 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
FABLE
ONCE upon a Time, an Ass,
Bending beneath a pond'rous Mass
Of holy Lumber; Reliques, Bulls,
Saints Fingers, Teeth, and sacred Sculls;
Observ'd, where-e'er he came, the Crowd
With the profoundest Rev'rence bow'd,
And paid their Homage, as he pass'd,
Which to himself he Thought address'd.
Pleas'd with the Thought, the awkard Creature
Affects a State in ev'ry Feature,
Struts boldly on, assumes the God,
Receives their Incense with a Nod,
And graciously inclines his Ear
To the fond Rabble's senseless Pray'r;
Which once receiv'd, his Godship Jack
Brays harsh his Approbation back.
Bending beneath a pond'rous Mass
Of holy Lumber; Reliques, Bulls,
Saints Fingers, Teeth, and sacred Sculls;
Observ'd, where-e'er he came, the Crowd
With the profoundest Rev'rence bow'd,
17
Which to himself he Thought address'd.
Pleas'd with the Thought, the awkard Creature
Affects a State in ev'ry Feature,
Struts boldly on, assumes the God,
Receives their Incense with a Nod,
And graciously inclines his Ear
To the fond Rabble's senseless Pray'r;
Which once receiv'd, his Godship Jack
Brays harsh his Approbation back.
MORAL
SEE Scaurus comes; I rev'rent bow,And give his Post the Honour due;
Which he, poor Ass, mistakes, as paid
To the Vacuity of his Head.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |