'Ye wretches, hence!' the Eagle cries, 'Tis conscience, conscience that applies; The virtuous mind takes no alarm, Secur'd by innocence from harm; While Guilt and his associate Fear, Are startled at the passing air.'
PANTHER, HORSE, AND OTHER BEASTS.
THE man who seeks to win the fair
(So custom says) must truth forbear,
Must fawn and flatter, cringe and lie,
And raise the goddess to the sky;
For truth is hateful to her ear,
A rudeness which she cannot bear.
A rudeness! yes: I speak my thoughts;
For Truth upbraids her with her faults.
How wretched, Chloe! then am I,
Who love you, and yet cannot lie;
And still to make you less my friend,
I strive your errors to amend!
But shall the senseless fop impart
The softest passion to your heart;
While he who tells you honest truth,
And points to happiness your youth,
Determines by his care his lot,
And lives neglected and forgot?
Trust me, my dear, with greater ease
Your taste for flattery I could please,
And similes in each dull line
Like glow-worms in the dark should shine.
What if I say your lips disclose
The freshness of the opening rose?
Or that your cheeks are beds of flow'rs,
Enripen'd by refreshing show'rs?
Yet certain as these flow'rs shall fade,
Time every beauty will invade.
The butterfly, of various hue,
More than the flow'r resembles you;
Fair, fluttering, fickle, busy thing,
To pleasure ever on the wing,
Gaily coquetting for an hour,
To die and ne'er be thought of more!
Would you the bloom of youth should last?
"Tis virtue that must bind it fast
An easy carriage, wholly free
From sour reserve or levity;
Good-natur'd mirth, an open heart,
And looks unskill'd in any art;
Humility enough to own
The frailties which a friend makes known;
And decent pride enough to know
The worth that virtue can bestow.
These are the charms which ne'er decay,
Though youth and beauty fade away;
And time, which all things else removes,
Still heightens virtue, and improves.
You'll frown, and ask to what intent
This blunt address to you is sent?
I'll spare the question and confess
I'd praise you if I lov'd you less;
But rail, be angry, or complain,
1 will be rude while you are vain.
Beneath a lion's peaceful reign,
When beasts met friendly on the plain,
A Panther of majestic port,
(The vainest female of the court)
With spotted skin and eyes of fire,
Fill'd every bosom with desire :
Where'er she mov'd, a servile crowd
Of fawning creatures cring'd and bow'd ;
Assemblies every week she held,
(Like modern belles) with coxcombs fill❜d,
Where noise and nonsense, and grimace,
And lies and scandal, fill the place.
Behold the gay fantastic thing Encircled by the spacious ring; Low-bowing, with important look, As first in rank, the Monkey spoke : 'Gad take me, madam but I swear No angel ever look'd so fair! Forgive my rudeness, but I vow, You were not quite divine till now!
Those limbs! that shape! and then those eyes! O! close them, or the gazer dies!'
'Nay, gentle Pug! for goodness hush;
I vow and swear you make me blush :
I shall be angry at this rate;
'Tis so like flattery, which I hate.'
The Fox, in deeper cunning vers'd,
The beauties of her mind rehears'd,
And talk'd of knowledge, taste, and sense,
To which the fair have vast pretence !
Yet well he knew them always vain
Of what they strive not to attain,
And play'd so cunningly his part
That Pug was rivall'd in his art.
The Goat avow'd his amorous flame,
And burnt-for what he durst not name;
Yet hop'd a meeting in the wood
Might make his meaning understood.
Half angry at the bold address,
She frown'd; but yet she must confess
Such beauties might inflame his blood;
But still his phrase was somewhat rude.
The Hog her neatness much admir'd,
The formal Ass her swiftness fir'd,
While all to feed her folly strove,
And by their praises shar'd her love.
The Horse, whose generous heart disdain’d
Applause by servile flattery gain'd,
With graceful courage silence broke,
And thus with indignation spoke:
'When flattering Monkies fawn and prate, They justly raise contempt or hate, For merit is turn'd to ridicule, Applauded by the grinning fool. The artful Fox your wit commends, To lure you to his selfish ends; From the vile flatterer turn away, For knaves make friendships to betray. Dismiss the train of fops and fools, And learn to live by Wisdom's rules. Such beauties might the lion warm, Did not your folly break the charm; For who would court that lovely shape, To be the rival of an Ape?'
He said, and, snorting in disdain,
Spurn'd at the crowd, and sought the plain,
NIGHTINGALE AND GLOW-WORM.
THE prudent nymph, whose cheeks disclose
The lily and the blushing rose,
From public view her charms will screen,
And rarely in the crowd be seen;
This simple truth shall keep her wise,
The fairest fruits attract the flies.'
One night a Glow-worm, proud and vain,
Contemplating her glittering train,
Cried, Sure there never was in nature
So elegant, so fine a creature!
All other insects that I see,
The frugal ant, industrious bee,
Or silk-worm, with contempt I view,
With all that low mechanic crew
Who servilely their lives employ
In business, enemy to joy!
Mean vulgar herd! ye are my scorn;
For grandeur only I was born,
Or sure am sprung from race divine,
And plac'd on earth to live and shine :
Those lights that sparkle so on high,
Are but the Glow-worms of the sky;
And kings on earth their gems admire
Because they imitate my fire.'
She spoke attentive, on a spray,
A Nightingale forbore his lay;
He saw the shining morsel near,
And flew directed by the glare ;
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