Moral and political fables ancient and modern. Done into Measurd Prose intermixd with Ryme. By Dr. Walter Pope |
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| XXXIX. |
Fab. XXXIX. The Mice. |
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 | Moral and political fables |  |
38
Fab. XXXIX. The Mice.
The Mice a General Assembly held,
To find Expedients how they might resist
The Force, and secret Treacheries o'th' Cat;
After a long Debate, it was propos'd,
To hang a Bell about their Enemy's Neck,
Whose sound might give them notice of's approach
This was approvd, and would have been decreed,
Had not an aged Mouse rose from his Seat,
A Mouse of high Degree, and Royal Blood,
A Mouse, whose Merits all the House admird,
And beck'ning with his Hand, Audience requir'd.
Fathers, said he, the Wit of Mice, or Men
Could not invent a better Law than this,
Could it be brought to bear, and put in use,
Who dares about the Cats Neck hang the Bell?
Where are those Mice their Country love so well?
To find Expedients how they might resist
The Force, and secret Treacheries o'th' Cat;
After a long Debate, it was propos'd,
To hang a Bell about their Enemy's Neck,
Whose sound might give them notice of's approach
This was approvd, and would have been decreed,
Had not an aged Mouse rose from his Seat,
A Mouse of high Degree, and Royal Blood,
A Mouse, whose Merits all the House admird,
And beck'ning with his Hand, Audience requir'd.
Fathers, said he, the Wit of Mice, or Men
Could not invent a better Law than this,
Could it be brought to bear, and put in use,
Who dares about the Cats Neck hang the Bell?
Where are those Mice their Country love so well?
The Moral.
Too dangerous Counsels never take Effect. | Moral and political fables | |