A Tale And Two Fables In Verse With Three Prefaces, one Postscript, and two Nota-Bene's, in Prose. By the Author of the Totness Address Versify'd [i.e. Joseph Mitchell] |
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 | A Tale And Two Fables In Verse |  |
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POLTIS, King of Thrace:
OR, The Peace-Keeper. A TALE FROM PLUTARCH.
Address'd to the PRINCES of Europe.
THE TALE.
E're
Europe's Peace is broken quite,
E're Fleets and Armies meet in Fight;
E're Blood is spilt, and Treasure spent,
E're Crowns are lost, and Kingdoms rent;
Ye jarring Pow'rs, with Patience, hear
A Tale, from Plutarch, worth your Ear.
E're Fleets and Armies meet in Fight;
E're Blood is spilt, and Treasure spent,
E're Crowns are lost, and Kingdoms rent;
Ye jarring Pow'rs, with Patience, hear
A Tale, from Plutarch, worth your Ear.
When Greeks, revengeful, had decreed
Against the Trojans to proceed,
'Twas thought expedient to take in
What neighbouring Forces they cou'd win;
That, by collected Rage and Strength,
The Town might be their own, at Length.
Against the Trojans to proceed,
'Twas thought expedient to take in
What neighbouring Forces they cou'd win;
That, by collected Rage and Strength,
The Town might be their own, at Length.
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Ambassadors, among the rest,
To Poltis, carried their Request.
The Thracian, tardy, as the Dutch,
Car'd not for War and Mischief much:
But, warily, the Cause enquir'd,
That had the Grecian Chiefs inspir'd
With hostile Fury—.
To Poltis, carried their Request.
The Thracian, tardy, as the Dutch,
Car'd not for War and Mischief much:
But, warily, the Cause enquir'd,
That had the Grecian Chiefs inspir'd
With hostile Fury—.
'Twas told, with Circumstances strong,
That Menelaus suffers Wrong
From Paris, unprovok'd—and how
The Adulterers live together, now:
But that, with his concurring Aid,
They were not, in the least, afraid,
But Helen shou'd be had again,
And Troy laid level with the Plain.
That Menelaus suffers Wrong
From Paris, unprovok'd—and how
The Adulterers live together, now:
But that, with his concurring Aid,
They were not, in the least, afraid,
But Helen shou'd be had again,
And Troy laid level with the Plain.
He, good and wise! the Matter weigh'd,
And then, in peaceful Manner, said;
And then, in peaceful Manner, said;
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“Is that your Quarrel, that your Strife?
“Is all this Pother for a Wife?
“For Shame, ye Greeks, your Anger stifle,
“Nor break the Peace for such a Trifle.
“What tho' the Rape was most injurious,
“Consider, Paris' Love was furious.
“'Twas wrong the Grecian to supplant;
“And 'twere so, shou'd the Trojan want.
“Both must have Wives. Come, I have Two;
“And, for the Sake of Peace and You,
“(Tho' both are as belov'd by me,
“As Wives, in Conscience, ought to be:)
“I'll One to that same Trojan send,
“And t'other to my Grecian Friend.
“If either of 'em shou'd again,
“For want of Female Flesh complain,
“The Devil's in him. For my Part,
“I'm satisfy'd, with all my Heart;
“And must be very sick of Life,
“When I take Cudgels for a Wife.
“Is all this Pother for a Wife?
“For Shame, ye Greeks, your Anger stifle,
“Nor break the Peace for such a Trifle.
“What tho' the Rape was most injurious,
“Consider, Paris' Love was furious.
“'Twas wrong the Grecian to supplant;
“And 'twere so, shou'd the Trojan want.
“Both must have Wives. Come, I have Two;
“And, for the Sake of Peace and You,
“(Tho' both are as belov'd by me,
“As Wives, in Conscience, ought to be:)
“I'll One to that same Trojan send,
“And t'other to my Grecian Friend.
“If either of 'em shou'd again,
“For want of Female Flesh complain,
“The Devil's in him. For my Part,
“I'm satisfy'd, with all my Heart;
“And must be very sick of Life,
“When I take Cudgels for a Wife.
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The Greeks despis'd these Ways and Means
T'accommodate the Difference:
But, headlong, to the Battel rush'd,
And ten long Years for Conquest push'd;
Lost many Pounds, and many Lives,
Worth twenty times as many Wives;
And, when, at last, the War was o'er,
What was it from the Field they bore?
Why, Falstaff's Honour, and a Whore!
T'accommodate the Difference:
But, headlong, to the Battel rush'd,
And ten long Years for Conquest push'd;
Lost many Pounds, and many Lives,
Worth twenty times as many Wives;
And, when, at last, the War was o'er,
What was it from the Field they bore?
Why, Falstaff's Honour, and a Whore!
N. B. Herodotus and other Historians tell you, that Helen was not at Troy in Time of the War; and consequently not carried in Triumph thence by the Greeks, as we Poets wou'd have it: But, leaving the Controversy to Criticks, it is enough for us that there is no Improbability in our Fiction: I think the Tale runs very well; and, by its Likeness to Truth, shou'd be true. Reader, what think you?
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Reasonable Fear:
OR, The Frogs and Fighting Bulls. A FABLE FROM PHOEDRUS.
Applied to All People of Inferior Condition.
------ Delirunt Reges, plectuntur Achivi.
Hor.
Hor.
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THE First FABLE.
War happens not among the Great,
But Little ones partake their Fate.
Nay, whatsoe'er befals the First,
The Last are sure to be accurst.
Those may but play the Fool; while These
Are Sufferers for all their Days.
But Little ones partake their Fate.
Nay, whatsoe'er befals the First,
The Last are sure to be accurst.
Those may but play the Fool; while These
Are Sufferers for all their Days.
To strike this Moral on the Mind,
Phoedrus, a Lover of Mankind,
In proper Time and Season, told
This Fable, in the Days of old.
Phoedrus, a Lover of Mankind,
In proper Time and Season, told
This Fable, in the Days of old.
One Day, as thousand Frogs were leaping
Upon the Lake, one stood a peeping
From out the Croud, by Way of Centry,
To warn, in Case of need, the Gentry—
When, lo! he heard a dreadful Rattle,
And saw two furious Bulls in Battel.
Sudden, he croak'd a loud Alarm,
And bid the long-leg'd Nation arm.
“Behold, says he, what Work is yonder!
“What will become of us, I wonder?
Confusion spreading, cry'd another,
“Why all this frightful Noise, good Brother?
“What Damage can their Quarrels do?
“They're distant far, and different too.—
Reply'd the Centry, “That is true;
“Their Kind, their Manner, and their Station,
“(I own) resemble not our Nation:
“But, put the Case, that one is beat—
“D'ye think, that, after the Defeat,
“He will not from the Meadow run,
“And, in the Marshes, seek to shun
“His Foe?—Now, Brother, should the Bull,
“In such Confusion, break your Skull,
“Or tread your Guts out, 'twere too late
“To see and shun the horrid Fate.
“So, yon Dispute of theirs concerns us
“More than you thought—And whoso warns us
“Of threaten'd Danger, is a Friend,
“Tho' Jove should ne'er the Mischief send
Upon the Lake, one stood a peeping
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To warn, in Case of need, the Gentry—
When, lo! he heard a dreadful Rattle,
And saw two furious Bulls in Battel.
Sudden, he croak'd a loud Alarm,
And bid the long-leg'd Nation arm.
“Behold, says he, what Work is yonder!
“What will become of us, I wonder?
Confusion spreading, cry'd another,
“Why all this frightful Noise, good Brother?
“What Damage can their Quarrels do?
“They're distant far, and different too.—
Reply'd the Centry, “That is true;
“Their Kind, their Manner, and their Station,
“(I own) resemble not our Nation:
“But, put the Case, that one is beat—
“D'ye think, that, after the Defeat,
“He will not from the Meadow run,
“And, in the Marshes, seek to shun
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“In such Confusion, break your Skull,
“Or tread your Guts out, 'twere too late
“To see and shun the horrid Fate.
“So, yon Dispute of theirs concerns us
“More than you thought—And whoso warns us
“Of threaten'd Danger, is a Friend,
“Tho' Jove should ne'er the Mischief send
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Ways and Means:
OR, The Belly and the Members. A FABLE FROM Menenius Agrippa.
Applied to the Subjects of Great Britain.
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THE Second FABLE.
Upon a Time (ev'n so my Nurse
Us'd to begin her sage Discourse)
The Roman Government, involv'd,
On Ways and Means, like ours, resolv'd—
Videlicet, To save the Crown
By laying Taxes on the Town.
Us'd to begin her sage Discourse)
The Roman Government, involv'd,
On Ways and Means, like ours, resolv'd—
Videlicet, To save the Crown
By laying Taxes on the Town.
The People, all alarm'd and vexed,
Their Rulers suddenly perplexed;
And Mobbers swore, by Jove the Father
Of Men and Gods, to perish rather.
Their Rulers suddenly perplexed;
And Mobbers swore, by Jove the Father
Of Men and Gods, to perish rather.
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By turns a thousand various Ways
Were try'd the Tumult to appease;
But all in vain! The gathering Crowd,
Like Streams collected, strong and loud,
Impetuous grows, and spreads around
A world of Terror.
Were try'd the Tumult to appease;
But all in vain! The gathering Crowd,
Like Streams collected, strong and loud,
Impetuous grows, and spreads around
A world of Terror.
But—
Agrippa, eminent and able,
Compos'd it, by the following Fable.
Agrippa, eminent and able,
Compos'd it, by the following Fable.
“Vouchsafe, ye sovereign Lords of Rome,
“E're your fierce Rage the State consume,
“To hear a Parallel Uproar,
“That happen'd in the Days of Yore.
“E're your fierce Rage the State consume,
“To hear a Parallel Uproar,
“That happen'd in the Days of Yore.
“I will not, Friends, in my Oration,
“Pretend to tell the Provocation,
“Which Members whilom had receiv'd—
“But we'll suppose the Belly crav'd
“Some more Supplies, perhaps unus'd,
“Which they dislik'd, and so refus'd;
“Yea, in a factious Way, thought fit
“To grant his Worship ne're a Bit.
“Pretend to tell the Provocation,
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“But we'll suppose the Belly crav'd
“Some more Supplies, perhaps unus'd,
“Which they dislik'd, and so refus'd;
“Yea, in a factious Way, thought fit
“To grant his Worship ne're a Bit.
“He fasted Forty Days (say some,)
“Without, O strange! a single Crumb.
“Howe'er, 'tis certain that he fasted
“So long as their Resentment lasted;
“And That, all Authors are agreed,
“Was, till he perish'd, in mere Need!
“Without, O strange! a single Crumb.
“Howe'er, 'tis certain that he fasted
“So long as their Resentment lasted;
“And That, all Authors are agreed,
“Was, till he perish'd, in mere Need!
“But what Revenge did this afford?
“Why, they were ruin'd with their Lord.
“Why, they were ruin'd with their Lord.
The Citizens the Moral saw,
Submitted tamely to the Law;
And, in the Way of honest Traffick, strove
Who shou'd most useful to the Publick prove.
Submitted tamely to the Law;
And, in the Way of honest Traffick, strove
Who shou'd most useful to the Publick prove.
Virgil, and other great Poets, often break of in the Middle of a Line, without any apparent Reason: But I found it reasonable to do so in this Place for want of a convenient Rhime. Who says I am not a reasonable Man?
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FINIS.
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