In summer's heat, and winter's cold,

5
He fed his flock, and penn'd the fold; ;
His hours in checrful labour few,
Nor envy nor ambition knew;
His wisdom and his honeft fame
Through all the country rais’d his name.

A deep Philosopher (whose rules
Of moral life were drawn from schools)
The Shepherd's homely.cottage fought,
And thus explor'd his reach of thought.

Whence, is thy learning? hath thy toil. 15
O'er books consum’d-the midnight oil ? :
Hast thou old Greece and Rome survey'd,
And the vast sense of Plato weigh’d?.
Hath Socrates thy soul refin’d, -.
And hast thou fathom’d Tully's mind?
Or, like the. wise Ulysses, thrown,
By various fates, on realms unknown,
Hast thou through many cities stray’d,
Their customs, laws, and manners, weigh'd ? :

The Shepherd modestly reply'd,
I ne'er the paths of learning-tryd ;
Nor have I roam'd in foreign parts,
To read mankind, their laws and arts; :
For man is practis'd in disguise,
He cheats the most difcerning eyes :
Who by thar search shall wiser grow,
When we ourselves can never know?
The little knowledge I have gain'd, -
Was all from-fimple Nature drain'd ;-

Hence

20

25

30

1

Hence my

35

40

45

life's maxims took their rise,
Hence grew my settled hate to vice.

The daily labours of the bee
Awake my soul to industry :
Who can observe the careful ant,
And not provide for future want?
My dog (the trustiest of his kind)
With gratitude inflames my mind :
I mark his true, his faithful way,
And in

my
service

copy Tray.
In conftancy and nuptial love,
I learn my duty from the dove.
The hen, who from the chilly air,
With pious wing, protects her care,
And
every

fowl that Aies at large,
Instructs me in a parent's charge...

From Nature, too, I take my rule,
To Thun contempt and ridicule..
I never, with important air,
In conversation overbear.
Can

grave and formal pass for wife,
When men the solemn owl despise ?
My tongue within my lips I rein ;
For who talks much must talk in vain.
We from the wordy torrent fly:
Who listens to the chattering pye?
Nor would I, with felonious fight,
By stealth invade my neighbour's right.
Rapacious animals we hate :
Kites, hawks, and wolves, deserve their fate.

56

55

60

Do

Do not we just abhorrence find
Against the toad and serpent-kind ?
But Envy, Calumny, and Spite,
Bear stronger venom in their bite.
Thus every object of creation
Can furnish hints to contemplation;
And, from the most ninute and mean,
A virtuous mind can morals glean.

Thy fame is just, the Sage replies ;-
Thy virtue proves thee truly wife.
Pride often guides the author's pen;"
Books as affected are as men:
But he who studies Nature's laws,
From certain truth his maxims draws-;
And those, without our schools, suffice
To make men moral, good, and wise.

750

86

то

TO HIS HIGHNESS

WILLIAM DUKE OF CUMBERLAND

FABLE I.

10

THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE TRAVELLER. AC

CCEPT, young Prince ! the moral lay,

And in these Tales mankind survey;
With early virtues plant your breast,
The specious arts of vice detest.

Princes, like beauties, from their youth 5
Are strangers to the voice of Truth.
Learn to contemn all praise betimes,
For flattery 's the nurse of crimes :
Friendship by sweet reproof is shown
(A virtue never near a throne):
In courts such freedom must offend;
There none presumes to be a friend.
To those of your exalted station,
Each courtier is a dedication.
Must I, too, flatter like the rest,

15 And turn my morals to a jest? The Muse disdains to steal from those Who thrive in courts by fulsome profe.

But shall I hide your real praise, Or tell you what a nation says ? They in your infant bosom trace The virtues of your royal race ;

T.

a

a

30

In the fair dawning of your mind,
Discern you generous, mild, and kind :
They fee you grieve to hear distress,

25
And pant already to redress.
Go on, the height of good attain,
Nor let a nation hope in vain :
For hence we justly may presage
The virtues of a riper age.
True courage

Mall
your

bosom fore,
And future actions own your fire.
Cowards are cruel; but the brave
Love mercy, and delight to save.
A Tiger, roaming for his prey

35 Sprung on a Traveller in the

way;
The prostrate game a Lion (pies,
And on the greedy tyrant Aies :
With mingled roar resounds the wood,
Their teeth, their claws, distil with blood;
Till, vanquish'd by the Lion's strength,
The spotted Fee extends his length.
The Man besought the shaggy Lord,
And on his knees for life implor’d.
His life the generous hero gave.

45
Together walking to his cave,
The Lion thus bespoke his guest :

“ What hardy beast shall dare contest

My matchless strength : You saw the fight, 66 And must attest iny power and right. 50 Forc'd to forego their native home, tarving flaves at distance roam.

" Within

66