Thus fome are born, my fon,' he cries, • With base impediments to rife, And fome are born with none, C THE FABLE OF JOTHAM. TO THE BOROUGH-HUNTERS. BY RICHARD OWEN CAMBRIDGE, ESQ. L Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldeft that is extant, and as beautiful as any which have been made since that time. JUDGES, CHAP. ADDISON. LD Plumb, who though blefs'd in his Kentish retreat, Still thrives by his oilshop in Leadenhall Street, With a Portugal merchant, a knight by creation, Tho' much they difcours'd, the long way to beguile, Of the earthquakes, the Jews, and the change of the style,T Of the Irifh, the ftocks, and the lott'ry committee, They came filent and tir'd into Exeter city. Some books, pr'ythee, landlord, to pafs a dull hour!) • No nonsense of parfons, or methodists four ; No poetical stuff, a damn'd jingle of rhymes, • But fome pamphlet that's new, and a touch on the times.? O Lord!" fays mine hoft, you may hunt the town round, I queftion if any fuch thing can be found: I never was afk'd for a book by a guest ; And I'm fure I have all the great folk in the West. Here's the fatteft of carp; fhall we dress you a brace? • Would you have any foals, or a mullet or plaice?' A place,' quoth the knight, we must have, to be fure, • But first let us fee that our borough's secure. We'll talk of the place when we've settled the poll: Sir Freeport be an with this verfe, tho' no rhyme- But by both were refus'd, and their anfwer the fame : Quoth the olive, Shall I leave my fatnefs and oil "For an unthankful office, a dignify'd toil ??? 2 "Shall I leave, quoth the fig-tree," my sweetness and fruit, 44 To be envy'd or flav'd in so vain a pursuit !?? • Thus rebuff'd and furpriz'd they apply to the vine : He anfwer'd," Shall I leave my grapes and my wine, (Wine, the fovereign cordial of god and of man!) "To be made or the tool or the head of a clan ??? At laft, as it always falls out in a fcramble, The mob gave the cry for A bramble! a bramble! "A bramble "A bramble for ever!" O chance unexpected! But bramble prevail'd, and was duly elected.' O! ho!' quoth the knight, with a look moft profound, Of long miles, at the least, 'twould have fav'd us fourfcore Thus ended at once the wife comment on Jotham, THE TRANSFORMATION OF LYCON AND EUPHORMIUS. BY WILLIAM MELMOTH, ESQ. EEM not, ye plaintive crew, that suffer wrong, DE Ne thou, O man! who deal'ft the tort, mifween Where auncient faws in fable may be seen, What time Arcadia's flow'ret vallies fam'd, There wonn'd a wight, and Lycon was he,nam'd, Ne Ne juftice rul'd his heart, ne mercy fway'd. Some held him kin to that abhorred race, Which heaven's high towers with mad emprize affay'd; And fome his cruel lynage did ytrace From fell Erynnis join'd in Pluto's dire embrace. But he, perdy, far other tale did feign, And claim'd alliaunce with the Sifters nine; Vaunting that every foe fhould rue it's tine. One only impe he had, Paftora hight, Whose sweet amenaunce pleas'd each fhepherd's eye: In Lycon's form, enflam'd with paffion high, • Deceiv'd her mother in the covert glade, • And from the ftol'n embrace yfprong the heavenly maid:" Thus fabling they. Meanwhile, the damfel fair Seem'd fhe as one of Dian's chofen train. Now Now much he meditates if yet to speak, At length, by hope embolden'd to reveal, The labouring fecret dropped from his tong. Whiles frequent fingults check'd his falt'ring tale, In modeft wife her head Paftora hong: For never maid more chafte infpired fhepherd's fong. What needs me to recount, in long detail, In heart of youthful wight. Suffice to know, Eftfoons to Lycon fwift the youth did fare, (Lagg'd ever youth when Cupid urg'd his way?) And ftraight his gentle purpose did declare, And footh the mount'naunce of his herds difplay; And twice two thousand sheep her dower shall Ne dempt that aught his blifs could now betray,. Ne guefs'd that foul deceit in Lycon's bofome lay. So forth he yode to feek his reverend fire; Her worth, her promis'd flocks, he tolden all. pay." · Ah! |