The Bear, prefuming on his kill,
Is here and there officious ftill;
Till, triking on the dangerous fands,
Aground the fhatter'd venel ftands.

To fee the bungler thus diftreft,
The very fishes freer and jeft:
Fr'n gudgeons join in ridicule,
To mortify the meddling fool.
The clamorous watermen appear;
Threats, curfes, paths, infult his ear:

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125 [land;

FABLE VI.

THE SQUIRE AND HIS CUR.

To a Country Gentleman,

THE man of pure and fimple heart

Through life difdains a double part:

He never needs the fcreen of lies,
His inward bofom to difguife.
In vain malicious tongues affail;
Let envy fearl, let flander rail,

From Virtue's fhield (fecure from wound)
Their blunted venom'd fafts rebound,
So fhines his light before mankind,
His actions prove his honeft mind.
If in his country's cause he rife,
Debating fenates to advise,
Unbrib'd, unaw'd, he dares impart
The honeft dictates of his heart.
No minifterial frown he fears,
But in his virtue perfeveres.

But would you play the politician,
Whofe heart's averfe to intuition,
Your lips at all times, nay, your reafon,
Muft be control'd by place and feafon,
What ftate fman could his power fupport,
Were lying tongues for bid the court?
Dii princely cars to truth attend,
What minifter could gain his end?
How could he raife his tools to place,
And how his honeft fees difgrace?
That politician tops his part,

Who readily can lye with art:
The man's profcient in his trade;

His power is ftrong, his fortune's made.

By that the intereft of the throne

Is made fubfervient to his own:
By that, have kings of old, deluded,

All their own friends for his excluded:
By that, his felfifh fchemes purfuing,
He thrives upon the public ruin.

Antiochus, with hardy pace,
Provol'd the dangers of the chace;
And, lot from all his menial train,
Travers'd the wood and pathlefs plain.
A cottage lodg'd the royal gueft;

The Parthian clown brought forth his best.
The King unknown his feaft enjoy'd,
And various chat the hours employ'd.
*Plutarch.

From wine what sudden friendship springs! 45 Frantly they talk'd of courts and kings.

50

"We country-folks (the Clown replies)
Could ope our gracious monarch's eyes.
The King, (as all our neighbours fay)
Might he (God blefs him!) have his way,
Is found at heart, and means our good,
And he would do it if he could.
If truth in courts were not forbid,
Nor kings nor fubjects would be rid.
Were he in power, we need not doubt him; 55
But, that transferr'd to those about him,
On them he throws the regal cares;
And what mind they? Their own affairs.
If fuch rapacious hands he trust,
The beft of men may feem unjust.
From kings to coblers 'tis the fame;
Bad fervants wound their mafter's fame.
In this our neighbours all agree:
Would the King knew as much as we !"
Here he ftopt fhort. Repofe they fought,
The Peafant flept, the monarch thought.

The courtiers learn'd, at early dawn,
Where their loft Sovereign was withdrawn.
The guards' approach our hoft alarms;
5 With gaudy coats the cottage fwarms.
The crown and purple robes they bring,
And proftrate fall before the King.
The Clown was call'd; the royal gueft
By due reward his thanks exprest.
The King then turning to the crowd,
Who fawningly before him bow'd,
Thus fpoke.

10

Since, bent on private gain, Your counfels first mifled my reign. Taught and inform'd by you alone, 15 No truth the royal ear hath known, Till here converfing; hence, ye crew; For now I know myself and you." Whene'er the royal ear's engroft, State lyes but little genius coft. The favourite then fecurely robs, And gleans a nation by his jobbs. Franker and bolder grown in ill, He daily poifons dares inftil; And, as his present views fuggeft,

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25 Inflames and foothes the royal breaft. Thus wicked minifters oppress,

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When oft' the monarch means redrefs. Would kings their private subjects hear, A minifter muft talk with fear;

༣༠

If honesty oppos'd his views.

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He dar'd not innocence accufe; 'Twould keep himin fuch narrow bound, He could not right and wrong confound. Happy were kings, could they disclofe 35 Their real friends and real foes!

Were both themfelves and fubjects known,
A monarch's will might be his own.
Had he the ufe of ears and eyes,
Knaves would no more be counted wife.

40 Eut then a minister might lose

(Hard cafe !) his own ambitious views.
When fuch as thefe have vex'd a state,
Purfued by univerfal hate,

Their falfe fupport at once hath fail'd,
And perfevering truth prevail'd.

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Tis that fupports the regal state, And makes the farmer's heart elate : The numerous flocks that cloathe the land Can fcarce fupply the loom's demand; Prolific culture glaps the fields, And the bare heath a harveft yields.

Nature expects mankind should share
The duties of the public care.

Who's born for floth? To fome we find
The plonghfhare's annual toil affign'd:
Some at the founding anvil glow;
Some the fwift-fliding fhuttle throw;
Some, ftudious of the wind and tide,
From pole to pole our commerce guide:
Some (taught by industry) impact
With hands and feet the works of art;
While fome of genius more refin'd,
With head and tongue affift mankind.
Each, aiming at one common end,
Proves to the whole a needful friend,
Thus, born each other's useful aid,
By turns are obligations paid,

The monarch, when his table 's spread,
Is to the clown oblig'd for bread;
And, when in all his glory dreft,
Owes to the loom his royal veft.
Do not the mafon's toil and care
Protect him from th' inclement air?
Does not the cutler's art fupply
The ornament that guards his thigh?
All thefe, in duty to the throne,
Their common obligations own.
'Tis he (his own and people's cause)
Protects their properties and laws.
Thus they their honeft toil employ,
And with content the fruits enjoy.
In every rank, or great or fmall,
'Tis induftry fupports us all.

The animals, by want opprefs'd, To man their fervices addrefs'd: While each purfu'd their selfish good, They hunger'd for precarious food : Their hours with anxious cares were vext; One day they fed, and starv'd the next:

For rats and mice purloin our grain,
And threshers whirl the flail in vain :
Thus fhall the Cat, a foe to spoil,

30 Protect the farmer's honeft toil.”
Then turning to the Dog, he cry'd,
"Well, Sir, be next your merits try'd."
"Sir, fays the Dog, by felf-applause
We feem to own a friendlefs caufe.
Afk those who know me, if diftruft
E'er found me treacherous or unjust?
Did I e'er faith or friendship break?
Afk all thofe creatures; let them speak.
My vigilance and trufty zeal

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40 Perhaps might ferve the public weal. Might not your flocks in fafety feed, Were I to guard the fleecy breed? Did I the nightly watches keep,

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Could thieves invade you while you fleep?"

The man replies, "Tis juft and right;

Rewards fuch fervice fhould requite.

So rare, in property, we find
Truft uncorrupt among mankind,
That, taken in a public view,

50 The firft diftinction is your due,
Such merits all reward tranfcend:
Be then my comrade and my friend."
Addreffing now the Fly: "From you.
What public fervice can accrue ?"
"From me! (the fluttering infect faid)
I thought you knew me better bred,

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Sir, I'm a gentleman. Is 't fit

That I to induftry submit?
Let mean mechanics, to be fed,

60 By bufinefs earn ignoble bread;
Loft in excefs of daily joys,
No thought, no care, my life annoys.
At noon (the lady's matin hour)
I fip the tea's delicious flower.

65 On cates luxuriously I dine,

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And drink the fragrance of the vine. Studious of elegance and eafe,

My felf alone I feek to pleate,"

So faying, with a fudden blow He laid the noxious vagrant low. Cruf'd in his luxury and pride, The fpunger on the public dy'd

FABLE XI.

THE JACKALL LEOPARD, AND OTHER

BEASTS,

To a modern Politician.

GRANT corruption fways mankind;
That intereft, ton, perverts the mind.
That bribes have blinded common sense,
Foil'd reafon, truth, and eloquence:
I grant you, too, aur prefent crimes
Can equal thofe of former times.
Against plain facts shall I engage,
To vindicate our righteous age?
I know that in a modern fift
Bribes in full energy fubfift.
Since then these arguments prevail,
And itching palms are still fo frail,
Hence Politicians, you fuggeft,
Should drive the nail that goes the best;

; That it shows parts and penetration,
To ply men with the right temptation.
To this I humbly must diffent,
Premifing, ro reflection 's meant.

Does juftice or the client's fenfe
Teach lawyers either fide's defence ?
The fee gives eloquence its spirit ;
That only is the client's merit.
Does art, wit, wildom, or addrefs,

Obtain the prostitutes carefs?

What tongues now feed you with applaufe? 150 Where are the champions of your caule ? Now ev'n that very tawning uain, Which far'd the gleanings of your gain, Prefs foremost who fall frit accufe

The guinea (as in other trades)
From every hand alike perfuades.
Man, Scripture fays, is prone to evil;
But does that vindicate the devil?
Befides, the more mankind are prone,
The lefs the devil's parts are shown.
Corruption 's not of modern date;
It hath been try'd in every ftate;
Great knaves of old their power have fenc'd;
By places, penfious, bribes, difpens'd;
By there they glory'd in fucc:fs,
And impudently dar'd opprefs:
By thefe defpoticly they fway'd,
And flaves extoll'd the hand that pay'd;
Nor parts nor genius were employ'd,
But thefe alone were realms deftroy'd.

Now fee thefe wretches in difgrace,
Stript of their trealures, power, and place;
View them abandon'd and forlorn,

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Your felfifh jobbs, your paltry views,

Your narrow fchemes, your breach of truft, And want of talents to be just,

50

What fools were thefe amidst their power! 55 How thoughtless of their adverft hour!

What friends were made? A hireling berd,

For temporary votes preferr'd,

Was it thefe fycophants to get,

Your bounty fwell d a nation's debt?

You're bit for eie, like Swifs, attend; No longer pay, no longer friend.

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The Lion is (beyond difpute) Allow'd the mol majeftic brute;' His valour and his generous mind Prove him fuperior of his kind": Yet to Jackalls (as 'tis averr d)

Some Lions have their power transferr'd; As if the parts of pimps and fpies

Once, ftudious of his private good,

Invaded property and laws.

The foreit groans with difcontent,

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To govern forefts could fuffice.

A proud Jackall opprefs'd the wood; To cram his own infatiate jaws,

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Fresh wrongs the general hate foinent,

15

The spreading murmurs reach'd his ear; His fecret hours were vex'd with fear,

Night after night he weighs the cafe,

And feels the terrors of difgrace.

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"By friends (fays he) I'll guard my feat, By thofe malicious tongues defeat;

I'll ftrengthen power by new allies,

And all my clamorous foes defpite."

To make the generous beasts his friends,

He cringes, fawns, and condefcends ;
But thofe repulfed his abject court,
And icorn'd oppreff on to support.

Friends must be had He can't fubfift.

Bribes all new profelytes inlift :

But thefe nought weigh'd in honeft paws;
For bribes confefs a wicked caufe:

Yet think not every paw withftands
What hath prevail'd in human hands.

A tempting turnip's filver fin
Drew a bafe Hog through thick and thia ;
Bought with a Stag's delicious baunch,

35 The mercenary Wolf was flaunch:
The convert Fox grew warm and hearty,
A pullet gain'd him to the party:
The golden-pippin in his fift,
A chattering Monkey join'd the lift.
But foon, expos'd to public heat,
The favourite's fall redrefs'd the ftate,

40