But the master forbid him, and after the fashion Of foolish good nature, and blind moderation, Forbore him through pity, and chose as much rather, To ask him some questions first, how he came

thither.

Kind sir, quoth the nettle, a stranger I come,
For conscience compell'd to relinquish my home,
'Cause I wouldn't subscribe to a mystery dark,
That the prince of all trees is the Jesuit's bark,'
An erroneous tenet I know, sir, that you,
No more than myself, will allow to be true.
To you, I for refuge and sanctuary sue,
There's none so renown'd for compassion as you;
And, though in some things I may differ from these,
The rest of your fruitful and beautiful trees;
Though your digging and dunging, my nature
much harms,

And I cannot comply with your garden in forms:
Yet I and my family, after our fashion,

Will peaceably stick to our own education.

Be pleased to allow them a place for to rest 'em,
For the rest of your trees we will never molest 'em;
A kind shelter to us and protection afford,

We'll do you no harm, sir, I'll give you my word.
The good man was soon won by this plausible tale,
So fraud on good-nature doth often prevail.
He welcomes his guest, gives him free toleration
In the midst of his garden to take up his station,

In allusion to the supremacy of Rome.---Scott.

And into his breast doth his enemy bring,

He little suspected the nettle could sting.

'Till flush'd with success, and of strength to be fear'd, Around him a numerous offspring he rear'd.

Then the master grew sensible what he had done,
And fain he would have his new guest to be gone;

But now 'twas too late to bid him turn out,
A well rooted possession already was got.
The old trees decay'd, and in their room grew
A stubborn, pestilent, poisonous crew.

The master, who first the young brood had admitted,
They stung like ingrates, and left him unpitied.
No help from manuring or planting was found,
The ill weeds had eat out the heart of the ground.
All weeds they let in, and none they refuse
That would join to oppose the good man of the house.
Thus one nettle uncropp'd, increased to such store,
That 'twas nothing but weeds what was garden

before.

POEMS,

CHIEFLY RELATING TO IRISH POLITICS.

PARODY

ON THE SPEECH OF DR. BENJAMIN PRATT,
PROVOST OF TRINITY COLLEGE, 1

TO THE PRINCE OF WALES.

1

ILLUSTRIOUS prince, we're come before ye,
Who, more than in our founders, glory
To be by you protected;

1 Dr. Pratt's speech, which is here parodied, was made when the Duke of Ormond, Swift's valued friend, was attainted, and superseded in the office of chancellor of Trinity College, which he had held from 1688-9, by the Prince of Wales, afterward George II.

There is great reason to suppose that the satire is the work of Swift, whose attachment to Ormond was uniformly ardent. Of this it may be worth while to mention a trifling instance. The duke had presented to the cathedral of St. Patrick's a superb organ, surmounted by his own armorial bearings. It was placed facing the nave of the church. But after Ormond's attainder, Swift, as Dean of St. Patrick's, received orders from government to remove the scutcheon from the church. He obeyed, but he placed the shield in the great aisle, where he himself and Stella lie buried, and where the arms still remain. The verses have suffered much by the inaccuracy of the noble transcriber, Lord Newtoun Butler.

The original speech will be found in the London Gazette of Tuesday, April 17, 1716, and Scott's edition of Swift,

Deign to descend and give us laws,
For we are converts to your cause,

From this day well-affected.1

The noble view of your high merits

Has charm'd our thoughts and fix'd our spirits,
With zeal so warm and hearty;

That we resolved to be devoted,
At least until we be promoted,

By your just power and party.

Urged by a passionate desire
Of being raised a little higher,

From lazy cloister'd life;

We cannot flatter you nor fawn,

But fain would honour'd be with lawn,
And settled by a wife.2

For this we have before resorted,
Paid levees punctually, and courted,

Our charge at home long quitting,

vol. xii. p. 352. The Provost, it appears, was attended by the Rev. Dr. Howard, and Mr. George Berkeley, (afterwards Bishop of Cloyne,) both of them fellows of Trinity College, Dublin. The speech was praised by Addison, in the Freeholder, though his classical taste must have suffered, while his loyalty approved.---Scott.

1 The Rev. Dr. Pratt had been formerly of the Tory party; to which circumstance the phrase, “from this day well-affected," alludes.---Scott.

2 The statutes of the university enjoin celibacy.---Scott. 3 The provost was a most constant attendant at the levees at St. James's palace.---Scott.

But now we're come just in the nick,
Upon a vacant' bishopric,

This bait can't fail of hitting.

Thus, sir, you see how much affection,
Not interest, sways in this election,
But sense of loyal duty.

For you surpass all princes far,
As glow-worms do exceed a star,

In goodness, wit, and beauty.

Το you our Irish Commons owe
That wisdom which their actions show,

Their principles from ours springs,

Taught, ere the deel himself could dream on't,
That of their illustrious house a stem on't,
Should rise the best of kings.

The glad presages with our eyes

Behold a king, chaste, vigilant, and wise,
In foreign fields victorious,

Who in his youth the Turks attacks,

And [made] them still to turn their backs;
Was ever king so glorious?

Since Ormond's like a traitor gone,

We scorn to do what some have done,

For learning much more famous ; 2

1 The see of Killaloe was then vacant, and to this bishopric the Reverend Dr. George Carr, chaplain to the Irish House of Commons, was nominated, by letters-patent.---Scott.

2 Alluding to the sullen silence of Oxford upon the accession.---Scott.