"What virgin had not done as I did ? My modeft hand, by nature guided, "Debarr'd at once from human eyes "The feat where female honour lies; And, though thrice dipt from top to toe, "I ftill fecur'd the poft below, "And guarded it with grafp so fast "Not one drop through my fingers past. "Thus owe I to my bashful care, "That all the rage is fettled there." Weigh well the projects of mankind; Some part still kept above the tide ? Some men (when drench'd beneath the wave) Or in the pocket lightly dive: Direct his hands to stop his ears. He hangs on flattery with delight, They fhut their lips, to hold their breath; THE THE QUID NUNK I'S: A TA L E. OCCASIONED. By the DEATH of the DUKE REGENT of FRANCE: Ho OW vain are mortal man's endeavours? (faid, at dame Elliot's *, mafter Travers) Good Orleans dead! in truth 'tis hard: Oh, may all statesmen die prepar'd! I do forefee (and for fore-feeing He equals any man in being) The army ne'er can be disbanded. 5 -I wish the King were fafely landed. Ah, friends! great changes threat the land; There's Meroweis - mark! ftrange work! -- And there's the Czar, and there's the Turk; Cut fhort the speech with this reply: 10 "All at a ftand? You fee great changes? 15 "Ah, Sir! you never saw the Ganges. "There dwell the nations of Quidnunki's "On their bank, from bough to bough, "They meet and chat (as we may now). 20 Whispers go round, they grin, they fhrug, "They bow, they fnarl, they fcratch, they hug; "And, just as chance or whim provoke them, "They either bite their friends, or stroke them. "There have I feen fome active prig, "To fhew his parts, beftride a twig: "Lord! how the chattering tribe admire, "Crack goes the twig, and in he flounces ! 25 30 "Down the swift ftream the wretch is borne ; 35: "Never, ah never, to return! "Zounds! what a fall had our dear brother; "Morbleu! cries one; and Damme! t'other. "The nations give a general screech; "None cocks his tail, none claws his breech; 40% "Each trembles for the public weal, "And for a while forgets to steal. "A while, all eyes, intent and fteddy, "Purfue him, whirling down the eddy. "But, out of mind when out of view, "Some other mounts the twig anew; "And bufinefs, on each monkey-shore, "Runs the fame track it went before." 45 FABLES. A B BLE S. FA ΙΝ TWO PARTS. - "Shall not my Fables cenfure vice, Brutes are my theme. Am I to blame, ""Tis his own confcience holds the glass. "Thus void of all offence I write : "Who claims the Fable, knows his right." PROL. TO SHEP. WEEK. INTRODUCTION TO THE FABLES. PART THE FIRST. THE SHEPHERD AND THE PHILOSOPHER. REMOTE from cities liv'd a Swain, Unvex'd with all the cares of gain; In |