The works of Mr. Thomas Brown Serious and Comical, In Prose and Verse; In four volumes. The Fourth Edition, Corrected, and much Enlarged from his Originals never before publish'd. With a key to all his Writings |
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The Fable of the Bat and the Birds.
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 | The works of Mr. Thomas Brown |  |
The Fable of the Bat and the Birds.
In imitation of that of the Buzzard in the Hind and Panther. In the Year 1689.
In ancient Times, as learned Æsop shows,
'Twixt Birds and Beasts a fatal War arose.
But whether this from State-Intrigues did flow,
Or to some Church-Pretence its Birth did owe,
Or depredations made, concerns us not to know.
Weighty, you may be sure, the Cause was thought
Which such an universal Tumult wrought.
Picqueering Parties first began the Fray,
A sad Presage of the ensuing Day.
At last the War was solemnly proclaim'd,
The hour of fighting set, and both the Leaders nam'd.
'Twixt Birds and Beasts a fatal War arose.
But whether this from State-Intrigues did flow,
Or to some Church-Pretence its Birth did owe,
Or depredations made, concerns us not to know.
Weighty, you may be sure, the Cause was thought
Which such an universal Tumult wrought.
Picqueering Parties first began the Fray,
A sad Presage of the ensuing Day.
At last the War was solemnly proclaim'd,
The hour of fighting set, and both the Leaders nam'd.
The foolish Bat, a Bird obscure and base,
The scorn and jest of all the feather'd Race;
Or by fantastick Fears, and Scruples led,
Or by Ambition mov'd his Party fled,
Joyn'd with the Beasts, and eager to engage,
With popular Harangues urg'd on a feeble Rage:
The scorn and jest of all the feather'd Race;
Or by fantastick Fears, and Scruples led,
Or by Ambition mov'd his Party fled,
Joyn'd with the Beasts, and eager to engage,
With popular Harangues urg'd on a feeble Rage:
As Fortune wou'd, on an ill-fated Day,
The Beasts drew out their Forces in Array:
The different Kinds their Grudges laid aside,
And for the common Safety now provide.
Ev'n their old Piques, and warm Disputes forgot,
The Hind and Panther joyn'd upon the Spot;
And by one mutual League of Friendship held,
Prepare for the rough Business of the Field.
The Beasts drew out their Forces in Array:
The different Kinds their Grudges laid aside,
And for the common Safety now provide.
Ev'n their old Piques, and warm Disputes forgot,
The Hind and Panther joyn'd upon the Spot;
And by one mutual League of Friendship held,
Prepare for the rough Business of the Field.
37
When lo! the Birds in numerous Bands appear,
And with repeated Crys attack the Rear;
Give a fierce Charge, and back like Parthians, fly,
To repossess the patrimonial Sky;
Then strait descending, with redoubled Might,
They spend their Fury, and renew the Fight.
Pale Victory, all trembling and dismay'd,
With doubtful Wings the purple Scene survey'd.
At last, propitious to her fether'd Kind,
Declar'd her Favour, and the Scale inclin'd.
Whole Hecatombs the cover'd Field possest.
And gave their Foes at once a Triumph and a Feast.
Their slaughter'd Young the Rachel-Dams deplor'd,
And many a Widdow'd Cow mourn'd o'er her Horned Lord.
And with repeated Crys attack the Rear;
Give a fierce Charge, and back like Parthians, fly,
To repossess the patrimonial Sky;
Then strait descending, with redoubled Might,
They spend their Fury, and renew the Fight.
Pale Victory, all trembling and dismay'd,
With doubtful Wings the purple Scene survey'd.
At last, propitious to her fether'd Kind,
Declar'd her Favour, and the Scale inclin'd.
Whole Hecatombs the cover'd Field possest.
And gave their Foes at once a Triumph and a Feast.
Their slaughter'd Young the Rachel-Dams deplor'd,
And many a Widdow'd Cow mourn'd o'er her Horned Lord.
The generous Eagle (so his Stars ordain)
Chases th'affrighted Lyon from the Plain:
Their General gone, the Rest like Lightning fly,
A cheap unfighting Herd, not worth the Victory.
Chases th'affrighted Lyon from the Plain:
Their General gone, the Rest like Lightning fly,
A cheap unfighting Herd, not worth the Victory.
And now the Birds with eager Haste pursue,
Thro' Lanes, and devious Tracks, the scatter'd Crew.
Among the Rest, beset with Dangers round,
The trembling Bat was in a Cellar found:
'Tis pity Fame ne'er Chronicled his Taker,
But all Records agree, they found him near Long-acre.
Percht on a Pole, they brought him to the Bar,
Where the full House sat talking of the War.
Strait at the sight, a various Noise began,
Which thro' the spacious Hall, and neighb'ring Lobby ran.
Each Member in the publick Mirth concurr'd,
And droll'd upon the poor Apostatizing Bird.
First, Parrot Settle open'd wide his Throat,
Next Cuckow Rimer always in a Note;
And Peacock Chetwood, of the Clergy kind;
But his Poetick Feet disgrac'd the Train behind.
And Creech, and Norris, Blackbirds of Renown;
And Corm'rant Higden, for devouring known.
Nay, to augment the Hardship of his Woes,
Owl Durfy clapt his Wings, and hooted in the Close.
Thro' Lanes, and devious Tracks, the scatter'd Crew.
Among the Rest, beset with Dangers round,
The trembling Bat was in a Cellar found:
'Tis pity Fame ne'er Chronicled his Taker,
But all Records agree, they found him near Long-acre.
Percht on a Pole, they brought him to the Bar,
Where the full House sat talking of the War.
Strait at the sight, a various Noise began,
Which thro' the spacious Hall, and neighb'ring Lobby ran.
Each Member in the publick Mirth concurr'd,
And droll'd upon the poor Apostatizing Bird.
First, Parrot Settle open'd wide his Throat,
Next Cuckow Rimer always in a Note;
And Peacock Chetwood, of the Clergy kind;
But his Poetick Feet disgrac'd the Train behind.
And Creech, and Norris, Blackbirds of Renown;
And Corm'rant Higden, for devouring known.
Nay, to augment the Hardship of his Woes,
Owl Durfy clapt his Wings, and hooted in the Close.
38
When now their Raillery began to spare,
(And faith 'twas too much for one Bird to bear)
The Eagle order'd silence in the Room,
And thus aloud pronounc'd the shiv'ring Lubber's Doom.
(And faith 'twas too much for one Bird to bear)
The Eagle order'd silence in the Room,
And thus aloud pronounc'd the shiv'ring Lubber's Doom.
Beast of a Bird, thus to desert thy Friends,
And joyn the common Foe, for base ungenerous Ends;
What Punishment can suit so black a Crime?
Hear then, and stand accurst to all succeeding Time.
From all our Diets be thou first expell'd,
Or those in flow'ry Groves, or those in Steeples held,
When our gay Tribes in youthful Pomp appear,
To joyn in Nuptial Bands, and meet the smiling Year.
Nay more, to make thee mortifie and grieve,
To Buzzard Shadwell we thy Places give.
Him we appoint Historian of our State,
And Poet Laureat of the Woods create.
Outlaw'd our Realms, and banish'd from the Light,
Be thou for ever damn'd to steal abroad by Night.
And joyn the common Foe, for base ungenerous Ends;
What Punishment can suit so black a Crime?
Hear then, and stand accurst to all succeeding Time.
From all our Diets be thou first expell'd,
Or those in flow'ry Groves, or those in Steeples held,
When our gay Tribes in youthful Pomp appear,
To joyn in Nuptial Bands, and meet the smiling Year.
Nay more, to make thee mortifie and grieve,
To Buzzard Shadwell we thy Places give.
Him we appoint Historian of our State,
And Poet Laureat of the Woods create.
Outlaw'd our Realms, and banish'd from the Light,
Be thou for ever damn'd to steal abroad by Night.
| The works of Mr. Thomas Brown | |