfes eat their corn:
This funk the hoftler's vails, 'tis true;
Were we fo cautious in all cafes,
Small gain would rife from greater places.
The manger now had all its measure;
He heard their grinding teeth with pleasure ;
When all at once confusion rung;
They fnorted, jostled, bit, and flung.
A pack-horse turn'd his head afide,
Foaming, his eye-balls fwell'd with pride.
Good Gods! (fays he) how hard's my lot!
Is then my high defcent forgot?
Reduc'd to drudgery and difgrace
(A life unwworthy of my race),
Muft I, too, hear the vile attacks
Of ragged scrubs and vulgar hacks?
See fcurvy Roan, that brute ill-bred,
Dares from the manger thruft my head!
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