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FABLE XXX.

THE SETTING DOG AND THE PARTRIDGE,

THE ranging Dog the stubble tries,
And fearches every breeze that flies;
The scent grows warm; with cautious fear
He creeps, and points the covey near;
The men in filence, far behind,
Conscious of game, the net unbind.

A Partridge, with experience wife,
The fraudful preparation spies;
She mocks their toils, alarms her brood,
The covey springs, and feeks the wood;
But, ere her certain wings she tries :
Thus to the creeping Spaniel cries:
"Thou fawning flave to man's deceit,
Thou pimp of luxury, sneaking cheat,
Of thy whole fpecies thou difgrace;
Dogs fhould difown thee of their race!
For, if I judge their native parts,
They're born with honest open hearts;
And, ere they ferv'd man's wicked ends,
Were generous foes, or real friends.”

When thus the Dog, with scornful smile:
"Secure of wing, thou dar'ft revile.
Clowns are to polish'd manners blind;
How ignorant is the ruftic mind!

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My worth fagacious courtiers see,
And to perferment rife, like me.
The thriving pimp, who beauty fets,
Hath oft' enhanc'd a nation's debts:
Friend fets his friend, without regard,
And ministers his skill reward:

Thus train'd by man, I learnt his ways;
And growing favour feafts my days."

"I might have guess'd, the Partridge said, The place where you were train'd and fed; Servants are apt, and in a trice

Ape to a hair their master's vice.

You came from court, you fay. Adieu!"
She faid, and to the covey flew.

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FABLE XXXI.

THE UNIVERSAL APPARITION.

RAKE, by every paffion rul'd,

With every vice his youth had cool'd;

Disease his tainted blood affails;

His fpirits droop, his vigour fails:
With fecret ills at home he pines,
And, like infirm old age, declines.

As, twing'd with pain, he penfive fits,
And raves, and prays, and fwears, by fits,
A ghaftly Phantom, lean and wan,
Before him rofe, and thus began:

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!

My name, perhaps, hath reach'd your ear;
Attend, and be advis'd by Care.
Nor love, nor honour, wealth, nor power,
Can give the heart a chearful hour,
When health is loft. Be timely wife :
With health all taste of pleasure flies.”
Thus faid, the Phantom disappears.
The wary counsel wak'd his fears.
He now from all excess abstains,
With phyfic purifies his veins ;
And, to procure a sober life,
Refolves to venture on a wife.

But now again the Sprite afcends,
Where'er he walks, his ear attends,
Infinuates that beauty's frail,

That perfeverance must prevail ;
With jealoufies his brain inflames,
And whispers all her lovers' names.
In other hours fhe represents

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Bold thieves, and all the murdering crew;
Alarms him with eternal frights,

Infefts his dream, or wakes his nights.

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How fhall he chace this hideous guest ?
Power may perhaps protect his reft.
To Power he rofe. Again the Sprite
Befets him morning, noon, and night;
Talks of Ambition's tottering feat,
How Envy perfecutes the great,
Of rival hate, of treacherous friends,
And what disgrace his fall attends.

The court he quits, to fly from Care,
And feeks the peace of rural air:
His groves, his fields, amus'd his hours;
He prun' 'd his trees, he rais'd his flowers.
But Care again his steps pursues,
Warns him of blafts, of blighting dews,

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Of plundering infects, fnails, and rains,

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And droughts that starv'd the labour'd plains.
Abroad, at home, the Spectre's there;

In vain we seek to fly from Care.

At length he thus the Ghoft addrest: "Since thou must be my conftant guest, Be kind, and follow me no more;

For Care, by right, fhould go

before."

FABLE XXXII.

THE TWO OWLS AND THE SPARROW.

WO formal Owls together fat,

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Conferring thus in folemn chat. "How is the modern taste decay'd! Where's the refpect to wisdom paid?

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Our

Our worth the Grecian fages knew ;
They gave our fires the honour due;
They weigh'd the dignity of fowls,
And pry'd into the depth of Owls.
Athens, the feat of learned fame,
With general voice rever'd our name;
On merit title was conferr'd,
And all ador'd th' Athenian bird."

"Brother, you reafon well, replies
The folemn mate, with half-fhut eyes.
Right. Athens was the feat of learning,
And truly wisdom is difcerning.

Befides, on Pallas' helm we fit,

The type
But now, alas! we 're quite neglected,
And a pert Sparrow's more refpected."

and ornament of wit:

A Sparrow, who was lodg'd befide,
O'erhears them footh each other's pride;
And thus he nimbly vents his heat:

"Who meets a fool must find conceit.
I grant you were at Athens grac'd,
And on Minerva's helm were plac'd;
But every bird that wings the sky,
Except an Owl, can tell you why:
From hence they taught their schools to know
How falfe we judge by outward show;
That we fhould never looks esteem,
Since fools as wife as you might seem.
Would ye contempt and fcorn avoid,
Let your vain-glory be destroy'd:

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