'Tis he (his own and people caufe)
Protects their properties and laws.
Thus they their honeft toil employ,
And with content their fruits enjoy.
In ev'ry rank, or great or small,
'Tis induftry fupports us all.
The animals, by want opprefs'd,
To man their fervices addrefs'd.
While each purfu'd their felfifh good,
They hunger'd for precarious food.
Their hours with anxious cares were vext;
One day they fed, and ftarv'd the next.
They faw that plenty, fure and rife,
Was found alone in focial life;
That mutual industry profefs'd,
The various wants of man redrefs'd.
The Cat, half famifh'd, lean and weak,
Demands the privilege to speak.
Well Pufs (fays Man) and what can you To benefit the public do?
The Cat replies. Thefe teeth, thefe claws,,
With vigilance fhall ferve the cause.
The moufe, deftroy'd by my pursuit,
No longer fhall your feafts pollute;
Nor rats, from nightly ambufcade,
With wafteful teeth your ftores invade.
I grant, fays Man, to gen'ral ufe
Your parts and talents may conduce;
For rats and mice purloin our grain,
And threshers 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 caufe.
Afk those who know me, if diftruft
E'er found me treach'rous or unjust?
Did I e'er faith or friendship break?
Afk all those creatures; let them speak.
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 fleep?
The Man replies: "Tis juft and right,
Reward fuch fervice fhould requite.
So rare, in property, we find
Truft uncorrupt among mankind,
That, taken in a public view,
The first diftinction is your due.
Such merits all reward tranfcend:
Be then my comrade and my friend.
Addreffing now the Fly: From you
What public fervice can accrue?
From me! (the flutt'ring infect faid)
I thought you knew me better bred.
Sir, I'm a gentleman. Is't fit
That I to induftry fubmit?
Let mean mechanics, to be fed
By bus'nefs earn ignoble bread.
Loft in excess of daily joys,
No thought, no care my life annoys.
At noon (the lady's matin hour)
I fip the tea's delicious flower.
On cates luxurioufly I dine,
And drink the fragrance of the vine.
Studious of elegance and eafe,
Myfelf alone I feek 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 you have fapp'd the blufhing rind,
And on that pulp ambrofial din'd,
Had not fome hand, with skill and toil,
To raise the tree, prepar'd the foil?
Confider, fot, what would ensue,
Were all fuch worthlefs things as you.
You'd foon be forc'd (by hunger ftung)
To make your dirty meals on dung;
On which fuch defpicable need,
Unpitied, is reduc'd to feed.
Befides, vain felfifh infect, learn,
(If you can right and wrong difcern)
That he who, with induftrious 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.
Crufh'd in his luxury and pride,
The fpunger on the public dy'd.
TO A YOUNG NOBLEMAN.
A FABLE. [GAY.]
BEGIN my Lord, in early youth,
To fuffer, nay, encourage truth;
And blame me not for difrefpect,
If I the flatt'rer's style reject:
With that, by menial tongues fupply'd,
You're daily cocker'd up in pride.
The tree's diftinguifh'd by the fruit.
Be virtue then your first purfuit;
Set your great ancestors in view,
Like them deserve the title too;
Like them ignoble actions fcorn:
Let virtue prove you greatly born.
Though with lefs plate their fide-board fhone,
Their confcience always was their own;
They ne'er at levees meanly fawn'd,
Nor was their honour yearly pawn'd;
Their hands, by no corruption ftain'd,
The minifterial bribe difdain'd;
They ferv'd the crown with loyal zeal;
Yet jealous of the public weal,
They stood the bulwark of our laws,
And wore at heart their country's caufe;
By neither place or penfion bought,
They fpoke and voted as they thought.
Thus did your fires adorn their feat;
And fuch alone are truly great.
If you the paths of learning flight,
You're but a dunce in ftronger light;
In foremost rank, the coward plac'd,
Is more confpicuoufly difgrac'd.
If you to serve a paltry end,
To knavifh jobs can condefcend,
We pay you the contempt that's due;
In that you have precedence too.
Whence had you this illuftrious name?
From virtue and unblemish'd fame.
By birth the name alone defcends;
Your honour on yourself depends:
Think not your coronet can hide
Affuming ignorance and pride.
Learning by ftudy must be won,
'Twas ne'er entail'd from fon to fon.
Superior worth your rank requires;
For that mankind reveres your fires:
If you degen'rate from your race,
Their merits heighten your difgrace.
A Carrier, ev'ry night and morn,
Would fee his horfes eat their corn:
This funk the hoftler's vails, 'tis true;
But then his horfes had their due.
Were we fo cautious in all cafes,
Small gain would rife from greater places.
The manger now had all it's measure;
He heard the grinding teeth with pleasure:
When all at once confufion
rung;
They fnorted, joftled, bit, and flung.
A Pack-horfe turn'd his head afide,
Foaming, his eye-balls fwell'd with pride.
Good gods! (fays he) how hard's my lot!
Is then my high defcent forgot?
Reduc'd to drudg'ry and difgrace,
A life unworthy of my race)
Muft I too bear the vile attacks
Of ragged fcrubs, and vulgar hacks?
See fcurvy ROAN, that brute ill-bred,
Dares from the manger thruft my head!
Shall I, who boaft a noble line,
On offals of thefe creatures dine?
Kick'd by old BALL! fo mean a foe!
My honour fuffers by the blow.
NEWMARKET fpeaks my grandfire's fame,
All jockies ftill revere his name:
There yearly are his triumphs told,
There all his maffy plates enroll'd,
Whene'er led forth upon the plain,
You faw him with a liv'ry train;
Returning too, with laurels crown'd,
You heard the drums and trumpets found.
Let it then, Sir, be understood,
Refpect's my due; for I have blood.
Vain-glorious fool! (the Carrier cry'd).
Refpect was never paid to pride.
Know, 'twas thy giddy wilful heart
Reduc'd thee to this flavifh part.
Did not thy headftrong youth difdain
To learn the conduct of the rein?
Thus coxcombs, blind to real merit,
In vicious frolicks fancy fpirit.
What is't to me by whom begot?
Thou reftiff, pert, conceited fot,
Your fires I rev'rence; 'tis their due:
But worthlefs fool, what's that to you?
Afk all the Carriers on the road,
They'll fay thy keeping's ill beftow'd.
Then vaunt no more thy noble race,
That neither mends thy ftrength or pace.
What profits me thy boaft of blood?
An afs hath more intrinfic good.
By outward fhew let's not be cheated;
An afs fhould like an afs be treated.
The APE, the PARROT, and the JACK-DAW.
Hold it rafh at any time.
To deal with fools difpos'd to rhime;
Diffuafive arguments provoke
Their utmoft rage as foon as fpoke:
Encourage them, and for a day
Or two you're fafe by giving way;
But when they find themfelves betray'd,
On you at laft the blame is laid.
They hate and fcorn you as a traitor,
The common lot of thofe who flatter.
But can a fcribbler, Sir, be fhunn'd?
What will you do when teaz'd and dunn'd?
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