 | The Beautiful works Of the Reverend Mr. Stephen Duck |  |
TO THE QUEEN.
128
The Two Beavers.
A FABLE.
'Twere well, my Friend, for human kind,
Would ev'ry Man his Bus'ness mind;
In his own Orbit always move,
Nor blame, nor envy those above.
Would ev'ry Man his Bus'ness 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 apply'd (as Patriots shou'd)
In cultivating public good.
By long Experience render'd sage,
Was skill'd in all the useful Arts,
And justly deem'd a Beast of Parts;
Which he apply'd (as Patriots shou'd)
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 his 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;
The Timber all was rotten grown,—
In short, the House was tumbling down.
The gen'rous Beast, by Pity sway'd,
Griev'd to behold it thus decay'd;
And while he mourn'd the tatter'd Scene,
The Master of the Lodge came in.
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 his 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;
129
In short, the House was tumbling down.
The gen'rous Beast, by Pity sway'd,
Griev'd to behold it thus decay'd;
And while he mourn'd the tatter'd Scene,
The Master of the Lodge came in.
The first Congratulations o'er,
They rest recumbent on the Floor;
When thus the young conceited Beast
His Thoughts impertinent express'd.
They rest recumbent on the Floor;
When thus the young conceited Beast
His Thoughts impertinent express'd.
I long have been surpriz'd to find,
The Lion grown so wond'rous kind
To one peculiar sort of Beasts,
While he another sort detests;
His royal Favour chiefly falls
Upon the Species of Jack-alls.
They share the Profits of his Throne,
He smiles on them, and them alone.
Mean while the Ferret's useful Race
He scarce admits to see his Face;
Traduc'd by Lies and ill Report,
They're banish'd from his regal Court,
And counted, over all the Plain,
Opposers of the Lion's Reign.
The Lion grown so wond'rous kind
To one peculiar sort of Beasts,
While he another sort detests;
His royal Favour chiefly falls
Upon the Species of Jack-alls.
They share the Profits of his Throne,
He smiles on them, and them alone.
Mean while the Ferret's useful Race
He scarce admits to see his Face;
Traduc'd by Lies and ill Report,
They're banish'd from his regal Court,
And counted, over all the Plain,
Opposers of the Lion's Reign.
Now I conceiv'd a Scheme last Night,
Would doubtless set this Matter right:
These Parties should unite together;
The Lion partial be to neither,
But let them both his Favours share,
And both consult in Peace and War.
This Method (were this Method try'd)
Would spread politic Basis wide,
And on a Bottom broad and strong,
Support the social Union long—
But Uncle, Uncle, much I fear,
Some have abus'd the Lion's Ear;
He listens to the Leopard's Tongue;
That cursed Leopard leads him wrong:
Were he but banish'd far away—
You don't attend to what I say!
Would doubtless set this Matter right:
These Parties should unite together;
The Lion partial be to neither,
But let them both his Favours share,
And both consult in Peace and War.
This Method (were this Method try'd)
Would spread politic Basis wide,
And on a Bottom broad and strong,
Support the social Union long—
130
Some have abus'd the Lion's Ear;
He listens to the Leopard's Tongue;
That cursed Leopard leads him wrong:
Were he but banish'd far away—
You don't attend to what I say!
Why really, Couz, the Sage rejoin'd,
The Rain and Snow, and driving Wind,
Beat thro' with such prodigious Force,
It made me deaf to your Discourse.
Now, Couz, were my Advice pursu'd,
(And sure I mean it for your good)
Methinks you should this House repair;
Be this your first and chiefest Care.
Your Skill the Voice of Prudence calls
To stop these Crannies in the Walls,
And prop the Roof before it falls.
If you this needful Task perform,
You'll make your Mansion dry and warm;
And we may then converse together,
Secure from this tempestuous Weather.
The Rain and Snow, and driving Wind,
Beat thro' with such prodigious Force,
It made me deaf to your Discourse.
Now, Couz, were my Advice pursu'd,
(And sure I mean it for your good)
Methinks you should this House repair;
Be this your first and chiefest Care.
Your Skill the Voice of Prudence calls
To stop these Crannies in the Walls,
And prop the Roof before it falls.
If you this needful Task perform,
You'll make your Mansion dry and warm;
And we may then converse together,
Secure from this tempestuous Weather.
CONTENTMENT.
Farewell aspiring Thoughts, no more
My Soul shall leave the peaceful Shore.
To sail Ambition's Main;
Fallacious as the Harlot's Kiss,
You promise me uncertain Bliss,
And give me certain Pain.
My Soul shall leave the peaceful Shore.
To sail Ambition's Main;
Fallacious as the Harlot's Kiss,
You promise me uncertain Bliss,
And give me certain Pain.
131
A beauteous Prospect first you shew,
Which ere survey'd you paint anew,
And paint it wond'rous pleasant:
This in a third is quickly lost;
Thus future Good we covet most,
But ne'er enjoy the present.
Which ere survey'd you paint anew,
And paint it wond'rous pleasant:
This in a third is quickly lost;
Thus future Good we covet most,
But ne'er enjoy the present.
Deluded on from Scene to Scene,
We never end, but still begin,
By flatt'ring Hope betray'd;
I'm weary of the painful Chace,
Let others run this endless Race
To catch a flying Shade.
We never end, but still begin,
By flatt'ring Hope betray'd;
I'm weary of the painful Chace,
Let others run this endless Race
To catch a flying Shade.
Let others boast their useless Wealth;
Have I not Honesty and Health?
Which Riches cannot give:
Let others to Preferment soar,
And, changing Liberty for Pow'r,
In golden Shackles live.
Have I not Honesty and Health?
Which Riches cannot give:
Let others to Preferment soar,
And, changing Liberty for Pow'r,
In golden Shackles live.
'Tis time, at length, I should be wise,
'Tis time to seek substantial Joys;
Joys out of Fortune's Pow'r:
Wealth, Honours, Dignities, and Fame,
Are Toys the blind capricious Dame
Takes from us ev'ry Hour.
'Tis time to seek substantial Joys;
Joys out of Fortune's Pow'r:
Wealth, Honours, Dignities, and Fame,
Are Toys the blind capricious Dame
Takes from us ev'ry Hour.
Come, conscious Virtue, fill my Breast,
And bring Content, thy Daughter, dress'd
In ever-smiling Charms:
Let sacred Friendship too attend;
A Friendship worthy of my Friend,
Such as my Lælius warms.
And bring Content, thy Daughter, dress'd
In ever-smiling Charms:
Let sacred Friendship too attend;
A Friendship worthy of my Friend,
Such as my Lælius warms.
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With these I'll in my Bosom make
A Bulwark Fortune cannot shake,
Tho' all her Storms arise;
Look down and pity gilded Slaves,
Despise Ambition's giddy Knaves,
And wish the Fools were wise.
A Bulwark Fortune cannot shake,
Tho' all her Storms arise;
Look down and pity gilded Slaves,
Despise Ambition's giddy Knaves,
And wish the Fools were wise.
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