State Tracts Containing Many Necessary Observations and Reflections on the State of our Affairs at Home and Abroad; With some Secret Memoirs. By the Author of the Examiner [i.e. William Oldisworth] |
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THE INSECT WAR: OR, A BATTLE BETWEEN
The Hornets, the Wasps, the
Catterpillars, and the Butter-Flies.
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THE INSECT WAR: OR, A BATTLE BETWEEN The Hornets, the Wasps, the Catterpillars, and the Butter-Flies.
A FABLE.
Written in the Year, 1706.
Rara est Concordia fratrum.
In Old, and Modern Fables I have read,
What Birds and Beasts, like Men of Sense have said;
How both cou'd with, as much ease Tattle,
As Women Scold, or Children Prattle.
But ne'er before this Pregnant Age was't known,
The Reptile Kind had so much Reason shown;
That they cou'd speak; in long Harangues Debate,
And talk about Affairs of Church and State;
Nay, settle Matters, Dang'rous in some Cases,
So as to turn some Insects out of Places;
Till by a fatal Battle they had try'd
Each others Strength, and found the Weakest Side.
What Birds and Beasts, like Men of Sense have said;
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As Women Scold, or Children Prattle.
But ne'er before this Pregnant Age was't known,
The Reptile Kind had so much Reason shown;
That they cou'd speak; in long Harangues Debate,
And talk about Affairs of Church and State;
Nay, settle Matters, Dang'rous in some Cases,
So as to turn some Insects out of Places;
Till by a fatal Battle they had try'd
Each others Strength, and found the Weakest Side.
The Butter-Flies were Grand and Num'rous grown,
They swarm'd in ev'ry Field, and ev'ry Town;
But to speak Truth, did not in any Place,
Damage like the foul Catterpillar's Race;
Which spar'd no Living thing, that they cou'd meet,
For all was Fish with them that came to Net.
The Honest Hornets, mean time, Buzz'd about,
To see what Budding Flowers they cou'd pick out;
But they were strangely baulk'd, for ev'ry where
They went, they found the Catterpillars there.
This they resented, and at last grew shy,
In short, they told the Haughty Butter-Fly,
'Twas hard the Catterpill's were not Content,
To be excus'd by them from Punishment;
Which they had Merited, for running o'er
The Wealthy Product of all Natures Store;
But they must be so Pert and Insolent,
To take a Liberty was never meant.
They swarm'd in ev'ry Field, and ev'ry Town;
But to speak Truth, did not in any Place,
Damage like the foul Catterpillar's Race;
Which spar'd no Living thing, that they cou'd meet,
For all was Fish with them that came to Net.
The Honest Hornets, mean time, Buzz'd about,
To see what Budding Flowers they cou'd pick out;
But they were strangely baulk'd, for ev'ry where
They went, they found the Catterpillars there.
This they resented, and at last grew shy,
In short, they told the Haughty Butter-Fly,
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To be excus'd by them from Punishment;
Which they had Merited, for running o'er
The Wealthy Product of all Natures Store;
But they must be so Pert and Insolent,
To take a Liberty was never meant.
For Catterpillars, at least, shou'd understand,
They are not Natives of this Fruitful Land;
But only sent among us for a Curse,
As they to Ægypt were, but here are worse.
The Butter-Flies to make a Formal Show,
As if they wou'd the self-same Mischiefs do;
With that Inhospitable Barb'rous Guest,
Which wou'd devour his once too Gen'rous Host;
He who at first receiv'd him kindly in,
And to Protect him, own'd him for his Kin;
Now he, forsooth, must call him Elder Brother,
Or be Kick'd out of Doors by th'other;
And if of Danger he but speaks one Word,
Bilboa—they threaten him with Fire and Sword.
They are not Natives of this Fruitful Land;
But only sent among us for a Curse,
As they to Ægypt were, but here are worse.
The Butter-Flies to make a Formal Show,
As if they wou'd the self-same Mischiefs do;
With that Inhospitable Barb'rous Guest,
Which wou'd devour his once too Gen'rous Host;
He who at first receiv'd him kindly in,
And to Protect him, own'd him for his Kin;
Now he, forsooth, must call him Elder Brother,
Or be Kick'd out of Doors by th'other;
And if of Danger he but speaks one Word,
Bilboa—they threaten him with Fire and Sword.
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The Hornets thus deplor'd their woeful Case,
And swore by Jove such Usage shou'd not pass;
Not thinking all this while the Butter-Fly,
Had in him so much Damn'd Hypocrisie.
But soon they found the Matter was too plain,
That these same Butter-Flies were Rogues in Grain,
As well as Catterpillars, tho' more Sly,
Yet, like them, hated Uniformity:
And ev'ry thing besides, the Hornets did,
That they one Day had like to've Wings forbid,
Because the humble Catterpills had none;
But that Sham wou'd not with the Mob-Flies down,
Lest they at last pass for a Rabble Rout,
For want of Wings to spread their Fame about:
Not but they're Mad, they cannot so high rise
As Hornets, 'cause the Sun Distracts their Eyes.
For they have Wings in Measure Twice as long,
Yet neither are they half so Swift, or Strong;
But notwithstanding this they gain'd apace,
In Interest with the Feeble Insect Race.
And swore by Jove such Usage shou'd not pass;
Not thinking all this while the Butter-Fly,
Had in him so much Damn'd Hypocrisie.
But soon they found the Matter was too plain,
That these same Butter-Flies were Rogues in Grain,
As well as Catterpillars, tho' more Sly,
Yet, like them, hated Uniformity:
And ev'ry thing besides, the Hornets did,
That they one Day had like to've Wings forbid,
Because the humble Catterpills had none;
But that Sham wou'd not with the Mob-Flies down,
Lest they at last pass for a Rabble Rout,
For want of Wings to spread their Fame about:
Not but they're Mad, they cannot so high rise
As Hornets, 'cause the Sun Distracts their Eyes.
For they have Wings in Measure Twice as long,
Yet neither are they half so Swift, or Strong;
But notwithstanding this they gain'd apace,
In Interest with the Feeble Insect Race.
For Butter-Flies made not a small Pretence
To all the Politicks, and all the Sense,
So that they wou'd perswade the Hornet Kind,
They need not harbour Jealousies in Mind;
But they might Sleep securely in their Nests,
For Catterpillars wou'd not break their Rests:
Yet told them, at the same time, They had Right
To every thing of theirs, that they cou'd get;
And if they thought themselves secur'd by Laws,
Or trusted to the Justice of their Cause,
They were Deceiv'd.—
For if that it was th'utmost they cou'd Plead
Assur'd them, and without Ceremony said,
That it wou'd stand them but in little stead.
For they were now resolv'd to change their Tones,
To take away their Stings and make 'em Drones.
As for the Huge Cathedral Noise they made,
Like their own Humming Bag-Pipes when they play'd,
Of that they were not in the least afraid.
To all the Politicks, and all the Sense,
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They need not harbour Jealousies in Mind;
But they might Sleep securely in their Nests,
For Catterpillars wou'd not break their Rests:
Yet told them, at the same time, They had Right
To every thing of theirs, that they cou'd get;
And if they thought themselves secur'd by Laws,
Or trusted to the Justice of their Cause,
They were Deceiv'd.—
For if that it was th'utmost they cou'd Plead
Assur'd them, and without Ceremony said,
That it wou'd stand them but in little stead.
For they were now resolv'd to change their Tones,
To take away their Stings and make 'em Drones.
As for the Huge Cathedral Noise they made,
Like their own Humming Bag-Pipes when they play'd,
Of that they were not in the least afraid.
This, you must think, did very much perplex
The Honest Hornets, and their Leaders vex;
For they had long Possess'd the Fruitful Place,
Free from the Spoils of that devouring Race.
The Honest Hornets, and their Leaders vex;
For they had long Possess'd the Fruitful Place,
Free from the Spoils of that devouring Race.
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At this the Hornets round the Fields did send
Their Summons, for their Brethren to attend.
Accordingly they met one fatal Day,
When Hornets thought they had a deal to say
Against this Plaguy, Perverse, Treach'rous Train,
That basely had disturb'd their Peaceful Reign,
With Factious Civil Broils of This and That,
About Religious Things, and God knows What.
That Crawling Catterpillars never meant,
But with a Secret, Devilish, Black Intent,
To Undermine the Hornets, whom they saw
Fenc'd in, and Guarded by a Sacred Law:
Which they at any rate desir'd to break,
That they might be at Liberty to speak.
Their Summons, for their Brethren to attend.
Accordingly they met one fatal Day,
When Hornets thought they had a deal to say
Against this Plaguy, Perverse, Treach'rous Train,
That basely had disturb'd their Peaceful Reign,
With Factious Civil Broils of This and That,
About Religious Things, and God knows What.
That Crawling Catterpillars never meant,
But with a Secret, Devilish, Black Intent,
To Undermine the Hornets, whom they saw
Fenc'd in, and Guarded by a Sacred Law:
Which they at any rate desir'd to break,
That they might be at Liberty to speak.
By this means they were sure to gain their Ends,
And make the Trimming Butter-Flies their Friends;
Who Secretly did never much Esteem,
The Hornets more, than they did them.
They hate the Catterpillars, who profess
Religion, formal both in Show and Dress;
Which Butter-Flies, by their Neglect despise,
And fancy both themselves too Great and Wise.
And make the Trimming Butter-Flies their Friends;
Who Secretly did never much Esteem,
The Hornets more, than they did them.
They hate the Catterpillars, who profess
Religion, formal both in Show and Dress;
Which Butter-Flies, by their Neglect despise,
And fancy both themselves too Great and Wise.
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But Hornets could not rightly understand
That Butter-Flies at last wou'd Rule the Land;
Till they, too soon, to their own Sorrow found
Their Faith was Built upon too sure a Ground.
For when th'Appointed Day of Tyral came,
Whole Swarms of Catterpillars Blind and Lame
Crept in to give for Butter-Flies their Vote,
And Hollow'd all the Honest Hornets out.
This the Wing'd Brood took for a sure disgrace,
As what poor Insects that had Sense, cou'd less;
Since they were compass'd round with swarms of Lies,
And False Suggestions from the Butter-Flies.
Who Lorded it with such Tyrannick Sway,
The Hornets were compell'd to yield the Day.
That Butter-Flies at last wou'd Rule the Land;
Till they, too soon, to their own Sorrow found
Their Faith was Built upon too sure a Ground.
For when th'Appointed Day of Tyral came,
Whole Swarms of Catterpillars Blind and Lame
Crept in to give for Butter-Flies their Vote,
And Hollow'd all the Honest Hornets out.
This the Wing'd Brood took for a sure disgrace,
As what poor Insects that had Sense, cou'd less;
Since they were compass'd round with swarms of Lies,
And False Suggestions from the Butter-Flies.
Who Lorded it with such Tyrannick Sway,
The Hornets were compell'd to yield the Day.
But e'er th'Embattled Host forsook the Field,
An Angry Wasp, one that disdain'd to yield,
Flew up, and swore he wou'd not quit his Shield.
This rais'd Confusion 'mong the Creeping Kind,
Who were, for want of Wings, lagging behind;
Yet e'er the Rumour had o'er-spread the Plain,
The Butter-Flies had Rally'd them again;
And manag'd with such Skill their Rabble Rout,
That to the Waspish Chief they Fac'd about;
Who mean time had oblig'd his Hornet Bands
To stand the Charge; submit to his Commands;
And so maintain'd their just Possessions, free
From the vile Yoke of Cringing Slavery.
This pleas'd the generous Race, who now disdain
To give, what they to keep before, thought Vain.
What hasty Rage they wou'd to Battel fly,
Seem not to dread their Powerful Enemy,
But rather than submit, are now enclin'd to Dye.
An Angry Wasp, one that disdain'd to yield,
Flew up, and swore he wou'd not quit his Shield.
This rais'd Confusion 'mong the Creeping Kind,
Who were, for want of Wings, lagging behind;
Yet e'er the Rumour had o'er-spread the Plain,
The Butter-Flies had Rally'd them again;
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That to the Waspish Chief they Fac'd about;
Who mean time had oblig'd his Hornet Bands
To stand the Charge; submit to his Commands;
And so maintain'd their just Possessions, free
From the vile Yoke of Cringing Slavery.
This pleas'd the generous Race, who now disdain
To give, what they to keep before, thought Vain.
What hasty Rage they wou'd to Battel fly,
Seem not to dread their Powerful Enemy,
But rather than submit, are now enclin'd to Dye.
Thus stood the Combatants till a surprize
Fell out, that dazzled all the Hornets Eyes,
To see themselves joyn'd by the Butter-Flies.
This forc'd them quickly, like some Magick Charm,
For fear of their Dishonour, to disarm:
Their Leader strait lays down his Manly Shield,
Bends his way Home, and quits th'Inglorious Field.
While Oh! The Damn'd Deceit of outward Show,
The Hypocrites cou'd scarcely let him go,
E'er they fell foully on the Hornet Bands,
Seiz'd all their Arms, and Manacl'd their Hands;
Curb'd 'em with Laws, 'gainst which if they complain,
They lose the Favors of their hotspur Reign.
Fell out, that dazzled all the Hornets Eyes,
To see themselves joyn'd by the Butter-Flies.
This forc'd them quickly, like some Magick Charm,
For fear of their Dishonour, to disarm:
Their Leader strait lays down his Manly Shield,
Bends his way Home, and quits th'Inglorious Field.
While Oh! The Damn'd Deceit of outward Show,
The Hypocrites cou'd scarcely let him go,
E'er they fell foully on the Hornet Bands,
Seiz'd all their Arms, and Manacl'd their Hands;
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They lose the Favors of their hotspur Reign.
Thus Hornets lay, till some Decreed by Fate,
To Rescue them from such a Tyrants Hate,
Shou'd raise Divisions in the Insect State.
Make Flies and Worms 'bout Pride to disagree,
One plead for Order, one for Anarchy,
Till both were Ruin'd by Hypocrisie.
At last the Waspish Race entirely rose,
And did the Butter-Flies with Rage Oppose;
Nor spar'd the Catterpillars baser Brood,
Prone to all Ill, to ev'ry thing, but Good:
They Arm'd themselves, each with a Pois'nous Sting,
And ev'ry Wasp in Gall first dip'd his Wing.
Then spread th'Infection o'er each Herb and Flower,
The Creeping Catterpillar shou'd devour;
Till gorg'd with Rage, and swell'd up big with Spleen,
They burst; and gave the Earth her own again.
To Rescue them from such a Tyrants Hate,
Shou'd raise Divisions in the Insect State.
Make Flies and Worms 'bout Pride to disagree,
One plead for Order, one for Anarchy,
Till both were Ruin'd by Hypocrisie.
At last the Waspish Race entirely rose,
And did the Butter-Flies with Rage Oppose;
Nor spar'd the Catterpillars baser Brood,
Prone to all Ill, to ev'ry thing, but Good:
They Arm'd themselves, each with a Pois'nous Sting,
And ev'ry Wasp in Gall first dip'd his Wing.
Then spread th'Infection o'er each Herb and Flower,
The Creeping Catterpillar shou'd devour;
Till gorg'd with Rage, and swell'd up big with Spleen,
They burst; and gave the Earth her own again.
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Thus Wasps perplex'd the Catterpillars State,
Made by the Simple Hornets Proud and Great;
Who were so weak, they cou'd not see the Cheat.
But still believ'd the Gawdy Reptile Kind,
As they were Gay in Show, Honest in Mind.
While their own Kindred, who for Publick Good,
Have all the Rage of Butter-Flies withstood;
Thus Shamefully Neglected, let 'em Fight
'Gainst all the Insects, for the Hornets Right.
Which Wasps have so industriously maintain'd,
They've lost their own, and nothing by the Hornets gain'd;
Yet still their Courage for their Cause they show,
'Gainst a most Numerous, and Unequal Foe;
Knowing thy gain an Immortality,
The Fading Butter-Fly will never see.
Tho' Wasps, like them, are of a short Liv'd Line,
To others they can leave their great Design;
And make their Actions, tho' themselves don't live,
When Butter-Flies are quite extinct, survive.
Made by the Simple Hornets Proud and Great;
Who were so weak, they cou'd not see the Cheat.
But still believ'd the Gawdy Reptile Kind,
As they were Gay in Show, Honest in Mind.
While their own Kindred, who for Publick Good,
Have all the Rage of Butter-Flies withstood;
Thus Shamefully Neglected, let 'em Fight
'Gainst all the Insects, for the Hornets Right.
Which Wasps have so industriously maintain'd,
They've lost their own, and nothing by the Hornets gain'd;
Yet still their Courage for their Cause they show,
'Gainst a most Numerous, and Unequal Foe;
Knowing thy gain an Immortality,
The Fading Butter-Fly will never see.
Tho' Wasps, like them, are of a short Liv'd Line,
To others they can leave their great Design;
And make their Actions, tho' themselves don't live,
When Butter-Flies are quite extinct, survive.
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But yet to Crush this Feeble, Peevish Race,
They Toil and Moil, and break the Insects Peace;
When they might know it is in vain to strive,
For Wasps, as well as Butter-Flies, must live.
And tho' the Peaceful Hornet they run o'er,
Wasps are resolv'd to try their utmost Pow'r;
They Toil and Moil, and break the Insects Peace;
When they might know it is in vain to strive,
For Wasps, as well as Butter-Flies, must live.
And tho' the Peaceful Hornet they run o'er,
Wasps are resolv'd to try their utmost Pow'r;
But see a Bloody Battel is begun,
The Long Wing'd Insects quite Eclipse the Sun,
And reach even to the Regions of the Moon.
While Wasps, like Bats, that dare not Face the Light,
Fight in the Dark Obscurities of Night;
In Caves and Dens, for shelter they retire,
Yet Sally out again with dreadful Fire;
With wond'rous Art compos'd, they spread around,
And the more stifled, do the more rebound.
Great Coeborn's Machine's have not half the Pow'r
To Ruin Towns, and Cities to Devour;
As the quick Poison in this Insects Sting,
That can destroy th'Ambition of a King;
That at one Stroke can make a Coward Brave,
And then reduce him to the Meanest Slave;
Heroes Immortalize, or let 'em Dye,
And undistinguish'd, with the Vulgar lye.
So Strong and Fatal is their Poison grown,
A Diadem it props, or can pull down,
And is a Trusty Safeguard to a Crown.
This is the Battering Engine that they Play,
Which sometimes thro' a Kingdom makes its way.
That tho' the Wasp so despicably shows,
Not like the Butter-Fly in Gaudy Cloaths;
He can offend with greater Force his Foes.
More to the Purpose, and for greater Ends,
Raise up the Greatest, and the Noblest Friends;
But as forsaken by the Hornet now,
He must to every Catterpillar bow;
With Servile Words, and with Obsequious Face,
Cringe to the hollow Butter-Fly for Grace.
This is the Fate of Wasps, on their Defence,
Pleading for Liberty and Innocence;
But when in War, they all their Poison throw,
Strike Home their Stings, and Murder as they go.
The Long Wing'd Insects quite Eclipse the Sun,
And reach even to the Regions of the Moon.
While Wasps, like Bats, that dare not Face the Light,
Fight in the Dark Obscurities of Night;
In Caves and Dens, for shelter they retire,
Yet Sally out again with dreadful Fire;
With wond'rous Art compos'd, they spread around,
And the more stifled, do the more rebound.
Great Coeborn's Machine's have not half the Pow'r
To Ruin Towns, and Cities to Devour;
As the quick Poison in this Insects Sting,
That can destroy th'Ambition of a King;
That at one Stroke can make a Coward Brave,
And then reduce him to the Meanest Slave;
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And undistinguish'd, with the Vulgar lye.
So Strong and Fatal is their Poison grown,
A Diadem it props, or can pull down,
And is a Trusty Safeguard to a Crown.
This is the Battering Engine that they Play,
Which sometimes thro' a Kingdom makes its way.
That tho' the Wasp so despicably shows,
Not like the Butter-Fly in Gaudy Cloaths;
He can offend with greater Force his Foes.
More to the Purpose, and for greater Ends,
Raise up the Greatest, and the Noblest Friends;
But as forsaken by the Hornet now,
He must to every Catterpillar bow;
With Servile Words, and with Obsequious Face,
Cringe to the hollow Butter-Fly for Grace.
This is the Fate of Wasps, on their Defence,
Pleading for Liberty and Innocence;
But when in War, they all their Poison throw,
Strike Home their Stings, and Murder as they go.
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Witness this Onset from the Waspish Race,
That has procur'd the Butter-Flies Disgrace,
How many Leaders have been Stung to Death?
How many fal'n by their Infectious Breath?
Yet still Revengeful, they pursue the Wasp,
Who will destroy more at his Dying Gasp,
Of such strange Particles this Insect's made,
His Strength encreases, as his Vitals fade;
Nearer he comes to his Immortal State,
Great is his Soul, much greater is his Hate;
With Dire Convulsions, that it shakes the Earth,
As Ætna Trembles at an Earth-quake's Birth;
Around the Globe the Black Contagion spreads,
Harbours in Courts, and sculks in Downy Beds,
Where it Infects the Mighty and the Great,
And shows each Statesman his approaching Fate.
That has procur'd the Butter-Flies Disgrace,
How many Leaders have been Stung to Death?
How many fal'n by their Infectious Breath?
Yet still Revengeful, they pursue the Wasp,
Who will destroy more at his Dying Gasp,
Of such strange Particles this Insect's made,
His Strength encreases, as his Vitals fade;
Nearer he comes to his Immortal State,
Great is his Soul, much greater is his Hate;
With Dire Convulsions, that it shakes the Earth,
As Ætna Trembles at an Earth-quake's Birth;
Around the Globe the Black Contagion spreads,
Harbours in Courts, and sculks in Downy Beds,
Where it Infects the Mighty and the Great,
And shows each Statesman his approaching Fate.
Yet still behold this odd Mysterious Kind,
Of Insect Race, can no Indulgence find;
Spight of his Charms, the Butter-Fly pursues,
The more he's Baffled, still the Fight renews.
Still, still, Exasperates the Wasp to wound,
And by his Numbers makes him quit the Ground:
But all in vain he offers to destroy
The Insect which is Fated not to Dye:
A strange unhappy Immortality.
Who is't that pities not the Wretches Fate,
Who knows not when his Pains will Terminate?
Yet still the Wasps maintain th'unequal Fight,
And Gall their Foes with Liberty and Right;
For Power can never alter Natures Laws,
Or Insects Perish in a Righteous Cause,
Where equal Justice holds the Ballance true,
And Butter-Flies and Wasps have both their due.
Of Insect Race, can no Indulgence find;
Spight of his Charms, the Butter-Fly pursues,
The more he's Baffled, still the Fight renews.
Still, still, Exasperates the Wasp to wound,
And by his Numbers makes him quit the Ground:
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The Insect which is Fated not to Dye:
A strange unhappy Immortality.
Who is't that pities not the Wretches Fate,
Who knows not when his Pains will Terminate?
Yet still the Wasps maintain th'unequal Fight,
And Gall their Foes with Liberty and Right;
For Power can never alter Natures Laws,
Or Insects Perish in a Righteous Cause,
Where equal Justice holds the Ballance true,
And Butter-Flies and Wasps have both their due.
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