Each, aiming at one common end,
Proves to the whole a needful friend.
Thus, born each other's useful aid,

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By turns are obligations paid.

The monarch, when his table 's fpread.

Is to the clown oblig’d for bread;

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And, when in all his glory dreft,
Owes to the loom his royal vest.
Do not the mafon's toil and care
Protect him from th' inclement air?
Does not the cutler's art fupply
The ornament that guards his thigh?
All these, in duty to the throne,
Their common obligations own.
'Tis he (his own and people's cause)
Protects their properties and laws.
Thus they their honeft toil employ,
And with content the fruits enjoy.
In every rank, or great or small,
'Tis industry supports us all.

The animals, by want opprefs'd,

To man their fervices addrefs'd:
While each purfued their felfish good,
They hunger'd for precarious food:

Their hours with anxious cares were vext;

One day they fed, and ftarv'd the next :

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They faw that plenty, fure and rife,

Was found alone in focial life;

That mutual industry profess'd,

The various wants of man redrefs'd.

The

The Cat, half.famifh'd, lean and weak, 75 Demands the privilege to fpeak.

"Well, Pufs, (fays Man) and what can you To benefit the public do ?”

The Cat replies, "Thefe teeth, these claws, With vigilance fhall ferve the cause. The mouse, destroy'd by my purfuit, No longer fhall your feafts pollute; Nor rats, from nightly ambuscade, With wafteful teeth your stores invade." "I grant, fays Man, to general ufe Your parts and talents may conduce; For rats and mice purloin our grain, And threfhers whirl the flail in vain : Thus fhall the Cat, a foe to fpoil, Protect the farmer's honeft toil."

Then turning to the Dog, he cry'd,
"Well, Sir, be next your merits try’d.”
"Sir, fays the Dog, by felf-applaufe
We feem to own a friendless cause.
Afk those who know me, if distrust

E'er found me treacherous or unjust?
Did I e'er faith or friendship break?
Afk all those creatures; let them fpeak.
My vigilance and trufty zeal
Perhaps might ferve the public weal.
Might not your flocks in fafety feed,
Were I to guard the fleecy breed?
Did I the nightly watches keep,

Could thieves invade you while you sleep?"

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95

100

The

The Man replies. ""Tis juft and right;

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you

Be then my comrade and my friend."
Adreffing now the Fly: "From
What public service can accrue?"
"From me! (the fluttering infect faid)
I thought you knew me better bred.
Sir, I'm a gentleman. Is't fit
That I to industry submit ?
Let mean mechanics, to be fed,
By business earn ignoble bread;
Loft in excefs of daily joys,
No thought, no care, my life
At noon (the lady's matin hour)
I fip the tea's delicious flower.

On cates luxuriously I dine,

annoys.

And drink the fragrance of the vine.
Studious of elegance and ease,

Myfelf alone I feck to please."

The Man his pert conceit derides,

And thus the ufelefs coxcomb chides:

"Hence, from that peach, that downy feat;

No idle fool deferves to eat.

Could
And on that pulp ambrofial dia'd;

you have fapp'd the blushing rind,

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120

125

130

Had

Had not fome hand, with skill and toil,
To raise the tree, prepar'd the foil?
Confider, Sot, what would enfue,
Were all fuch worthless things as you.
You'd foon be forc'd (by hunger ftung)

To make your dirty meals on dung,
On which fuch despicable need,
Unpitied, is reduc'd to feed.

Befides, vain selfish Infect, learn,

(If you can right and wrong difcern)
That he who, with industrious zeal,
Contributes to the public weal,
By adding to the common good,
His own hath rightly understood."
So faying, with a fudden blow
He laid the noxious vagrant low.

Crush'd in his luxury and pride,

The fpunger on the publick dy'd.

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140

145

150

FABLE

IX.

THE JACKALL, LEOPARD, AND OTHER BEASTS.

I

To a modern Politician.

GRANT corruption sways mankind;
That intereft, too, perverts the mind;
That bribes have blinded common fenfe,
Foil'd reafon, truth, and eloquence:
I grant you, too, our prefent crimes
Can equal thofe of former times.

5

Against

Against plain facts shall I engage,
To vindicate our righteous age?
I know that in a modern fift
Bribes in full energy fubfift.
Since then these arguments prevail,
And itching palms are still so frail,
Hence Politicians, you fuggeft,
Should drive the nail that goes the best;
That it shows parts and penetration,
To ply men with the right temptation.
To this I humbly muft diffent,
Premifing, no reflection 's meant.

Does juftice or the client's fenfe

Teach lawyers either fide's defence?
The fee gives eloquence its fpirit;
That, only is the client's merit.
Does art, wit, wifdom, or addrefs,
Obtain the proftitute's carefs?
The guinea (as in other trades)
From every hand alike perfuades.
Man, Scripture fays, is prone to evil;
But does that vindicate the devil?
Befides, the more mankind are prone,
The lefs the devil's parts are fhown.
Corruption's not of modern date;
It hath been try'd in every state ;

Great knaves of old their power have fenc'd,

By places, penfions, bribes, difpens'd;

By thefe they glory'd in fuccefs,

And impudently dar'd opprefs;

3.5

By