Within the Great Mogul’s domains there areFamiliar sprites of much domestic use:They sweep the house, and take a tidy careOf equipage, nor garden work refuse;But, if you meddle with their toil,The whole, at once, you’re sure to spoil.One, near the mighty Ganges flood,The garden of a burgher goodWork’d noiselessly and well;To master, mistress, garden, boreA […]

An Animal In The Moon[26] While one philosopher[27] affirmsThat by our senses we’re deceived,Another[28] swears, in plainest terms,The senses are to be believed.The twain are right. PhilosophyCorrectly calls us dupes whene’erUpon mere senses we rely.But when we wisely rectifyThe raw report of eye or ear,By distance, medium, circumstance,In real knowledge we advance.These things hath nature […]

‘Tis oft from chance opinion takes its rise,And into reputation multiplies.This prologue finds pat applicationsIn men of all this world’s vocations;For fashion, prejudice, and party strife,Conspire to crowd poor justice out of life.What can you do to counteractThis reckless, rushing cataract?‘Twill have its course for good or bad,As it, indeed, has always had. A dame […]

John Rabbit’s palace under groundWas once by Goody Weasel found.She, sly of heart, resolved to seizeThe place, and did so at her ease.She took possession while its lordWas absent on the dewy sward,Intent upon his usual sport,A courtier at Aurora’s court.When he had browsed his fill of cloverAnd cut his pranks all nicely over,Home Johnny […]

Two cocks in peace were living, whenA war was kindled by a hen.O love, thou bane of Troy! ’twas thineThe blood of men and gods to shedEnough to turn the Xanthus redAs old Port wine!And long the battle doubtful stood:(I mean the battle of the cocks;)They gave each other fearful shocks:The fame spread o’er the […]

A trader on the sea to riches grew;Freight after freight the winds in favour blew;Fate steer’d him clear; gulf, rock, nor shoalOf all his bales exacted toll.Of other men the powers of chance and stormTheir dues collected in substantial form;While smiling Fortune, in her kindest sport,Took care to waft his vessels to their port.His partners, […]

The Curate And The Corpse[A] A dead man going slowly, sadly,To occupy his last abode,A curate by him, rather gladly,Did holy service on the road.Within a coach the dead was borne,A robe around him duly worn,Of which I wot he was not proud–That ghostly garment call’d a shroud.In summer’s blaze and winter’s blast,That robe is […]

Who joins not with his restless raceTo give Dame Fortune eager chase?O, had I but some lofty perch,From which to view the panting crowdOf care-worn dreamers, poor and proud,As on they hurry in the search,From realm to realm, o’er land and water,Of Fate’s fantastic, fickle daughter!Ah! slaves sincere of flying phantom!Just as their goddess they […]

There’s nothing like a secret weighs;Too heavy ’tis for women tender;And, for this matter, in my days,I’ve seen some men of female gender. To prove his wife, a husband cried,(The night he knew the truth would hide,)‘O Heavens! What’s this? O dear–I beg–I’m torn–O! O! I’ve laid an egg!’‘An egg?’ ‘Why, yes, it’s gospel-true.Look here–see–feel […]

A certain mountain bear, unlick’d and rude,By fate confined within a lonely wood,A new Bellerophon,[A] whose life,Knew neither comrade, friend, nor wife,–Became insane; for reason, as we term it,Dwells never long with any hermit.‘Tis good to mix in good society,Obeying rules of due propriety;And better yet to be alone;But both are ills when overdone.No animal […]

To M. De Barillon.[4] Can diplomatic dignityTo simple fables condescend?Can I your famed benignityInvoke, my muse an ear to lend?If once she dares a high intent,Will you esteem her impudent?Your cares are weightier, indeed,Than listening to the sage debatesOf rabbit or of weasel states:So, as it pleases, burn or read;But save us from the woful […]

Impertinent, we tease and weary HeavenWith prayers which would insult mere mortals even.‘Twould seem that not a god in all the skiesFrom our affairs must ever turn his eyes,And that the smallest of our raceCould hardly eat, or wash his face,Without, like Greece and Troy for ten years’ space,Embroiling all Olympus in the case. A […]

Death never taketh by surpriseThe well-prepared, to wit, the wise–They knowing of themselves the timeTo meditate the final change of clime.That time, alas! embraces allWhich into hours and minutes we divide;There is no part, however small,That from this tribute one can hide.The very moment, oft, which bidsThe heirs of empire see the lightIs that which […]

A cobbler sang from morn till night;‘Twas sweet and marvellous to hear,His trills and quavers told the earOf more contentment and delight,Enjoy’d by that laborious wightThan e’er enjoy’d the sages seven,Or any mortals short of heaven.His neighbour, on the other hand,With gold in plenty at command,But little sang, and slumber’d less–A financier of great success.If […]

On death we mortals often run,Just by the roads we take to shun. A father’s only heir, a son,Was over-loved, and doted onSo greatly, that astrologyWas question’d what his fate might be.The man of stars this caution gave–That, until twenty years of age,No lion, even in a cage,The boy should see,–his life to save.The sire, […]

A trading Greek, for want of law,Protection bought of a pashaw;And like a nobleman he paid,Much rather than a man of trade–Protection being, Turkish-wise,A costly sort of merchandise.So costly was it, in this case,The Greek complain’d, with tongue and face.Three other Turks, of lower rank,Would guard his substance as their own,And all draw less upon […]

For Mademoiselle De Sillery.[A] I had the Phrygian quit,Charm’d with Italian wit;[B]But a divinityWould on Parnassus seeA fable more from me.Such challenge to refuse,Without a good excuse,Is not the way to useDivinity or muse.Especially to oneOf those who truly are,By force of being fair,Made queens of human will.A thing should not be doneIn all respects […]

The lion’s consort died:Crowds, gather’d at his side,Must needs console the prince,And thus their loyalty evinceBy compliments of course;Which make affliction worse.Officially he citesHis realm to funeral rites,At such a time and place;His marshals of the maceWould order the affair.Judge you if all came there.Meantime, the prince gave wayTo sorrow night and day.With cries of […]

With mighty rush and roar,Adown a mountain steepA torrent tumbled,–swelling o’erIts rugged banks,–and boreVast ruin in its sweep.The traveller were surely rashTo brave its whirling, foaming dash,But one, by robbers sorely press’d,Its terrors haply put to test.They were but threats of foam and sound,The loudest where the least profound.With courage from his safe success,His foes […]

How do I hate the tide of vulgar thought!Profane, unjust, with childish folly fraught;It breaks and bends the rays of truth divine,And by its own conceptions measures mine.Famed Epicurus’ master [A] triedThe power of this unstable tide.His country said the sage was mad–The simpletons! But why?No prophet ever honour hadBeneath his native sky.Democritus, in truth, […]