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When thus the Dog: At bed and board,

'I share the plenty of my lord; 'From ev'ry guest I claim a fee, "Who court my lord by bribing me, ' In mirth I revel all the day, 'And many a game at romps I play; 'I fetch and carry, leap o'er sticks, 'With twenty such diverting tricks.' ''Tis pretty, coz,' the Wolf replied, And on his neck the collar spied: He starts, and without more ado,

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He bids the abject wretch adieu :

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Enjoy your dainties, friend, to me! 'The noblest feast is liberty,

The famish'd Wolf upon these desert plains, 'Is happier than a fawning cur in chains.'

Thus bravely spoke the nurse of ancient Rome, Thus the starv'd Swiss, and hungry Grisons roam On barren hills, clad with eternal snow,

And look with scorn on the prim slaves below.
Thus, Britons, thus your great forefathers stood
For liberty, and fought in seas of blood.
Tobarren rocks, and gloomy woods confin'd
Their virtues by necessity refin'd,

Nor cold, nor want, nor death, could shake their steady mind.

No saucy Druid then durst cry aloud,

And with his slavish cant debauch the crowd:
The state was happy quiet and serene,
For Boadicea was the Britons' queen:

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Her subjects then just liberties maintain'd,

And in her people's hearts the happy monarch reign'd.

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FABLE VI.

THE TRUMPETER.

By Somerville.

A Party of Hussars of late

For prey and plunder scour'd the plains,
Some French Gens d' Armes surpris'd and beat,
And brought their Trumpeter in chains.

In doleful plight th' unhappy Bard
For quarter begg'd on bended knee,
'Pity, Messieurs! in truth 'tis hard
To kill a harmless enemy.

These hands, of slaughter innocent,
'Ne'er brandish'd the destructive sword,

To you or yours no hurt I meant,

'O take a poor Musician's word.'

But the stern foe, with generous rage,

Scoundrel!' reply'd, thou first shalt die,

• Who urging others to engage,

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From fame and danger basely fly.

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The brave by law of arms we spare,
'Thou by the hangman shalt expire;
'Tis just, and not at all severe,

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To stop the breath that blew the fire.'

FABLE VII.

THE BROTHER AND SISTER AND THE LOOKING-GLASS.

By Somerville.

TOM CAREFUL had a Son and heir,
Exact his shape, genteel his air,
Adonis was not half so fair;
But then, alas! his daughter Jane
Was but so-so, a little plain;
In ma's apartment, as, one day,
The little romp and hoyden play,
Their faces in the glass they view'd,
Which then upon her toilet stood;
Where, as Narcissus vain, the boy
Beheld each rising charm with joy;
With partial eyes survey'd himself,
But for his sister, poor brown elf,
On her the self-enamour'd chit
Was very lavish of his wit.

She bore, alas! whate'er she could,

But 'twas too much for flesh and blood;

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All females do not have the grace
To pardon scandal on their face.
Disconsolate, away she flies,

And at her father's feet she lies;

Sighs, sobs, and groans, calls to her aid,
And tears, that readily obey'd;
Then aggravates the vile offence,
Exerting all her eloquence.

The cause th' indulgent father heard,
The culprit summon'd soon appear'd;
Some tokens of remorse he shew'd,
And promis'd largely to be good.
As both the tender father press'd
With equal ardour to his breast,
And smiling kiss'd, Let there be peace,'
Said he, let broils and discord cease:

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Each day, my children, thus employ

'The faithful Mirror; you, my boy, 'Remember that no vice disgrace

'The gift of Heaven, that beauteous face: And you, my girl, take special care

'Your want of beauty to repair

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FABLE VIII.

THE TWO BEAVERS.

By Stephen Duck.

"TWERE well, my friend, for human kind,
Would ev'ry man his business mind;
In his own orbit always move,
Nor blame, nor envy those above.

A Beaver, well advanc'd in age,
By long experience render'd sage,
Was skill'd in all the useful arts,
And justly deem'd a beast of parts;
Which he applied (as patriots should)
In cultivating Public Good

This Beaver, on a certain day,
A friendly visit went to pay
To a young Cousin, pert and vain,
Who often rov'd about the plain;
With ev'ry idle beast conferr'd,
Hearing, and telling what he heard.
The vagrant youth was gone from home,
When th' ancient Sage approach'd the dome;
Who each apartment view'd with care,
But found each wanted much repair;
The walls were crack'd, decay'd the doors,
The corn lay mouldy on the floors;
Thro' gaping crannies rush'd amain

The blust'ring winds with snow and rain;

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