This happy mother met one day, A book of fables writ by Gay; And told her children, here's treasure, A fund of wisdom, and of pleasure. Such decency! such elegance! Such morals! such exalted sense! Well has the poet found the art, To raise the mind, and mend the heart. Her favourite boy the author seiz'd, And as he read, seem'd highly pleas'd; Made such reflections every page, The mother thought above his age: Delighted read, but scarce was able, To finish the concluding fable. "What ails my child?" the mother cries, "Whose sorrows now have fill'd your eyes?" "Oh, dear Mamma, can he want friends Who writes for such exalted ends? Oh, base, degenerate human kind! Had I a fortune to my mind, Should Gay complain; but now, alas! Through what a world am I to pass; Where friendship's but an empty name, And merit's scarcely paid in fame." Resolv'd to lull his woes to rest. She told him he should hope the best; That who instruct the royal race. Can't fail of some distinguished place. "Mamma, if you were queen," says he, "And such a book was writ for me; I know 'tis so much to your taste, That Gay would keep his coach at least." "My child, what you suppose is true, I see its excellence in you; Poets whose writing mend the mind, A noble recompense should find: But I am barr'd by fortune's frowns. From the best privilege of crowns; The glorious godlike power to bless, And raise up merit in distress." "But, dear Mamma, I long to know. Were that the case, what you'd bestow?" "What I'd bestow," says she, "My dear, At least five hundred pounds a year." [Footnote 1: Johnson: _Lives of the Poets_ (ed. Hill), III, p. 274.] [Footnote 2: Letter to Broome, January 30th, 1724 (Pope: _Works_ (ed. Elwin and Courthope, VIII, p. 75.))] [Footnote 3: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 6.] [Footnote 4: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 8.] [Footnote 5: William Augustus (1721-1765), third son of George III; created Duke of Cumberland, 1726.] [Footnote 6: Ambrose Philips, the poet.] [Footnote 7: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVI, 389.] [Footnote 8: _Ibid_., XIX. p. 283.] [Footnote 9: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 99.] [Footnote 10: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 94.] [Footnote 11: To Amesbury, the principal seat of the Duke of Queensberry.] [Footnote 12: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 66.] [Footnote 13: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 81.] [Footnote 14: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 96.] [Footnote 15: Louisa (1724-1751), the youngest of George II's children. She married in 1743, Frederick, Prince (afterwards King) of Denmark,] [Footnote 16: Johnson: _Lives of the Poets_ (ed. Hill), III, p. 274.] [Footnote 17: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVIII, p. 42.] [Footnote 18: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 161.] [Footnote 19: Mrs. Howard.] [Footnote 20: Sir Robert Walpole.] [Footnote 21: An allusion to "The Beggar's Opera," which Gay was then writing.]