John Gay

You tell me that my verse is rough, And to do mischief like enough; Bid me eschew, in honest rhymes,

Esteem is frequently misplaced, Where she may even stand disgraced; We must allow to wealth and birth

How many saucy beaux we meet 'Twixt Westminster and Aldgate-street! Rascals - the mushrooms of a day,

All upstarts, insolent in place, Remind us of their vulgar race. A butterfly, but born one morning,

(To a Poor Man.) Consider man in every sphere, Then answer, - Is your lot severe?

A steed with mutiny inspired The stud which grazed the mead, and fired A colt, whose eyes then blazing fire,

The country shelters the disgrace Of every courtier out of place: When, doomed to exercise and health,

As Cupid, with his band of sprites, In Paphian grove set things to rights, And trimmed his bow and tipped his arrows,

A sneaking cur caused much disaster By pandering scandal for his master. The hound was beaten, mastiff chidden,

The lad of mediocre spirit Blurs not with modesty his merit. On all exerting wit and tongue,

(To a Lawyer.) My friend, the sophisticated tongue Of lawyers can turn right to wrong;

The traveller whose undaunted soul Sails o'er the seas from pole to pole Sees many wonders, which become

"Why are those tears? Why droops your head? Say is your swain or husband dead?" The farmer's wife said: "You know well

A florist - wit had run a rig - Had set his fancy on a pig; Which followed master like a dog,

Remote from cities dwelt a swain, Unvexed by petty cares of gain; His head was silvered, and by age

Friendship, as love, is but a name, Save in a concentrated flame; And thus, in friendships, who depend

Seeing yourselves are wise, ye smile On fools and folly for a while; But water wears the rocks, and sense

As Jove once on his judgment-seat, Opened the trap-door at his feet; Up flew the murmurs of creation,

A juggler once had travelled thorough Each city, market-town, and borough; You'd think, so far his art transcended,

What stupid nonsense must the Beauty Endure in her diurnal duty - Buzzings and whispers from the stores

All men are fond of rule and place, Though granted by the mean and base; Yet all superior merit fly,

A lion, sick of pomp and state, Resolved his cares to delegate. Reynard was viceroy named - the crowd

Accept, my Prince, the moral fable, To youth ingenuous, profitable. Nobility, like beauty's youth,

Nothing, methinks, is to be seen On earth that does not overween. Doth not the hawk, from high, survey

(To my Native Land.) My native land, whose fertile ground Neptune and Amphitrite bound, -

The wind was high, the window shook, The miser woke with haggard look; He stalked along the silent room,

"Give me a son, grant me an heir!" The fairies granted her the prayer. And to the partial parent's eyes

He who holds friendship with a knave, Will reputation hardly save; And thus upon our choice of friends

Once an old hen led forth her brood To scratch and glean and peck for food; A chick, to give her wings a spell,

An owl took, in a barn, a station As fittest for deep contemplation; There (like a Turk) upon a beam

(To a Mother.) Yes, I have seen your eyes maternal Beam, as beam forth the stars eternal,

(To a Young Heir.) No sooner was thy father's death Proclaimed to some, with bated breath,

A sage awakened by the dawn, By music of the groves was drawn From tree to tree: responsive notes

A pin which long had done its duty, Attendant on a reigning beauty, - Had held her muffler, fixed her hair,

Of all the burthens mortals bear Time is most galling and severe; Beneath his grievous load oppressed

The moralist, my dear niece, has said that - "The man of sense will read a work of note In the like humour as the author wrote."

Pythagoras, at daybreak drawn To meditate on dewy lawn, To breathe the fragrance of the morning,

I scorn the man who builds his fame On ruins of another's name: As prudes, who prudishly declare

A hungry wolf had thinned the fold, Safely he refuged on the wold; And, as in den secure he lay,

"Is there no hope?" the sick man said. The silent doctor shook his head, And took his leave with unfeigned sorrow

(To a Country Gentleman.) Man, with integrity of heart, Disdains to play a double part:

(To a Country Gentleman.) Man, with integrity of heart, Disdains to play a double part:

(To a Coxcomb.) Ah! my dear fellow, write the motto NOSCE TEIPSUM o'er your grotto;

Deem you to train your son and heir, For his preceptor then take care; To sound his mind your cares employ,

(To myself.) NOSCE TEIPSUM: look and spy, Have you a friend so fond as I?

Once on a time, in solemn state, Death, in his pomp of terror, sate. Attendant on his gloomy reign,

(To Dean Swift.) Though courts the practice disallow, I ne'er a friend will disavow:

A fox was dying, and he lay In all the weakness of decay. A numerous progeny, with groans,

A man to Jupiter preferred Prayers for a wife: his prayer was heard. Jove smiled to see the man caressing

(To a Modern Politician.) I grant these facts: corruption sways, Self-interest does pervert man's ways;

From the Tales of Bonaventura des Periers, Servant to Marguerite of Valois, Queen of Navarre. By HORACE LORD ORFORD. How anxious is the pensive parents' thought, How blest the lot of fondlings, early taught;

Those who in quarrels interpose Must often wipe a bloody nose. A mastiff of true English mood

A monkey, to reform the times, Resolved to visit foreign climes; For therefore toilsomely we roam

Two pompous owls together sat In the solemnity of chat: "Respect to wisdom, all is fled;

(To a Young Nobleman.) Begin, my lord, in early youth, To bear with, nay encourage, truth.

Lives there a bard for genius famed Whom Envy's tongue hath not declaimed? Her hissing snakes proclaim her spite;

The rats by night the mischief did, And Betty every morn was chid. The cheese was nibbled, tarts were taken,

(To Laura.) My Laura, your rebukes are prudish; For although flattery is rudish,

A husband said unto his wife: "Who deals in slander deals in strife; Are we the heralds of disgrace,

The setting dog the stubble tried, And snuffed the breeze with nostrils wide; He set - the sportsmen from behind,

'Tis strange to see a new-launched fashion Lay on the soul and grow a passion. To illustrate such folly, I

A spaniel mightily well bred, Ne'er taught to labour for his bread, But to play tricks and bear him smart,

A young stag in the brake was caught, And home with corded antlers brought. The lord was pleased: so was the clown.

The tree of deepest root is bound With most tenacity to earth; 'Twas therefore thought by ancient sages,

'sop, Babrius, Horace, Prior, and Pope. Our friend Dan Prior had, you know, A tale exactly ' propos;

We blame the mote that dims the eye Of other men, whose faults we spy; But we ignore the beam that lies

As specks appear on fields of snow, So blemishes on beauty show. A peacock fed in a farm-yard

The scholar, of his learning vain, Beholds the fop with deep disdain: The fop, with spirit as discerning,

A rake who had, by pleasure stuffing, Raked mind and body down to nothing, In wretched vacancy reclined,

Lest captious men suspect your story, Speak modestly its history. The traveller, who overleaps the bounds

Ere I begin I must premise Our ministers are good and wise: Therefore if tongues malicious fly,

A sheep lay tethered, and her life Fast ebbing on the butcher's knife; The silly flock looked on with dread.