Ill-manners never found a just pretence, And rude expressions shew a barren sense : But, when high birth descends to mean abuse, The crime runs foulest, and finds no excuse. FABLE VII. THE FOX AND WEAZLE. TO THE LATE HONOURABLE THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE PRIZE-OFFICE, A NEEDY Weazle heretofore, But what he either begg'd or stole ; But growing corpulent and round, Too small the widest chink was found: And now he squeez'd and thurst in vain, For liberty and home again. A Fox that chanc'd to stroll that way, For meditation's sake, or prey, Stood grinning at him for a while, With rogueish looks and sneering smile; And though he shrewdly gave a guess, Yet ask'd him how and what's the case; And why his Weazleship would keep In durance vile, and play boh-peep, Quoth he, "Alack, sir, I was lean, After a long debauch, to fast: THE MORAL. Cæsar, no more in foreign camps expose Your sacred life, to Britain's generous foes: Thy dread tribunal now erect at home, And, arm'd with vengeance, to her rescue come. In power her basest enemies remain, Oppress thy subjects, and thy treasures drain : With sums immense they raise their fortunes high, Though armies starve, and fleets neglected lie. Bane of the war! curse of thy martial reign! You share the toil and dangers, they the gain: To justice then the known offenders bring, Avenge thy people, and assert the king. FABLE VIII. AN OWL AND THE SUN. A SAUCY buffle-headed Ow! But a more modern kind. The morn was fragrant, cool, and bright, Dispensing warmth to all : "D'ye hear, you prince of red-fac'd fools! Hot-headed puppy! foe to owls' Why this offensive blaze? And quench that flaming face. I wonder when the modest Moon Bright Phoebus smil'd at what was said, The Sun must take the blame. This to the wanton billows was but sport, Down with your ramparts and obstructing mounds. "See how they stir! awake, ye brutes! And let us have one frisk at land; Or, 'zbud, we'll wash you into sand, Without the tedious form of long disputes," "Hold! soft and fair! the Banks reply'd; we're In honour, to make good our post: And will, for all your windy boast, [bound, As barriers to the Sea maintain our ground. But not an inch as trespassers you'll gain. The Cuckow's note was one unvary'd tone, Exceeding hoarse, yet pleas'd, she roar'd it on. Appeal was made; the judge this sentence gave, "You, sirrah, Nightingale ! Of music you some smatterings have, And may in time do well; But for substantial song, I needs must say, My friend, the Cuckow, bears the bell away," THE MORAL. Mackworth, who reads thy well-digested lines, Yet happier he that has the answer wrote, FABLE XI, THE SUN AND THE WIND. THE Sun and Wind one day fell out And dar'd him to engage. The whiggish signs of grace: With that the Wind began to rise, Bluster'd and storm'd it through the skies, The non-con wrapp'd his cloak about, And see the tempest o'er. The storm being spent, with piercing rays, Which soon the zealot felt; More decently to melt. The Sun then ask'd his blustering friend, If farther yet he durst contend, And try some other way: But, conscious of so plain a truth, He put his finger in his mouth, Without a word to say. THE MORAL. Your Whigs disgrac'd, like bullies of the town, 1 Sir Humphry Mackworth, to whom Yalden addressed an excellent poetical epistle On the Mines late of Sir Carbery Price, p. 74.SirHumphry wrote some political pamphlots about this time. N. But when the senate darts its piercing rays, FABLE XII. THE BOAR AND FOREST. A LION, generous and brave, For wars renown'd, belov'd in peace; And treasures much impair'd by acts of grace. The Boar, to shew a subject's love, Up by the roots vast oaks he tore, With loud complaints to court they throng, Stripp'd of their shades, and ancient resting-place. With generous rage the Lion shook, And vow'd the Boar should dearly pay; "Ye rural deities, and powers unknown, THE MORAL. The British oak's our nation's strength and pride, With which triumphant o'er the main we ride; Insulting foes are by our navies aw'd, A guard at home, our dreaded power abroad. Like druids then your forests sacred keep, FABLE XIII. THE FOX AND FLIES. As crafty Reynard strove to swim The torrent of a rapid stream, To gain the farther side: Before the middle space was past, A whirling eddy caught him fast, And drove him with the tide. With vain efforts and struggling spent, Till some kind ebb should set him free, The waves had took away. A swarm of half-starv'd haggard Flies, By raging hunger led; With many a curse and bitter groan, A Hedge-hog saw his evil plight; Quoth he, "To show I'm civil, With their insatiate thirst; THE MORAL; FROM NOSTRADAMUS. Thus guilty Britain to her Thames complains, "In vain," saith Thames; "the regicidal breed Will swarm again, by them thy land shall bleed: Extremest curse! but so just Heaven decreed! Republicans shall Britain's treasures drain, Betray her monarch, and her church prophane! Till, gorg'd with spoils, with blood the leeches burst, Or Tyburn add the second to the first." FABLE XIV. THE BEAR AND MOUNTEBANK. THERE liv'd a quack in high repute, And celebrated bill; As for his knowledge, 'tis allow'd, And wondrous cures they wrought; That still they gap'd and bought. Midst his harangue, one day it chanc'd, Tom Dove the Bear that way advanc'd, In procession to his stake; The rabble quit their doctor straight, "D'ye hear, ye pack of bawling louts, Compos'd of vermin, stink, and clouts, Why all this noise and do? Though through my nose a ring is got, And here I'm baited like a sot, Still I resemble you. 1 Tom Dove has been celebrated by Dryden and King. "Observe that Mountebanking fool, Yet there ye flock by shoals; But if by chance a bear 's brought out, Another sort of brutes there are, THE MORAL. Ill ministers, like quacks, the crowd deceive, Defraud them for their good; and they believe: At France and Rome they rail with specious arts, And, whilst they cheat the vulgar, gain their hearts. But if sagacious Bruin smells them out, Their frauds exposing to the injur'd rout; To mischief prone, implacable, and strong, Ten thousand tongues and hands revenge the wrong. FABLE XV. THE PEACOCK PROCLAIMED KING. A VULTURE, old and feeble grown, Took up and much reform'd his life; His beak decay'd, and talons gone, Yet still he relish'd noise and strife: Once a young Peacock to the birds brought forth, On his high birth harangued, and blooming worth. "The isles and watery realm," said he, "This hopeful monarch shall command! His sceptre to depend on me, And rule the tributary land; Reserving only for our royal use, Whate'er the seas and fertile coasts produce." The Peacock, a pert dapper spark, You've made a Peacock king: pray now 'tis done, Therefore, messieurs, it is my private voice, That the possessor first approve our choice." THE MORAL. Cæsar, that prince betrays his fears, True conduct is not so much shown, FABLE XVI. A LACONIC CONDEMNED, A SAGE Laconic, truly wise, Train'd up in rigid schools; In high contempt of rules. That fully prov'd the fact: Of that pernicious kind! The punishment must reach your sense, And Oats's modest vein : Read Baxter's volumes, Tindal's works, "For solid nonsense, thoughtless words, That answers Mackworth's State: The wretch with strong convulsions shook, To Heaven for mercy cry'd: Quoth he, "Send gibbets, racks, or wheel, Algiers and gallies please me well, Such torments I'll abide. Vainly to waste my breath: END OF YALDEN'S POEMS. |