tyrant lust

Your ill-judgʻd aid will you impart,
And spoil by meretricious art?

$ 287. FABLE Vilt. The Lawyer and Justice, Or had you, nature's error, Core

Love! thou divinest good below! Abortive from the mother's womb,

Thy pure delights few mortals know: Your forming care she still rejects,

Our rebel hearts thy sway disown, Which only heightens her detects.

While

usurps thy throne. When such, of ylitt'ring jewels proud, The bounteous God of nature made Still press the foremost in the crewd,

The sexes for each other's aid; At ev'ry public show are seen,

Their mutual talents to employ, With look awry, and awkward mien,

To lessen ills, and lieighten joy. The gaudv dress attracts the cje,

To weaker woman he assign'd And magnifies deformity.

That soft'ning gentleness of inind, Nature inay underdo bier part,

That can by sympathy in part But seldom wants the help of art;

Its likeness to the roughest heart.
Trust her, she is your surest friend,

Her
eyes

with magic pow'r endued, Nor made your förin for you to mend.

To fire the dull, and awe the rude. A Goose, affected, empty, vain,

His rosy fingers on her face The shrillest of the cackling train,

Shed lavisti ev'ry blooming grace, With proud and elevated crest,

And siamp d (perfection to display) Precedence claim'd above the rest.

His mildest image on her clay. Says she, I laugh at human race,

Man, active, resolute, and bold, Who say geese hobble in their pace;

Jle fashion'd in a different mouid, Look here! - the sland'rous lye detect;

ll'ith useful arts bis niind informa'd, No haughty man is so erect.

His breast with nobler passions warmd ; That peacock yonder! Lord, how vain

He gave him knowledge, taste, and sense, The creature 's of his gaudiy train !

And courage for thic fair's defence. If both were stript, I pawn my word

Her frame, resistless to each wrong, A goose would be the finer birú.

Demands protection from the strong ; Nature, to hide her own defects,

To man she flies when fear alarms, Her bungled work with finery decks ;

And claims the temple of his arnis. Were geese set off with half that show, By nature's Author thus declar'd Would men admire the peacock! No.

The woman's sovercian and hier guard,
Thus vaunting, 'cross the mead she stalks, Shall man by treach'rous wiles invade
The cackling breed attend her walks ;

The weakness he was meant to aid ?
The sun shot down his noon-tide beams, While beauty, given to inspire
The Swans were sporting in the streams; Protecting love, and soft desire,
Their snowy plumes and stately pride

Lights up a wild-tire in the heart,
Provok'd her spleen. Why there, she cried, And to its own breast points the dart,
Again what arrogance we see!

Becomes the spoiler's base pretence
Those creatures ! how they mimic me! To triumph over innocence.
Shall ev'ry fowl the water skin,

The wolf, that tears the tiin'rous sheep, Because we geese are known to swim !

Il as never set the fold to keep; Humility they soon shall learn,

Nor was the tiger, or the pard, And their own emptiness discern.

Meant the benighted trav'ller's guard ; So saying, with extended wings,

But man, the wildest beast of prey, Lightly upon the wave she springs ;

Wears friendships semblance to betray ; Her bosom svells, she spreails her plumes, His strength against the weak employs; And the swan's stately crest assumes.

And where he should protect, destroys. Conteinpt and mockery ensuell,

Past twelve o'clock, the watchman cried; And bursts of laughter shook the flood.' Ilis brief the studious lawyer plicd; A Swan, superior to the rest,

The all-prevailing fee lay nigh, Sprung forth, and thus the fool address d : The carvest of to-morrow's lie. Conceited thing, elate with pride!

Sudden the furious winds arise', Thy affectation all deride :

The jarring casement shatter'd fies; These airs tny awkwardness impart,

The doors admit a hollow sound, And show thee - Liply as thou art.

And rattling from their hinges bound; Among thy quals of the flock

Woen Justice, in a blize of light, 'Thou hadst escap'd the public mock;

Reveal'd her radiant form to sight. And, as thy parts to good conduce,

The wreich with thrilling horror shook ; Been deem'd an honest hobbling goose. Loose er’ry joint, and pale his looks; Learn hence to study wisdom's rules i

Not having seen her in the courts, Know, foppery 's the pride of fools;

Or found her mention'd in reports, And, striving nature to conceal,

He ask'd, with falt’ring torgue, her name, You only her defects reveal.

Her errand there, and whence she came?

Sterly Sternly the white-rob’d Shade replied Can't I another's face commend, (A crimson glow her visage dyed);

Or to her virtues be a friend, Canst thou be doubtful who I am?

But instantly your forchead lours, Is Justice grown so strange a name?

As if her merit lessen'd yours? Were not your courts for Justice raisid? From female envy never free, 'Twas there, of old, my altars blaz’d.

All must be blind because you see. My guardian thes I did elect,

Surrey the garden, fields, and bow'rs, My sacred temple to protect,

The buds, the blossoms, and the flow'rs; Tiiat thou and all thy renal tribe,

Then tell me where the woodbine grows Shonld sprm the goddess for the bribe. That vies in sweetness with the rose; Aloud the ruin'd client cries,

Or where the lily's snowy white, Justice lias neither ears nor eyes;

That throws such, beauties on the sight? 1.1 foul alliance with the bar,

Yet folly is it to declare, Gainst me the judge denounces war,

That these are neither sweet nor fair. And rarely issues his decree

The crystal shines with fainter rays But with intent to baffle me.

Before the diamond's brighter blaze; Sie patisi - her breast with fury buru'd; And fops will say the diamond dies The trembling Lawyer thus return'd:

Before the lustre of your eyes :
Town the charge is justly laid,

But I, who deal in iruth, deny
And weak th'excuse that can be made; That neither shine when you are by.
Yet search the spacious globe and see

When zephyrs o'er the blossoin stray, Ifall mankind are not like me.

And sweets along the air convey, The

gown-man, skill'd in Romish lies, Sha'n't I the fragrant breeze inhale, By faith's false glass dehndes our eyes: Because you breathe a sweeter gale? O'er conscience rides without control,

Sweet are the flow'rs that deck the field; And robs the man to save his soul.

Sweet is the smell the blossoms yield; The doctor, with important face,

Sweet is the summer gale that blows; Dy sly design mistakes the case ;

And sweet, tho'sweetcr you, the rose. Prescribes, and spins out the disease,

Shall envy then torment your breast, To trick the patient of his fees.

If you are lovelier than the rest ?
The soldier rough with many a scar, For while I give to each ber due,
And red with slanghter, leads the war ; By praising them I Hatter you;
If he a nation's trust betray,

And praising most, I still declare
The foe has offer'd double pay:

You fairest, where the rest are fair. When vice o'er all mankind prevails,

As at his board a farmer sate, And weighty int'rest turns the scales,

Replenish'd by his homely treat, Must I be better than the rest,

His fav’rite Spaniel near him stood, And harbour Justice in my breast?

And with his master shar'd the food ; On one side only take the fee,

The crackling bones his jaws devour'd, Content with poverty and thee?

His lapping tongue the trenchiers scour'd; Thou blind to sense, and vile of mind, Till, sated now, supine he lay, Th' exasperated Shade rejoind,

And snor'd the rising funcs away. If sirtue from the world is flown,

The hungry Cat, in turn, drew near, Will other's faults excuse thy own?

And humbly cray'd a servant's share; } For sickly souls the priest was made ;

Her niodest worth the master know, Physicians for the body's aid ;

And straight the fatt'ning morsel threw: The soldier guarded liberty;

Enrag'd, the snarling Cur awoke, Jan, woman, and the lawyer me.

And thus with spiteful envy spoke: If all are faithless to their trust,

They only claim a right to eat, They leave not thee the less unjust.

Who earn by services their meat; lienceforth your pleadings I disclaim, Me, zeal and industry inflame And bar the sancion of my name;

To scour the fields and spring the gaine; Within your courts it shall be read,

Or, plunged in the wint'ry wave, That Justice from the law is fled.

For man the wounded bird to save. She spoke; and hid in shades her face, With watchful diligence I keep Till Hardwicke sooth'd her into grace.

From prowling wolves his ficecy sheep : At home his midnight hours secure,

And drive the robber from the door : $288. ĘABLE IX. The Farmer, the Snaniel, For this his breast with kindness glows, and the Cat.

For this his hand the food bestows; War kuits my dear her angry brow?

And shall thy indolence impart What rude offence alarms you now?

A warmer friendship to his heart, I said that Delia's fair, 'uis irue,

That thus he robs me of my due, But did I say she equall' you !

To pamper such vile things as you!

FABLE X.

I own (with ineekness Puss replied) And thus hegan : Mean thing! give o'er, Superior merit on your side;

And lay thy slender threads no more; Nor does my breast with envy swell,

A thoughtless fly or two, or most, To find it recompens'd so well;

Is all the conquest thou canst boast; Yet I, in what my nature can,

For bees of sense thy arts evade,
Contribute to the good of man.

We see so plain the nets are laid.
Whose claws destroy the pilf'ring mouse? The gaudy tulip, that displays
Who drives the vermin froin the house? Her spreading foliage to gaze;
Or, watchful for the lab'ring swain,

That points her charms at all she sees,
Froin lurking rats secures the grain:

And yields to ev'ry wanton breeze, From hence, if he rewards bestow,

Attracts not me; where blushing grows,
Why should your heart with gall o'erflow? Guarded with thorns, the modest rose,
Why pine niy bappiness io sec,

Enamour'd round and round I fly,
Since there is enough for you and me? Or on her fragrant bosou lie;
The words are just, the farmer cried,

Reluctant she my ardor meets,
And spurn'd the snarler from his side. And bashful renders up her sweets.

To wiser heads attention lend, $ 289.

The Spider and the Bee. And learn this lesson from a friend: The nymph who walks the public streets,

She who with modesty retires, And sets her cap at all she meets,

Adds fuel to her lover's fires; May catch the fool who turns to stare;

While such incautious jilts as you
Bui men of sense avoid the share.

By folly your own schemes undp.
As on the margin of the flood,
With silken line, my Lydia stood,

$ 290. FABLE XI. The Young Lion and the Ape I smil'd to see the pains she took

"Tis true, I blame your lover's choice, To cover o'er the fraudful hook.

Though Hatter'd by rhe public voice;
Along the forest as we stray'd,

And peevish grow, and sick, to hear
You saw the boy his lime-twigs spread; His exclamations, ( how fair!
Guess'd
you the reason of his fear,

I listen not to wild delights,
Lest, heedless, we approach too near? And transports of expected nights;
For as behind the bush we lay,

What is to me your hoard of charms,
The linnet futter'd on the spray,

The whiteness of your neck and arms? Needs there such caution to delude

Needs there no acquisition more The scaly fry, and feather'd brood ?

To keep contention from the door? And think you, with inferior art,

Yes ; past a fortnight, and you'll find To captivate the human heart?

All beauty cloys, but of the mind.
The maid who modestly conceals

Sense and good humor ever prove
Her beauties, while she hides, reveals. The surest cords to fasten love.
Give but a glimpse, and fancy draws Yet, Phillis, simplest of your sex,
Whate'er the Grecian Venus was.

You never think but to perplex;
From Eve's first tig-leaf to brocade,

Coquetting it with ev'ry ape All dress was meant for fancy's aid;

That struts abroad in human shape; Which evermore delighted dwells

Not that the cuxcomb is your taste, On what the bashsul nymph conceals. But that it stings your lover's breast. When Celia struts in man's attire,

To-morrow you resign the sway,
She shows too much to raise desire ;

Prepar'd to honor and obey :
But, from the hoop's bewitching round, The tyrant mistress change for life,
Her
very shoc has pow'r to wound,

To the submission of a wife.
The roving eye, the bosom bare,

Your follies, if you can, suspend, The forward laugh, the wanton air,

And learn instruction from a friend : May catch the fop: for gulgçons strike Reluctant hear the first address, At the bare hook and bait alike;

Think often ere you answer Yes : While salinon play regardless by,

But, once resolv'd, throw off disguise, Till art like nature forms the fly.

And wear your wishes in your cyes; Beneath a peasant's homely thatch

With caution ev'ry lock forbear A Spider long had held her watch ;

That might create one jealous fear, From morn to night with restless care, A lover's ripening hopes confound, She

spun her web, and wove her snare. Or give the gen'rous breast a wound; Within the limits of her reign

Coniemn the girlish arts to teaze, Lay many a headless captive slain ;

Nor use your pow'r, unless to please;
Or Anti'fing struggled in the toils,

For fools alone with rigor sway,
To burst the chains, and shun her wiles. When, soon or late, they must obey:
A straying Bee, that perch'd hard by,

The King of Brutes, in life's decline,
Beheld her with disdainful cve,

Resolv'd dominion to resign;

The

The beasts were summond to appear,

Then, when life's winter hastens on, And bend before the coyal heir.

And

youth's fair heritage is gone, They came; a day was fix'd ; the crowd Dow‘rless to court some peasant's arms, Before their future monarch bow'd.

To guard your wither'd age from harms ;
A dapper Monkey, pert and vain,

No gratitude to warm his breast,
Stepp'd forth, and thus address'd the train: For blooining beauty once possest ;i.
Why cringe, my friends, with slavish awe, How will you curse that stubborn pride
Before this pageant king of straw ?,

Wbich drove your bark across the tide,
Shall we anticipate the hour,

And sailing before folly's wind, And, ere we feel it, own his pow'r?

Left sense and happiness behind ! The counsels of experience prize,

Corinna, lest these whims prevail, I know the maxims of the wise;

To such as you I writegniy tale. Subjection let us cast away,

A Colt, for blood and mettled speed And live the monarchs of to-day ;

The choicest of the running breed. Tis ours the vacant hand to sporo,

Of youthful strength and beauty vain, And play the tyrani each in turn.

Refus'd subjection to the rein. So shall he right from wrong discern,

In vain the grooni's officious skill And mercy from oppression learn ;

Oppos'd his pride, and check'd his will ; At others woes be taught to melt,

In vain the master's forming care, And loath the ills himself has felt.

Restrain'd with threats, or sooth'd with pray'r; He spoke his bosom swell’d with pride ; Of freedom proud, and scorning man, The youthful Lion thus replied :

Wild o'er the spacious plains he ran. What madness prompts thee to provoke Where'er luxuriant nature spread My wrath, and dare th' impending stroke? Her flow'ry carpet o'er the mead, Thou wretched fool! can wrongs impart

Or bubbling streams soft gliding pass, Compassion to the feeling heart?

To cool and freshen up the grass, Or teach the grateful breast to glow,

Disdaining bounds, he cropt the blade, The hand to give, or eye to flow?

And wanton'd in the spoil he made.

! Learn'd in the practice of their schools,

In plenty thus the summer passid,
From women thou hast drawn thy rules : Revolving winter came at last;
To them return; in such a cause,

The trees no more a shelter yield,
From only such expect applause ;

The verdure withers from the field, The partial sex I don't condemn,

Perpetual snows invest the ground, For liking those who copy them.

In icy chains the streams are boundo Wouldst thou the gen'sous lion bind ? Cold, nippiog winds, and rattling hail, By kindness bribe him to be kind;

His lank unshelter'd sides assail. Good offices their likeness get,

As round he cast his rueful eyes, And payment lessens not the debt;

He saw the thatch'd-roof cottage rise, With multiplying hand he gives

The prospect touch'd his heart with cheer, The good from others he receives ;

And promis' kind deliv'rance ntar.
Or for the bad makes fair return,

A stable, erst his scorn and hate,
And pays with int’rest scorn for scorn. Was now become his wish'd retreat;

His passion cool, his pride forgot,

A Farmer's welcome yard he songht. 231. FABLE X11. The Coll and the Farmer. His limbs that totter'd with his weight:

The master saw his woeful plight, Tell me, Corinna, if you can,

And, friendly, to the stable led, Why so arerse, so coy io man?

And saw him litter'd, dress'd and fed. Did Nature, lavish of her care,

bu slothful ease all night he lay, From her best pattern form you fair,

The servants rose at break of dav; That you, ungrateful to her cause,

The market calls--along the road Should mock her gifts, anıl spurn her laws ? His back must bear the pond'rous loachine And, miser-like, withhold that store,

In vain he struggles or complains, Which, by imparting, blesses more? Incessant blows reward his pains. Beauty's a gift by Heaven assiga'd

To-norrow varies but his toil; The portion of the female kind;

Chain'd to the plough, he breaks the soil; For this the yielding maid demands

While scanty meals at night repay Protection at her lover's hands;

The painful labors of the day. And though by wasting years it fade,

Subdued by oil, with anguish rent, Remedbrance tells him once 'twas paid. Ili: self-upbridings found a vent.

And will you then this wealth conceal, Wreich that I am! he sighing said, For age to rust, or time to steal ?

By arrogance and folly led : The summer of your youth to rove

Had but my restive youth been brought A stranger to the joys of love?

To learn the lesson nature taught,

Then

M

Then had I, like my sires of yote,

And swallow'd wisdom with that haste The prize from ev'ry courser bore.

That cits do custards at a feast. While inan bestow'd rewards and praise, Within the shelter of a wood, And females crown my latter days.

One evening as he musing stood; Now lasting servitude's my lot,

Hard by, upon a leafy spray, My birth contemud, my speed forgot ;

A Nightingale began his lay. Doom'd am I, for my pride, to bear

Sudden he starts, with anger stung, A living death from year to year.

And screeching interrupts the song:

Pert, busy thing! thy airs give oes, 9,292. FABLE xur. TheOrland the Nightingale. And let my contemplation soar. To know the mistress' humor right,

What is the music of thy voice, See if her maids are clean and sight;

But jarring dissonance and noise ? If Betty waits without her stays,

Be wise ; irue harmony thou 'lt find She copies but her lady's ways.

Not in the throat, but in the mind; When Miss comes in with beist'rous shout, By empty chirping not attain'd, And drops no curtsey going out,

But by bborious study gain'd. Depend upon 't, mamma is one

Go, read the authors Pope explodes : Who reads, or drinks too much alone. Fathom the depth of Cibber's odles; If bottled beer her thirst assuage,

With modern plays improve thy wit ; She feels enthusiastic rage,

Read all the learning Henley writ; and burns with ardor to inherit

And if thou need, inust sing, sing then, The gifts and workings of the spirit.

And emulate the ways of men ; If learning crack her ziddy brains,

So shalt thou grow, like nie, refin'd, No remedy but death remains.

And bring improvement to thy kind, Suin up the various ills of life,

Thou wretch, the little warbler cried, And all are sweet to such a wifc.

Made up of ignorance and pride! At home superior wit she vaunts,

Ask all the birds, and they 'll declaro And twits her husband with his wants ; A greater blockhead wings not air. Her ragged offspring all around,

Read o'er thyself, thy talents scan, Like pigs are wallowing on she ground; Science was only meant for man. Impatient ever of control,

No senseless authors me molest, She knows no order but of soul;

I inind the cluties of any nest, With books her litter'd floor is spread,

With careful wing protect my young, Of nameless authors, never read;

And cheer their evenings with a song: Poul linen, petticoats, and lace,

Make short the weary traveller's way, Fill the intermediate space.

And warble in the poet's lay. Abroad, at visitings, her tongue

Thus, following nature and her laws, Is never still, and always wrong i

From men and birds I claim applause ; All meanings she defines away,

While nurs'd in pedantry and Sloth, And stands with truth and sense at bay. An Ow) is scorn'd alike by both.

If c'er she meets a gentle heart, Skill'd in the housewife's useful art,

§ 293. FABLE XIV. The Sparrow and the Dere. Who makes her family her care,

It was, as learn'd traditions say, And builds contentment's temple there, Upon an April's blithsome day, She starts at such mistakes in nature,

When pleasure, ever on the wing, And cries, lord help us ! what a crcature ! Returnd, companion of the spring, Melissa, if the moral strike,

And cheer'd the birds with am'rous heat,
You 'll find the fable not unlike.

Instructing little hearts to beat;
An Owl, puff'd up with self-conceit, A Sparrow, frolic, gay, and young,
Lord learning better than his meat;

Of bold address, and Aippant tongue,
Old manuscripts he treasur'd up,

Just left his lady of a night, And ruinmag'd ev'ry grocer's shop;

Like him to follow new delight. At pastry-cooks was known to ply,

The youth, of many a conquest vain, And strip for science ev'ry pye.

Flew of to seek the chirping train; Por modern poetry, and wit,

The chirping train he quickly found, He had read all that Blackmore writs

And with a saucy case bowd round. So intimate with Carl was grown,

For ev'ry she his bosom burns, His learned treasures were his own;

And this and that he woos by turns ;
To all.his authors had access,

And here a sigh, and there a bill;
And sometimes wonld correct the press. And here those eyes, so form'd to kill !
In logic he acquir’d such knowledge,

And now, with ready tongue, he strings
You'd swear him fellow of a college ; Unmeaning, soft, resistless things;
Alike to ev'ry art and science

With vows and dem-me's skill'd to woo, Ilis daring genius bid defiance;

As other pretty fellow's do.

Nos

up.