A hare had long escap'd pursuing hounds By often shifting into distant grounds; Till finding all his artifices vain, To save his life he leap'd into the main. But there, alas! he could no safety find, A pack of dog-fish had him in the wind. He scours away; and to avoid the foe, Descends for shelter to the shades below, There Cerberus lay watching in his den (He had not seen a hare the lord knows

when); Out bounc'd the mastiff of the triple head; Away the hare with double swiftness fled; Hunted from earth, and sea, and hell, he

Alies (Fear lent him wings) for safety to the skies, How was the fearful animal distrest! Behold a foe more fierce than all the rest: Sirius, the swiftest of the heavenly pack, Fail'd butaninch to seize him by the back. He fled to earth, but first it cost him dear; He left his scut behind, and half an ear.

Thus was the hare pursu'd, though

free from guilt ; Thus, Bób, shalt thou be maul'd, Ay where thou wilt ;

Then

Q 3

Then, honest Robin, of thy corpse beware; Thou art not half so nimble as a hare: Too pond'rous is thy bulk to mount the

sky; Nor can you go to bell, before

you

die. So keen thy bunters, and thy scent so

strong, The turns and doublings cannot save theç

long *

The author having been told by an intimate

friend, that the duke of Queenfberry had employed Mr. Gay to inspeet the accounts and management of his grace's receivers and

stewards (which however proved af terwards to be a mistake), writ to Ms. Gay the following poem,

In the Year 1731

How

could

O w could you, Gay, disgrace the

Muses train, To serve a tasteless court twelve years in Fain would I think our female friend +

sincere, Till Bob, the poet's foe, poffeft her ear. Did female virtue e'er fo high ascend, To lose an inch of favour for a friend? Say, had the court no better place to

chuse For thee, than make a dry-nurse of thy

Muse? How cheaply had thy liberty been fold, To I'lquire a royal girl of two years old; In leading-strings her infant steps to guide, Or with her go-cart amble Gide by side ! But princely Douglas 8 and his glorious

dame Advanc'd thy fortune, and preserv'd thy

fame, Nor will your nobler gifts be misapply'd, When o'er your patron's treasure you pre

fide ; The world shall own his choice was wilę

and just,

For fons of Pboebus neyer break their trust.

+ Mrs. Howard, since coun- this subject, in Mr. Pope' tess of Suffolk.

Works, Vol. II. Let. 26. See Mr. Gay's Letter on $ The duke of Queensberry,

Not love of beauty less the heart inflames Ofguardian eunuchs to the Sultan’sdames; Their passions not more impotent and

cold, Than those of poets to the luft of gold. With Pean's purest fire his fav’rites glow, The dregs will serve to ripen ore below; His meanest work: for had he thought it

fit, That wealth should be the appennage of

wit, The God of light could ne'er have been

fo blind To deal it to the worst of human-kind.

But let me now,

for I can do it well, Your conduct in this new employ forétel.

And first: to make my observation right, I place a statesman full before my sight, A bloated minister in all his geer, With shameless visage, and perfidious leer: Two rows ofteeth arm each devouringjaw, And, ostrich-like, his all-digesting maw. My fancy drags this monster to my view To shew the world his chief reverse in you. Of loud unmeaning sounds a rapid food Rolls from his mouth in plenteous ítreams of mud :

With

With these the court and senate-house he

plies, Made up of noise, and impudence, and lies.

Now let me shew how Bob and you

agree, You serve a * potent prince, as well as he. The ducal coffers, trusted to your charge, Your honest care may fill; perhaps enlarge. His vassals easy, and the owner bleft, They pay a trifle

, and enjoy the rest. Not so a nation's revenues are paid: The servant's faults are on the master laid. The people with a sigh their taxes bring; And, cursing Bob, forget to bless the king. Next hearken, Gay, to what thy charge

requires With servants, tenants, and the neigh

b'ring Squires. Let all domesticks feel your gentle fway : Nor bribe, insult, nor flatter, nor betray. Let due reward to merit be allow'd; Nor with your KINDRED half the

palace crowd.

* A title given to dukes by the heralds.

Nor

1