So faid, a ponderous trap he brought, And in the fact poor Pufs was caught.

Smuggler, fays he, thou fhalt be made.

A victim to our lofs of trade."

The captive Cat, with piteous mews,
For pardon, life, and freedom fues.
"A fifter of the science spare ;

One interest is our common care."
"What infolence! the Man reply'd;
Shall Cats with us the game divide?
Were all your interloping band
Extinguish'd, or expell'd the land,
We Rat-catchers might raise our fees,
Sole guardians of a nation's cheese !"

A Cat, who faw the lifted knife, Thus fpoke, and fav'd her fifter's life. "In every age and clime, we fee,

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35

40

Two of a trade can ne'er agree.

Each hates his neighbour for encroaching:

45

'Squire ftigmatizes 'fquire for poaching;

Beauties with beauties are in arms,

And scandal pelts each other's charms;

Kings, too, their neighbour-kings dethrone,
In hope to make the world their own:

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But let us limit our defires,

Not war like beauties, kings, and 'squires ;
For though we both one prey pursue,
There's game enough for us and you.”

FABLE

FABLE

XXII.

THE GOAT WITHOUT A BEARD..

IS certain that the modifh paffions

TISי

Defcend among the crowd like fashions.

Excuse me, then, if pride, conceit,

(The manners of the fair and great)

I give to monkeys, affes, dogs,

Fleas, owls, goats, butterflies, and hogs,
I say that these are proud: what then?
I never faid they equal men.

A Goat (as vain as Goat can be)
Affected fingularity:

Whene'er a thymy bank he found,
He roll'd upon the fragrant ground,
And then with fond attention flood,
Fix'd o'er his image in the flood.

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10

"I hate my frowzy beard, he cries,.

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My youth is loft in this disguise..
Did not the females know my vigour,

Well might they loath this reverned figure."
Refolv'd to fmooth his fhaggy face,
He fought the barber of the place.
A flippant monkey, fpruce and fmart,
Hard-by, profefs'd the dapper art:
His pole with pewter-basons hung,
Black rotten teeth in order ftrung,,

F 3

20

Rang'd

Rang'd cups, that in the window ftood,

Lin'd with red rags to look like blood;
Did well his threefold trade explain,
Who fhav'd, drew teeth, and breath'd a vein.
The Goat he welcomes with an air,

And feats him in his wooden chair:
Mouth, nofe, and cheek, the lather hides;
Light, fmooth, and fwift, the razor glides.
"I hope your custom, Sir, fays Pug.
Sure never face was half so smug!"

The Goat, impatient for applause,
Swift to the neighbouring hill withdraws.
The fhaggy people grinn'd and star'd.

Heigh-day! what's here? without a beard!
Say, Brother, whence the dire disgrace?
What envious hand hath robb'd your face?”
When thus the fop, with fmiles of fcorn,
"Are beards by civil nations worn?

Ev'n Muscovites have mow'd their chins.
Shall we, like formal Capuchins,

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By boys our beards difgrac'd and torn?"

50

Brother, I grant you reafon well,"

"Were you no more with Goats to dwell,

Replies a bearded Chief. Befide,

If boys can mortify thy pride,

How

FABLES. PART I.

How wilt thou ftand the ridicule
Of our whole flock? Affected fool!"

Coxcombs, diftinguifh'd from the reft,

To all but coxcombs are a jeft.

FABLE XXIII.

THE OLD WOMAN AND HER CATS.

7HO friendship with a knave hath made,
Is judg'd a partner in the trade.
The matron, who conducts abroad
A willing nymph, is thought a bawd;
And, if a modeft girl is feen

With one who cures a lover's fpleen,
We guefs her not extremely nice,
And only with to know her price.

'Tis thus that on the choice of friends
Our good or evil name depends.

A wrinkled hag, of wicked fame,
Beade a little fmoaky flame

Sat hovering, pinch'd with age and froft;
Her fhrivel'd hands, with veins emboss'd,
Upon her knees her weight fuftains,
While palfy fhook her crazy brains:
She mumbles forth her backward prayers,
An untam'd fcold of fourscore years.
About her fwarm'd a numerous brood
Of Cats, who, lank with hunger, mew'd,

F 4

Teaz'd

Teaz'd with their cries, her choler grew,
And thus fhe fputter'd. "Hence, ye crew!
Fool that I was, to entertain

Such imps, fuch fiends, a hellish train!
Had ye been never hous'd and nurs'd,
I for a witch had ne'er been curs'd.
To you I owe that crowds of boys
Worry me with eternal noise;

Straws laid across my pace retard,

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The horseshoe's nail'd (each threshold's guard); 30

The ftunted broom the wenches hide,

For fear that I fhould up and ride;
They stick with pins my bleeding feat,
And bid me show my fecret teat."

"To hear you prate, would vex a faint;

35

Who hath most reafon of complaint?"
Replies a Cat. "Let's come to proof.
Had we ne'er ftarv'd beneath your roof,
We had, like others of our race,

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In credit liv'd as beafts of chace.

'Tis infamy to ferve a hag;

Cats are thought imps, her broom a nag;
And boys against our lives combine,
Because 'tis faid your Cats have nine,”

FABLE