Impartially their talents scan:
Just education forms the man.

Perhaps (their genius yet unknown)
Each lot of life's already thrown;

That this shall plead, the next shall fight,
The last assert the church's right.
I censure not the fond intent;
But how precarious is the' event!
By talents misapplied and cross'd,
Consider, all your sons are lost.

One day (the tale's by Martial penn'd)
A father thus address'd his friend:

To train my boy, and call forth sense,
You know I've stuck at no expense;
I've tried him in the several arts;
(The lad, no doubt, hath latent parts)
Yet trying all, he nothing knows,
But crab-like, rather backward goes.
Teach me what yet remains undone;
'Tis your advice shall fix my son.'

Sir, (says the friend) I've weigh'd the matter; Excuse me, for I scorn to flatter:

Make him (nor think his genius check'd)
A herald or an architect.'

Perhaps (as commonly 'tis known)
He heard the' advice, and took his own.
The boy wants wit; he's sent to school,
Where learning but improves the fool:
The college next must give him parts,
And cram him with the liberal arts.
Whether he blunders at the bar,
Or owes his infamy to war;

Or if by licence or degree

The sexton share the doctor's fee;

Or from the pulpit by the hour
He weekly floods of nonsense pour,
We find (the' intent of Nature foil'd)
A tailor or a butcher spoil'd.

Thus ministers have royal boons
Conferr'd on blockheads and buffoons :
In spite of nature, merit, wit,
Their friends for every post were fit.
But now let every Muse confess
That merit finds its due success.
The' examples of our days regard;
Where's virtue seen without reward?
Distinguish'd, and in place, you find
Desert and worth of every kind.
Survey the reverend bench, and see
Religion, learning, piety:

The patron, ere he recommends,
Sees his own image in his friend's.
Is honesty disgraced and poor?
What is't to us what was before?

We all of times corrupt have heard,
When paltry minions were preferr'd;
When all great offices, by dozens,
Were fill'd by brothers, sons, and cousins.
What matter ignorance and pride ?
The man was happily allied.

Provided that his clerk was good,
What though he nothing understood?
In church and state the sorry race
Grew more conspicuous fools in place.
Such heads, as then a treaty made,
Had bungled in the cobbler's trade.
Consider, patrons, that such elves
Expose your folly with themselves.

'Tis yours, as 'tis the parent's care,
To fix each genius in its sphere.
Your partial hand can wealth dispense,
But never give a blockhead sense.
An Owl of magisterial air,

Of solemn voice, of brow austere,
Assumed the pride of human race,
And bore his wisdom in his face;
Not to depreciate learned eyes,
I've seen a pedant look as wise.

Within a barn, from noise retired,
He scorn'd the world, himself admired;
And, like an ancient sage, conceal'd
The follies public life reveal'd.
Philosophers of old, he read,

Their country's youth to science bred,
Their manners form'd for every station,
And destined each his occupation.
When Xenophon, by numbers braved,
Retreated, and a people saved,
That laurel was not all his own;
The plant by Socrates was sown.
To Aristotle's greater name
The Macedonian owed his fame.

The' Athenian bird, with pride replete,

Their talents equall'd in conceit;
And, copying the Socratic rule,
Set up for master of a school.
Dogmatic jargon learn'd by heart,
Trite sentences, hard terms of art,
To vulgar ears seem'd so profound,
They fancied learning in the sound.
The school had fame; the crowded place
With pupils swarm'd of every race.

With these the Swan's maternal care
Had sent her scarce-fledged cygnet heir:
The Hen (though fond and loath to part)
Here lodged the darling of her heart:
The Spider, of mechanic kind,
Aspired to science more refined;
The Ass learn'd metaphors and tropes,
But most on music fix'd his hopes.

The pupils now, advanced in age,
Were call'd to tread life's busy stage;
And to the Master 'twas submitted,
That each might to his part be fitted :-

The Swan (says he) in arms shall shine; The soldier's glorious toil be thine.'

The Cock shall mighty wealth attain :Go, seek it on the stormy main.'

The court shall be the Spider's sphere: Power, fortune, shall reward him there.'

In music's art the Ass's fame

Shall emulate Corelli's name.'

Each took the part that he advised, And all were equally despised.

A Farmer, at his folly moved,

The dull preceptor thus reproved:

Blockhead, (says he) by what you've done, One would have thought them each your son;

For parents, to their offspring blind,
Consult nor parts nor turn of mind,
But even in infancy decree

What this, what the' other son shall be.
Had you with judgment weigh'd the case,
Their genius thus had fix'd their place;
The Swan had learn'd the sailor's art;
The Cock had play'd the soldier's part;

The Spider in the weaver's trade
With credit had a fortune made;
But for the fool, in every class
The blockhead had appear'd an Ass.'

THE

COOK-MAID, TURNSPIT, AND OX.

TO A POOR MAN.

CONSIDER man in ever sphere,
Then tell me, is your lot severe ?
'Tis murmur, discontent, distrust,
That makes you wretched. God is just.
I grant that hunger must be fed,
That toil, too, earns thy daily bread.
What then? Thy wants are seen and known,
But every mortal feels his own.

We're born a restless needy crew:

Show me the happier man than you.
Adam, though bless'd above his kind,
For want of social woman pined.
Eve's wants the subtle serpent saw,
Her fickle taste transgress'd the law:
Thus fell our sire, and their disgrace
The curse entail'd on human race.

When Philip's son, by glory led,
Had o'er the globe his empire spread;
When altars to his name were dress'd,
That he was man, his tears confess'd.