Sa young Stag the thicket paft,
The branches held his antlers faft.
A clown, who faw the captive hung,
Acrofs the horns his halter flung.
Now fafely hamper'd in the cord,
He bore the prefent to his lord.
His lord was pleas'd; as was the clown,
When he was tipp'd with half-a-crown.
The Stag was brought before his wife;
The tender lady begg'd his life.
How fleek's the fkin! how fpeck'd like ermine!
Sure never creature was fo charming!
At first within the yard confin'd,
He flies and hides from all mankind;
Now bolder grown, with fix'd amaze,
And diftant awe, prefumes to gaze;
Munches the linen on the lines,
And on a hood or apron dines:
He fteals my little mafter's bread,
Follows the fervants to be fed:
Nearer and nearer now he ftands,
To feel the praife of patting hands 3
Examines every fift for meat,
And, though repuls'd, difdains retreat;
Attacks again with level'd horns,
And man, that was his terror, fcorns.
Such is the country maiden's fright,
When first a Redcoat is in fight;
Behind the door the hides her face,
Next time at distance eyes the lace:
She now can all his terrors ftand,
Nor from his fqueeze withdraws her hand.
She plays familiar in his arms,
MONKEY, to reform the times,
Refolv'd to vifit foreign climes.;
For men in diftant region's roam,
To bring politer manners home.
So forth he fares, all toil defies:
Misfortune fèrves to make us wife.
At length the treacherous fnare was laid;
Poor Pug was caught; to Town convey'd;
There fold. How envy'd was his doom,
Made captive in a lady's room'!)
Proud, as a lover, of his chains,
He day by day her favour gains.
Whene'er the duty of the day
The toilette calls, with mimic play
He twirls her knots, he cracks her fan,
Like any other gentleman.
In vifits too, his parts and wit,
When jefts grew dull, were fure to hit.
Proud with applause, he thought his mind
In every courtly art refin'd;
Like Orpheus, burnt with public zeal,
To civilize the Monkey-weal';
So watch'd occafion, broke his chain,
And fought his native woods again.
The hairy fylvans round him prefs,
Aftonifh'd at his ftrut and drefs."
Some praise his fleeve, and others glote:
Upon his rich embroider'd coat,
His dapper perriwig commending,
With the black tail behind depending
His powder'd back, above, below,
Like hoary frofts, or fleecy fnow;:
But all, with envy and defiro,
His fluttering fhoulder-knot admire.
Hear and improve, he pertly cries;
I come to make a nation wife.
Weigh your own worth; fupport your place,
The next in rank to human race.
In cities long I pafs'd my days,
Convers'd with men, and learn'd their ways.
Their drefs, their courtly manners see;
Reform your ftate, and copy me.
Seek ye to thrive? In flattery deal;
Your fcorn, your hate, with that conceal.
Seem only to regard your friends,
But use them for your private ends.
Stint not to truth the flow of wit;
Be prompt to lie whene'er 'tis fit.
Bend all your force to fpatter merit;
Scandal is converfation's fpirit.
Boldly to every thing pretend,
And men your talents fhall commend.
I knew the great. Obferve me right;
So fhall you grow, like man, polite.
He spoke, and bow'd. With muttering jaws 55
The wondering circle grinn'd applaufe.
Now, warm'd with malice, envy, fpite,
Their most obliging friends they bite;
And, fond to copy human ways,
Practise new mischiefs all their days.
Thus the dull lad, too tall for fchool,
With travel finishes the fool;
Studious of every coxcomb's airs,
He drinks, games, dreffes, whores, and fwears;
O'erlooks with fcorn all virtuous arts,
For vice is fitted to his parts.
THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE PHEASANTS,
HE Sage, awak'd at early day,
Through the deep forest took his way;
Drawn by the music of the groves,
Along the winding gloom he roves :
From tree to tree the warbling throats
Prolong the fweet alternate notes;
But, where he paft, he terror threw,
The fong broke fhort, the warblers flew;
The thrushes chatter'd with affright,
And nightingales abhorr'd his fight;
All animals before him ran,
To fhun the hateful fight of man.
Whence is this dread of every creaturé ?
Fly they our figure, or our nature!
As thus he walk'd in mufing thought,
His ear imperfect accents caught;
With cautious ftep he nearer drew,
By the thick fhade conceal'd from view.
High on the branch a pheasant stood,
Around her all her liftening brood;
Proud of the bleffings of her neft,
She thus a mother's care exprefs'd.
"No dangers here fhall circumvent,
Within the woods enjoy content.
Sooner the hawk or vulture trust
Than man, of animals the worst.
In him ingratitude you find,
A vice peculiar to the kind.
The sheep, whofe annual fleece is dy'd
To guard his health, and serve his pride,
Forc'd from his fold and native plain,
Is in the cruel fhambles flain.
The fwarms who, with industrious skill,
His hives with wax and honey fill,
In vain whole fummer-days employ'd,
Their ftores are fold, the race deftroy'd..
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