In garret high (as stories say) A POET sung his tuneful lay; So soft, so smooth his verse, you'd swear APOLLO and the MUSES there; Through all the town his praises rung, His sonnets at the playhouse sung; High waving o'er his lab'ring head, The goddess WANT her pinions spread, And with poetic fury fir'd, What PHOEBUS faintly had inspir'd. A noble youth, of taste and wit, Approv'd the sprightly things he writ, And sought him in his cobweb dome, Discharg'd his rent, and brought him home. Behold him at the stately board, Who but the POET and my LORD! Each day deliciously he dines, And greedy quaffs the gen'rous wines; His sides were plump, his skin was sleek, And PLENTY wanton'd on his cheek; Astonish'd at the change so new, Away th' inspiring goddess flew. Now, dropt for politics and news, Neglected lay the drooping MUSE, Unmindful whence his fortune came, He stifled the poetic flame; Nor tale nor sonnet, for my lady, Lampoon, nor epigram was ready. With just contempt his PATRON saw, (Resolv'd his bounty to withdraw) And thus, with anger in his look, The late-repenting fool bespoke:-- "Blind to the good that courts thee grown, Whence has the sun of favour shone? Delighted with thy tuneful art, Esteem was growing in my heart, But idly thou reject'st the charm That gave it birth, and kept it warm. Unthinking fools alone despise The arts that taught them first to rise." FABLE VI. THE WOLF, THE SHEEP, AND THE LAMB. Duty demands the parent's voice Should sanctify the daughter's choice; In that is due obedience shewn; To choose belongs to her alone. May horror seize his midnight hour Who builds upon a parent's pow'r, And claims, by purchase vile and base, The loathing maid for his embrace; Hence virtue sickens, and the breast, Where peace had built her downy nest, Becomes the troubled seat of care, And pines with anguish and despair. A WOLF, rapacious, rough, and bold, Whose nightly plunders thinn'd the fold, Contemplating his ill-spent life, And cloy'd with thefts, would take a wife. His purpose known, the savage race In num'rous crouds attend the place; For why, a mighty WOLF he was, And held dominion in his jaws. Her fav'rite whelp each mother brought, And humbly his alliance sought; But cold by age, or else too nice, None found acceptance in his eyes.