Yet to Jackalls (as 'tis averr'd)
Some Lions have their power transferr'd:
As if the parts of pimps and fpies
To govern forefts could fuffice.
Once, ftudious of his private good,
A proud Jackall opprefs'd the wood;
To cram his own infatiate jaws,
Invaded property and laws.
The foreft groans with difcontent,
Fresh wrongs the gen'ral hate foment.
The spreading murmurs reach'd his ear;
His fecret hours were vex'd with fear.
Night after night he weighs the cafe,
And feels the terrors of difgrace.
By friends (fays he) I'll guard my feat,
By those malicious tongues defeat:
I'll ftrengthen pow'r by new allies,
And all my clam'rous foes despise.
To make the gen'rous beafts his friends,
He cringes, fawns, and condefcends;
But those repuls'd his abject court,
And fcorn'd oppreffion to fupport.
Friends must be had. He can't fubfift.
Bribes fhall new profelytes inlift.
But thefe nought weigh'd in honeft paws;
For bribes confefs'd a wicked caufe:
Yet think not ev'ry paw withstands
What had prevail'd in human hands.
A tempting turnip's filver fkin
Drew a base hog through thick and thin:
Bought with a ftag's delicious hanch,
The mercenary wolf was ftanch :
The convert fox grew warm and hearty,
A pullet gain'd him to the party :
The golden pippin in his fift,
A chatt'ring monkey join'd the lift.
But foon, expos'd to public hate,
The fav'rite's fall redrefs'd the ftate.
The Leopard, vindicating right,
Had brought his fecret frauds to light.
As rats, before the manfion falls,
Defert late hofpitable walls,
In fhoals the fervile creatures run,
To bow before the rifing fun.
The hog with warmth exprefs'd his zeal,
And was for hanging thofe, that steal;
But hop'd, though low, the public hoard
Might half a turnip ftill afford.
Since faving measures were profest,
A lamb's head was the wolf's request.
The fox fubmitted, if to touch
A gofling would be deem'd too much.
The monkey thought his grin and chatter,
Might ask a nut or fome fuch matter.
Ye hirelings, hence (the Leopard cries);
Your venal confcience I despise.
He who the public good intends,
By bribes need never purchase friends.
Who acts this juft, this open part,
Is propt by ev'ry honeft heart.
Corruption now too late hath fhow'd,
That bribes are always ill-beftow'd.
By you your bubbled mafter's taught,
Time ferving tools, not friends, are bought.
то THE REVEREND DR. SWIFT, DEAN OF ST. PATRICK'S.
Hough courts the practice difallow,
A friend at all times I'll avow.
In politics I know 'tis wrong:
A friendship may be kept too long;
And that they call the prudent part,
Is to wear int'reft next the heart.
As the times take a different face,
Old friendships fhould to new give place.
I know too you have many foes,
That owning you is fharing those;
That ev'ry knave in ev'ry station,
Of high and low denomination,
For what you speak, and what you write,
Dread you at once, and bear you spite.
Such freedoms in your works are fhown,
They can't enjoy what's not their own.
All dunces too in church and state
In frothy nonfenfe fhew their hate;
With all the petty fcribbling crew,
(And those pert fots are not a few,)
'Gainst you and POPE their envy spurt.
The bookfellers alone are hurt.
Good gods! by what a powerful race
(For blockeads may have pow'r and place)
Are fcandals rais'd and libels writ,
To prove your honefty and wit!
Think with yourfelf: Thofe worthy men,
You know, have fuffer'd by your pen.
From them you've nothing but your due.
From thence, 'tis plain, your friends are few.
Except myself, I know of none,
Befides the wife and good alone.
To fet the cafe in fairer light,
My fable shall the reft recite;
Which (tho' unlike our present state)
I for the moral's fake relate.
A Bee, of cunning, not of parts,
Luxurious, negligent of arts,
Rapacious, arrogant, and vain,
Greedy of pow'r, but more of gain,
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