189:93,000@@@@@| 189:93,000[' ]| 189:93,000[' ]| 189:93,000[' ]| 189:93,000[' ]| 189:93,001[A ]| In$4$ ancient Times, as Bards indite, 189:93,002[A ]| (If Clerks have conned the Record right) 189:93,003[A ]| A Peacock reigned, whose glorious Sway 189:93,004[A ]| His Subjects with delight obey; 189:93,005[A ]| His Tail was beauteous to$9$ behold, 189:93,006[A ]| Replete with goodly Eyes and Gold, 189:93,007[A ]| (Fair Emblem of that$6#2$ Monarch's Guise, 189:93,008[A ]| Whose Train at once is Rich and Wise) 189:93,009[A ]| And princely ruled he many Regions, 189:93,010[A ]| By$4$ Statesmen Wise, and valiant legions. <10> 189:93,011[A ]| A Pheasant Lord, above the rest, 189:93,012[A ]| With every Grace and Talent blessed, 189:93,013[A ]| Was sent to$9$ sway with all his Skill, 189:93,014[A ]| The Sceptre of a neighbouring Hill; 189:93,015[A ]| No$2$ Science was to$4$ him unknown, 189:93,016[A ]| For$3$ all the Arts were all his own; 189:93,017[A ]| In$4$ all the living Learned read, 189:93,018[A ]| Though more delighted with the Dead: 189:93,019[A ]| (For$3$ Birds, if ancient Tales say true, 189:93,020[A ]| Had then their Popes and Homers too <20> 189:93,021[A ]| Could Read and Write in$4$ Prose and Verse, 189:93,022[A ]| And speak like$4$ *** and build like$4$ P***ce) 189:93,023[A ]| He knew their Voices and their Wings, 189:93,024[A ]| Who$6#1$ smoothest Soars, who$6#1$ sweetest Sings: 189:93,025[A ]| Who$6#1$ toils with ill-fledged Penns to$9$ climb, 189:93,026[A ]| And who$6#1$ attained the true Sublime: 189:93,027[A ]| Their Merits he could well descry, 189:93,028[A ]| He had so$5#1$ exquisite an Eye; 189:93,029[A ]| And where that$6#2$ failed to$9$ shew them clear, 189:93,030[A ]| He had as exquisite an Ear. <30> 189:93,031[A ]| It chanced, as on$4$ a Day he strayed, 189:93,032[A ]| Beneath an Academic Shade, 189:93,033[A ]| He liked amidst a thousand Throats, 189:93,034[A ]| The wildness of a Woodlark's Notes, 189:93,035[A ]| And searched, and spied, and seized his Game, 189:93,036[A ]| And took him home, and made him Tame; 189:93,037[A ]| Found him, on$4$ Trial, true, and able, 189:93,038[A ]| So$3$ cheered, and fed him at his Table. 189:93,039[A ]| Here some shrewd Critic finds I am caught, 189:93,040[A ]| And Cries out, better fed than taught ~~ <40> 189:93,041[A ]| Then jests on$4$ Game, and Tame, and reads, 189:93,042[A ]| And Jests, and so$3$ my Tale proceeds. 189:93,043[A ]| Long had he studied in$4$ the Wood, 189:93,044[A ]| Conversing with the Wise and Good; 189:93,045[A ]| His Soul with Harmony inspired, 189:93,046[A ]| With love of Truth and Virtue fired: 189:93,047[A ]| His Brother's Good, and Maker's Praise, 189:93,048[A ]| Were all the Study of his Lays: 189:93,049[A ]| Were all his Study in$4$ Retreat, 189:93,050[A ]| And now employed him with the Great. <50> 189:93,051[A ]| His Friendship was the sure Resort, 189:93,052[A ]| Of all the wretched at the Court, 189:93,053[A ]| But chiefly Merit in$4$ Distress 189:93,054[A ]| His greatest blessing was to$9$ Bless ~~ 189:93,055[A ]| This fixed him in$4$ his Patron's Breast, 189:93,056[A ]| But fired with Envy all the rest: 189:93,057[A ]| I mean, that$6#2$ noisy craving Crew, 189:93,058[A ]| Who$6#1$ round the Court incessant flew, 189:93,059[A ]| And preyed like$4$ Rooks, by$4$ Pairs, and Dozens, 189:93,060[A ]| To$9$ fill the Maws of Sons and Cousins! <60> 189:93,061[A ]| Unmoved their Heart, and chill their Blood, 189:93,062[A ]| To$4$ every thought of common good, 189:93,063[A ]| Confining every Hope and Care, 189:93,064[A ]| To$4$ their own low contracted Sphere. 189:93,065[A ]| These run him down with ceaseless Cry, 189:93,066[A ]| But found it hard to$9$ tell you why, 189:93,067[A ]| Till his own Wit and Worth supplied 189:93,068[A ]| Sufficient Matter to$9$ deride: 189:93,069[A ]| It is Envy's safest, surest rule, 189:93,070[A ]| To$9$ hide her Rage in$4$ Ridicule: <70> 189:93,071[A ]| The vulgar Eye she best beguiles, 189:93,072[A ]| When all her Snakes are decked in$4$ Smiles: 189:93,073[A ]| Sardonic Smiles, by$4$ Rancour raised! 189:93,074[A ]| Tormented most, when seeming pleased! 189:93,075[A ]| Their Spite had more than half expired, 189:93,076[A ]| Had he not wrote, what all admired; 189:93,077[A ]| What morsels had their malice wanted, 189:93,078[A ]| But that$3$ he built, and planned, and planted! 189:93,079[A ]| How had his Sense and learning grieved them, 189:93,080[A ]| But that$3$ his Charity relieved them! <80> 189:93,081[A ]| At highest worth dull malice reaches 189:93,082[A ]| As Slugs pollute the fairest peaches: 189:93,083[A ]| Envy defames, as Harpies vile 189:93,084[A ]| Devour the food, they first defile. 189:93,085[A ]| Now ask the Fruit of all his Favour ~~ 189:93,086[A ]| He was not hitherto, a Saver ~~ 189:93,087[A ]| What then could make their rage run mad? 189:93,088[A ]| Why what he hoped, not what he had ~~ 189:93,089[A ]| What Tyrants ever invented ropes. 189:93,090[A ]| Or racks, or rods to$9$ punish hopes? <90> 189:93,091[A ]| The inheritance of hope and fame, 189:93,092[A ]| Is seldom earthly wisdom's aim, 189:93,093[A ]| Or if it were, is not so$5#1$ small 189:93,094[A ]| But there is room enough for$4$ all. 189:93,095[A ]| If he but chanced to$9$ breathe a Song 189:93,096[A ]| (He seldom Sung, and never long) 189:93,097[A ]| The noisy, rude, malignant Crowd, 189:93,098[A ]| Where it was high pronounced it loud, 189:93,099[A ]| Plain Truth was pride, and what was Sillier 189:93,100[A ]| Easy and Friendly was Familiar. <100> 189:93,101[A ]| Or if he tuned his lofty lays, 189:93,102[A ]| With solemn air, to$4$ virtue's praise. 189:93,103[A ]| Alike, abusive, and erroneous, 189:93,104[A ]| They called it hoarse and unharmonious: 189:93,105[A ]| Yet so$3$ it was to$4$ Souls like$4$ theirs, 189:93,106[A ]| Tuneless as Abel to$4$ the bears! 189:93,107[A ]| A Rook with harsh malignant caw, 189:93,108[A ]| Began, was followed by$4$ a Daw; 189:93,109[A ]| (Though some who$6#1$ would be thought to$9$ know, 189:93,110[A ]| Are positive it was a Crow.) <110> 189:93,111[A ]| Jack-Daw was seconded by$4$ Tit 189:93,112[A ]| Tom-tit could write, and so$3$ he writ. 189:93,113[A ]| A Tribe of tuneless praters follow, 189:93,114[A ]| The Jay, the Magpie, and the Swallow, 189:93,115[A ]| And twenty more, their Throats let loose, 189:93,116[A ]| Down to$4$ the witless, waddling, Goose. 189:93,117[A ]| Some thought they meant to$9$ show their wit, 189:93,118[A ]| Might think so$5#2$ still ~~ but that$3$ they writ ~~ 189:93,119[A ]| Could it be Spite or Envy? ~~ No$7$ ~~ 189:93,120[A ]| Who$6#1$ did no$2$ ill, could have no$2$ Foe ~~ <120> 189:93,121[A ]| So$3$ wise Simplicity esteemed, 189:93,122[A ]| Quite otherwise true wisdom deemed; 189:93,123[A ]| This question rightly understood, 189:93,124[A ]| What more Provokes, than doing good? 189:93,125[A ]| A Soul ennobled, and refined, 189:93,126[A ]| Reproaches every baser mind: 189:93,127[A ]| As Strains exalted, and melodious, 189:93,128[A ]| Make every meaner music, odious ~~ 189:93,129[A ]| At length the Nightingale was heard, 189:93,130[A ]| For$4$ voice and wisdom long revered, <130> 189:93,131[A ]| Esteemed of all the wise, and good, 189:93,132[A ]| The Guardian Genius of the Wood: 189:93,133[A ]| He long in$4$ Discontent retired, 189:93,134[A ]| Yet not obscured but more admired; 189:93,135[A ]| His Brethren's Servile Souls disdaining, 189:93,136[A ]| He lived indignant, and complaining: 189:93,137[A ]| They now afresh provoked his choler, 189:93,138[A ]| It seems the Lark had been his Scholar, 189:93,139[A ]| A favourite Scholar always near him, 189:93,140[A ]| And oft had waked whole nights to$9$ hear him: <140> 189:93,141[A ]| Enraged he canvasses the matter, 189:93,142[A ]| Exposes all their Senseless chatter, 189:93,143[A ]| Shews him, and them in$4$ such a light, 189:93,144[A ]| As more enflames, yet quells their Spite, 189:93,145[A ]| They hear his voice, and frighted fly, 189:93,146[A ]| For$3$ rage had raised it very high, 189:93,147[A ]| Shamed by$4$ the wisdom of his notes, 189:93,148[A ]| They hide their Heads, and hush their Throats.