The Poetical Works of Addison; Gay's Fables; and Somerville's Chase Part 18

FABLE VII.

THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE GEESE.

A lion, tired with state affairs, Quite sick of pomp, and worn with cares, Resolved (remote from noise and strife) In peace to pa.s.s his latter life.

It was proclaimed; the day was set; Behold the general council met, The fox was viceroy named. The crowd To the new regent humbly bowed.

Wolves, bears, and mighty tigers bend, And strive who most shall condescend.

_10 He straight a.s.sumes a solemn grace, Collects his wisdom in his face.

The crowd admire his wit, his sense: Each word hath weight and consequence.

The flatterer all his art displays: He who hath power, is sure of praise.

A fox stept forth before the rest, And thus the servile throng address'd.

'How vast his talents, born to rule, And trained in virtue's honest school: _20 What clemency his temper sways!

How uncorrupt are all his ways!

Beneath his conduct and command, Rapine shall cease to waste the land.

His brain hath stratagem and art; Prudence and mercy rule his heart; What blessings must attend the nation Under this good administration!'

He said. A goose who distant stood, Harangued apart the cackling brood: _30 'W'hene'er I hear a knave commend, He bids me shun his worthy friend.

What praise! what mighty commendation!

But 'twas a fox who spoke the oration.

Foxes this government may prize, As gentle, plentiful, and wise; If they enjoy the sweets, 'tis plain We geese must feel a tyrant reign.

What havoc now shall thin our race, When every petty clerk in place, _40 To prove his taste and seem polite, Will feed on geese both noon and night!'

FABLE VIII.

THE LADY AND THE WASP.

What whispers must the beauty bear!

What hourly nonsense haunts her ear!

Where'er her eyes dispense their charms, Impertinence around her swarms.

Did not the tender nonsense strike, Contempt and scorn might soon dislike.

Forbidding airs might thin the place, The slightest flap a fly can chase.

But who can drive the numerous breed?

Chase one, another will succeed.

_10 Who knows a fool, must know his brother; One fop will recommend another: And with this plague she's rightly curs'd, Because she listened to the first.

As Doris, at her toilet's duty, Sat meditating on her beauty, She now was pensive, now was gay, And lolled the sultry hours away.

As thus in indolence she lies, A giddy wasp around her flies.

_20 He now advances, now retires, Now to her neck and cheek aspires.

Her fan in vain defends her charms; Swift he returns, again alarms; For by repulse he bolder grew, Perched on her lip, and sipp'd the dew.

She frowns, she frets. 'Good G.o.d!' she cries, 'Protect me from these teasing flies!

Of all the plagues that heaven hath sent, A wasp is most impertinent.'

_30 The hovering insect thus complained: 'Am I then slighted, scorned, disdained?

Can such offence your anger wake?

'Twas beauty caused the bold mistake.

Those cherry lips that breathe perfume, That cheek so ripe with youthful bloom, Made me with strong desire pursue The fairest peach that ever grew.'

'Strike him not, Jenny,' Doris cries, 'Nor murder wasps like vulgar flies: _40 For though he's free (to do him right) The creature's civil and polite.'

In ecstacies away he posts; Where'er he came, the favour boasts; Brags how her sweetest tea he sips, And shows the sugar on his lips.

The hint alarmed the forward crew; Sure of success, away they flew.

They share the dainties of the day, Round her with airy music play; _50 And now they flutter, now they rest, Now soar again, and skim her breast.

Nor were they banished, till she found That wasps have stings, and felt the wound.

FABLE IX.

THE BULL AND THE MASTIFF.

Seek you to train your fav'rite boy?

Each caution, every care employ: And ere you venture to confide, Let his preceptor's heart be tried: Weigh well his manners, life, and scope; On these depends thy future hope.

As on a time, in peaceful reign, A bull enjoyed the flowery plain, A mastiff pa.s.sed; inflamed with ire, His eye-b.a.l.l.s shot indignant fire; _10 He foamed, he raged with thirst of blood Spurning the ground the monarch stood, And roared aloud, 'Suspend the fight; In a whole skin go sleep to-night: Or tell me, ere the battle rage, What wrongs provoke thee to engage?

Is it ambition fires thy breast, Or avarice that ne'er can rest?

From these alone unjustly springs The world-destroying wrath of kings.'

_20 The surly mastiff thus returns: 'Within my bosom glory burns.

Like heroes of eternal name, Whom poets sing, I fight for fame.

The butcher's spirit-stirring mind To daily war my youth inclined; He trained me to heroic deed; Taught me to conquer, or to bleed.'

'Cursed dog,' the bull replied, 'no more I wonder at thy thirst of gore; _30 For thou, beneath a butcher trained, Whose hands with cruelty are stained; His daily murders in thy view, Must, like thy tutor, blood pursue.

Take then thy fate.' With goring wound, At once he lifts him from the ground; Aloft the sprawling hero flies, Mangled he falls, he howls, and dies.

FABLE X.

THE ELEPHANT AND THE BOOKSELLER.

The man who, with undaunted toils, Sails unknown seas to unknown soils, With various wonders feasts his sight: What stranger wonders does he write!

We read, and in description view Creatures which Adam never knew: For, when we risk no contradiction, It prompts the tongue to deal in fiction.

Those things that startle me or you, I grant are strange; yet may be true.

_10 Who doubts that elephants are found For science and for sense renowned?

Borri records their strength of parts, Extent of thought, and skill in arts; How they perform the law's decrees, And save the state the hangman's fees; And how by travel understand The language of another land.

Let those, who question this report, To Pliny's ancient page resort; _20 How learn'd was that sagacious breed!

Who now (like them) the Greek can read!

As one of these, in days of yore, Rummaged a shop of learning o'er; Not, like our modern dealers, minding Only the margin's breadth and binding; A book his curious eye detains, Where, with exactest care and pains, Were every beast and bird portrayed, That e'er the search of man surveyed, _30 Their natures and their powers were writ, With all the pride of human wit.

The page he with attention spread, And thus remarked on what he read: 'Man with strong reason is endowed; A beast scarce instinct is allowed.

But let this author's worth be tried, 'Tis plain that neither was his guide.

Can he discern the different natures, And weigh the power of other creatures _40 Who by the partial work hath shown He knows so little of his own?

How falsely is the spaniel drawn!

Did man from him first learn to fawn?

A dog proficient in the trade!

He the chief flatterer nature made!

Go, man, the ways of courts discern, You'll find a spaniel still might learn.

How can the fox's theft and plunder Provoke his censure or his wonder; _50 From courtiers' tricks, and lawyers' arts, The fox might well improve his parts.

The lion, wolf, and tiger's brood, He curses, for their thirst of blood: But is not man to man a prey?

Beasts kill for hunger, men for pay.'

The bookseller, who heard him speak, And saw him turn a page of Greek, Thought, what a genius have I found!

Then thus addressed with bow profound: _60 'Learn'd sir, if you'd employ your pen Against the senseless sons of men, Or write the history of Siam, [2]