University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Works of John Hall-Stevenson

... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes
Hall-Stevenson, John (1718-1785)

collapse sectionI. 
VOLUME I
  
HYMN TO MISS LAURENCE IN THE PUMP-ROOM, BATH. 1753.
  
VACATION.
  
TO A LADY, VERY HANDSOME, BUT TOO FOND OF DRESS.
  
ANACREON.
  
TO MY COUSIN SHANDY, ON HIS COMING TO TOWN.
  
An EPISTLE to the grown GENTLEWOMEN the MISSES of ****.
  
A NOSEGAY and a SIMILE for the REVIEWERS.
collapse section 
FABLES FOR GROWN GENTLEMEN:
 I. 
FABLE I. THE RIVER WITH A PETITION.
 II. 
FABLE II. The PHENIX and her Lovers.
 III. 
FABLE III. The DUCKLINGS and the wise birds.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. LA NOBLESSE DE FRANCE.
 V. 
FABLE V. The DOG and the CAT.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. The SPIDER and the FLY
  
FABLE VII. The wild DUCKS and the water SPANIEL.
  
FABLE VIII. The Advice of an Old SPANIEL.
collapse section 
TWO LYRIC EPISTLES:
  
MARGERY TO THE REVIEWERS.
  
EPISTLE THE SECOND.
  
THE APOLOGUE.
  
A PASTORAL CORDIAL,
  
QUERIES TO THE CRITICAL REVIEWERS.
  
A PASTORAL PUKE.
collapse section 
MAKARONY FABLES; WITH THE NEW FABLE OF THE BEES.
collapse section 
[subsection]
 I. 
FABLE I. THE RESIGNATION .
 II. 
FABLE II. The DOCTOR and STUDENT.
 III. 
FABLE III. THE NIGHTINGALE.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. THE BLACK BIRD
 V. 
FABLE V. POUR MOI MEME.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. THE TORTOISE.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. THE COOK .
  
A TALE.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII .
collapse section 
THE NEW FABLE OF THE BEES:
 I. 
CANTO I.
 II. 
CANTO II.
collapse sectionII. 
VOLUME II
collapse section 
IMITATIONS OF HORACE'S ODES.
  
BOOK III. ODE III.
  
BOOK IV. ODE IX.
  
BOOK III. ODE XXIX.
  
BOOK IV. ODE XVth.
  
BOOK XXIV. ODE VIII.
  
BOOK I. ODE X.
  
BOOK II. ODE VIII.
  
The APOTHEOSIS or the INSTELLATION. BOOK III. ODE XXV.
  
BOOK III. ODE XXVI.
  
BOOK III. ODE III.
  
To Miss ---
  
ODE.
collapse section 
FABLES FOR GROWN GENTLEMEN: FOR THE YEAR 1770.
 I. 
FABLE I. TO MY LORD ---
 II. 
FABLE II. TO A GREAT LAWYER.
 III. 
FABLE III.
 IV. 
FABLE IV.
 V. 
FABLE V.
 VI. 
FABLE VI.
 VII. 
FABLE VII.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII.
 IX. 
FABLE IX.
 X. 
FABLE X.
 XI. 
FABLE XI.
 XII. 
FABLE XII.
 XIII. 
FABLE XIII.
 XIV. 
FABLE XIV.
 XV. 
FABLE XV. THE PETITIONERS FOR A DISSOLUTION OF THE PEAR TREE.
 XVI. 
FABLE XVI. THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT.
 XVII. 
FABLE XVII.
 XVIII. 
FABLE XVIII.
 XIX. 
FABLE XIX.
 XX. 
FABLE XX.
 XXI. 
FABLE XXI.
 XXII. 
FABLE XXII. FANCY .
 XXIII. 
FABLE XXIII. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE CUNNING.
 XXIV. 
FABLE XXIV. THE MOLE.
 XXV. 
FABLE XXV. The KING and the COBLER.
 XXVI. 
FABLE XXVI. THE INDEPENDENT OXEN AND THE GRAND ALLIES.
  
A FRAGMENT OF AN EPIC POEM.
collapse section 
MONKISH EPITAPHS.
  
EPITAPH UPON ONE OF THE NOBLE FAMILY OF THE SCROPES.
  
EPITAPH UPON AN ABBOT.
  
EPITAPH UPON A RECTOR.
  
EPITAPH UPON A DOCTOR.
  
EPITAPH UPON A GENERAL.
  
EPITAPH UPON A LIVING SUBJECT.
  
A ROYAL EPITAPH.
  
EPITAPH FOR HIS GRANDSON, CHARLES II.
  
IMITATED. A MONASTIC ELEGY.
  
An old Receipt for a troublesome Disorder.
  
AN EPISTLE TO A FRIEND,
  
AN EPISTLE FROM JOHN ME, ESQUIRE, TO His Excellence My Lord SELF.
  
A MONSIEUR LE GENERAL HALE.
  
PANTY'S SWEETHEART.
collapse sectionIII. 
VOLUME III
collapse section 
CRAZY TALES
  
THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY TO HIMSELF
  
PROLOGUE TO THE CRAZY TALES.
 I. 
ANTONY'S TALE:
 II. 
MY COUSIN'S TALE
 III. 
MISS IN HER TEENS:
collapse section 
ZACHARY'S TALE;
  
ODE TO ZACHARY
collapse sectionIV. 
ZACHARY'S TALE.
 I. 
PART the FIRST.
  
[section]
collapse section 
THE PRIVY-COUNSELLOR'S AND THE STUDENT OF LAW'S TALE.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE PRIVY-COUNSELLOR'S AND THE STUDENT OF LAW'S TALE.
 V. 
THE PRIVY-COUNSELLOR'S TALE.
 VI. 
THE STUDENT OF LAW'S TALE;
 VII. 
PANTY'S TALE;
 VIII. 
ARSINOE:
 IX. 
DON PRINGELLO'S TALE: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY NUNS;
 X. 
THE POET'S TALE; OR THE CAUTIOUS BRIDE.
 XI. 
THE GOVERNOR OF T**LBURY'S TALE; OR THE UNREASONABLE COMPLAINT.
 XII. 
THE NOBLE REVENGE:
  
THOMAS OF COLEBY'S TALE. PORCIA,
collapse section 
MORAL TALES.
 I. 
MY LADY'S TALE.
 II. 
THE PARSON'S WIFE.
collapse sectionIII. 
THE PARSON'S TALE;
  
MORAL.
 IV. 
THE ASSOCIATION.
 V. 
HOB IN THE WELL.
 VI. 
THE DAINTY WIDOW'S TALE.
 VII. 
THE BARONESS'S TALE.
 VIII. 
THE LAWYER'S TALE.
 IX. 
THE BARON'S TALE.
 X. 
THE PHYSICIAN'S TALE.
  
THE DOCTOR'S ADVICE.
 XI. 
THE APOTHECARY'S TALE.
collapse section 
THE CONFESSION OF SIR FRANCIS OF MEDENHAM, AND OF THE LADY MARY HIS WIFE.
  
THE CONFESSION OF THE KNIGHT.
  
THE LADY'S CONFESSION.
  
ANOTHER TALE, FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF MY MILITARY FRIENDS. MDCCLXXXII.

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section The Works of John Hall-Stevenson
next section
86

FABLE VIII.

A gnat upon an Ox's horn,
Clapping his wings, sang forth his praise,
Greater than the Unicorn:
Hail, greatest beast of al that graze!
Accept, great brute, my willing strain;
And, if my weight give you no pain,
Which I much fear,
Allow me to remain
To charm your bovine ear:
Great and mighty Chieftain, say,
Whether shall I go or stay?
The Ox replied,
Where insignificance prevails,
You always meet with empty pride;
Depend upon't, it never fails:
To me, vain insect, 'tis the same,
You may give over, or go on;
I neither felt you when you came,
Nor shall I miss you when you're gone.
87

Said Maupertuis, Pray, read this Fable,
And I'll explain it to the table.
Observe Voltaire, that chirps and sings
Near Prussia's King from night to morn;
He is the Gnat that claps his wings,
And sings upon the Ox's horn:
Voltaire replied, the Gnat suits me;
But why an Ox? there I am dull;
As for the Ox, said Maupertuis,
I wish the Ox had been a Bull .
 

If there is any meaning in these four last lines of the author, of which I hold him guiltless, to use the words of Jean Jaques, “ce n'est que pour ceux, qui ont (la Tact) l'odorat fin,” he should have said. Smellfungus.

previous section The Works of John Hall-Stevenson
next section