For dextrously, and fafe from harm,
Year after year he robb'd the fwarm.
Thus thriving on industrious toil,
He glory'd in his pilfer'd spoil.
This trick fo fwell'd him with conceit,
He thought no enterprise too great.
Alike in fciences and arts,
He boafted univerfal parts:
Pragmatic, bufy, bustling, bold,
His arrogance was uncontrol'd
And thus he made his party good,
And grew dictator of the wood.
The beafts, with admiration, ftare,
And think him a prodigious Bear.
Were any common booty got,
'Twas his each portion to allot :
For why he found there might be picking,
Ev'n in the carving of a chicken.
He over-rules the fox's parts.
It chanc'd as, on a certain day,
Along the bank he took his way,
A Boat, with rudder, fail, and oar,
At anchor floated near the fhore,
He flopt, and, turning to his train,
Thus pertly vents his vaunting ftrain.
"What blundering puppies are mankind,
every fcience always blind!
I mock the pedantry of fchools:
What are their compaffes and rules?
From me that helm fhall conduct learn,
And man his ignorance difcern."
So faying, with audacious pride,
He gains the Boat, and climbs the fide.
The beafts, aftonifh'd, line the strand :
The anchor 's weigh'd; he drives from land :
The flack fail fhifts from fide to fide;
The Boat untrimm'd admits the tide.
Borne down, adrift, at random toft,
His oar breaks fhort, the rudder 's loft.
The Bear, prefuming in his skill,
Is here and there officious flill;
Till, ftriking on the dangerous fands,
Aground the fhatter'd veffel ftands.
To fee the bungler thus diftreft,
The very fishes fneer and jeft:
Ev'n gudgeons join in ridicule,
To mortify the meddling fool.
The clamourous watermen appear;
Threats, curfes, oaths, infult his ear:
'Seiz'd, thrash'd, and chain'd, he's dragg'd to land;
Berifion fhouts along the strand.
To a Country Gentleman.
THE man of pure and fimple heart
Through life difdains a double part:
He never needs the fcreen of lies,
His inward bofom to disguise.
In vain malicious tongues affail;
Let Envy fnarl, let Slander rail,
From Virtue's fhield (fecure from wound)
Their blunted venom'd fhafts rebound.
So fhines his light before mankind,
His actions prove his honeft mind.
If in his country's cause he rife,
Debating fenates to advise,
* Unbrib'd, unaw’d, he dares impart
The honeft dictates of his heart.
No minifterial frown he fears,
But in his virtue perseveres.
But would you play the politician,
"Whofe heart 's averfe to intuition,
Your lips at all times, nay, your reason,
Must be control'd by place and feafon.
What ftatefman could his power fupport,
Were lying tongues forbid the court ?
Did princely ears to truth attend,
What minifter could gain his end?
How could he raife his tools to place,
And how his honest foes disgrace?
That politician. tops his part,
Who readily can lye with art:
The man's proficient in his trade;
His power is ftrong, his fortune 's made.
By that the intereft of the throne
Is made fubfervient to his own:
By that, have kings of old, deluded,
All their own friends for his excluded:
By that, his felfish schemes pursuing,
He thrives upon the public ruin.
Antiochus, with hardy pace,
Provok'd the dangers of the chace;
And, loft from all his menial train,
Travers'd the wood and pathless plain.
A cottage lodg'd the royal guest;
The Parthian clown brought forth his best.
The King unknown his feast enjoy'd,
And various chat the hours employ'd.
From wine what sudden friendship springs!
Frankly they talk'd of courts and kings.
"We country-folks (the Clown replies)
Could ope our gracious monarch's eyes.
The King, (as all our neighbours say)
Might he (God bless him!) have his way,
Is found at heart, and means our good,
And he would do it if he could.
If truth in courts were not forbid,
Nor kings nor fubjects would be rid.
Were he in power, we need not doubt him;
But, that transferr'd to thofe about him,
On them he throws the regal cares ;
And what mind they? Their own affairs.
If fuch rapacious hands he trust,
The best of men may feem unjust.
From kings to cobblers 'tis the fame;
Bad fervants wound their master's fame.
In this our neighbours all agree :
Would the King knew as much as we !"
Here he ftopt fhort. Repofe they fought,
The Peafant flept, the Monarch thought.
The courtiers learn'd, at early dawn,
Where their loft Sovereign was withdrawn.
The guards' approach our host alarms ;
With gaudy coats the cottage swarms.
The crown and purple robes they bring,
And proftrate fall before the King.
The Clown was call'd; the royal guest
By due reward his thanks expreft.
The King then, turning to the crowd,
Who fawningly before him bow'd,
Thus fpoke. "Since, bent on private gain,
Your counfels first mifled my reign,
Taught and inform'd by you alone,
No truth the royal ear hath known,
Till here converfing: hence, ye crew;
For now I know myself and you."
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