A

Wolf, with hunger fierce and bold,

Ravag'd the plains and thinn'd the fold:

Deep in the wood fecure he lay,

The thefts of night regal'd the day;
F 4

In

In vain the shepherd's wakeful care

Had spread the toils and watch'd the fnare,
In vain the dog purfu'd his pace,

The fleeter robber mock'd the chase.

As Lightfoot rang'd the forest round, By chance his foe's retreat he found. Let us awhile the war fufpend,

And reason as from friend to friend.

A truce, replies the Wolf? 'Tis done.

The Dog the parley thus begun.

How can that strong intrepid mind
Attack a weak defenceless kind?

Those jaws should prey on nobler food,
And drink the boar's and lyon's blood;
Great fouls with gen'rous pity melt,
Which coward tyrants never felt:
How harmless is our fleecy care!
Be brave, and let thy mercy fpare.

Friend,

Friend, fays the Wolf, the matter weigh.
Nature defign'd us beasts of prey,
As fuch, when hunger finds a treat,
'Tis neceffary wolves should eat.

If mindful of the bleating weal,
Thy bofom burn with real zeal,
Hence, and thy tyrant lord beseech,
To him repeat the moving speech;
A wolf eats sheep but now and then,
Ten thousands are devour'd by men.
An open foe may prove a curse,
But a pretended friend is worse.

FABLE

Kent jnv.

P.Fourdrinier scul

FABLE XVIII.

The PAINTER who pleafed No body and Every body.

L

EST men fufpect your tale untrue,

Keep probability in view.

The trav❜ler, leaping o'er those bounds,
The credit of his book confounds;

Who

Who with his tongue hath armies routed

Makes ev❜n his real courage doubted.

But flatt'ry never seems abfurd,

The flatter'd always take your word,
Impoffibilities seem juft,

They take the strongest praise on trust;
Hyperboles, though ne'er fo great,

Will still come fhort of self-conceit,

So very like a Painter drew,
That ev'ry eye the picture knew;
He hit complexion, feature, air,
So jutt, the life itself was there.
No flatt'ry, with his colours laid,
To bloom reftor'd the faded maid,

He gave

each muscle all its strength,

The mouth, the chin, the nofe's length

His