Bad men have speeches smooth and fair, Of which, that we should be aware, And such designing villains thwart, The underwritten lines exhort. A Bitch besought one of her kin For room to put her Puppies in: She, loth to say her neighbour nay, Directly lent both hole and hay. But asking to be repossess’d, For longer time the former press’d, Until her Puppies gather’d strength, Which second lease expired at length; And when, abused at such a rate, The lender grew importunate, “The place,” quoth she, “I will resign When you’re a match for me and mine.” XX. THE HUNGRY DOGS. A stupid plan that fools project, Not only will not take effect, But proves destructive in the end To those that bungle and pretend. Some hungry Dogs beheld an hide Deep sunk beneath the crystal tide, Which, that they might extract for food, They strove to drink up all the flood; But bursten in the desp’rate deed, They perish’d, ere they could succeed. XXI. THE OLD LION. Whoever, to his honor’s cost, His pristine dignity has lost, Is the fool’s jest and coward’s scorn, When once deserted and forlorn. With years enfeebled and decay’d, A Lion gasping hard was laid: Then came, with furious tusk, a boar, To vindicate his wrongs of yore: The bull was next in hostile spite, With goring horn his foe to smite: At length the ass himself, secure That now impunity was sure, His blow too insolently deals, And kicks his forehead with his heels. Then thus the Lion, as he died: “’Twas hard to bear the brave,” he cried; “But to be trampled on by thee Is Nature’s last indignity; And thou, O despicable thing, Giv’st death at least a double sting.” XXII. THE MAN AND THE WEASEL. A Weasel, by a person caught, And willing to get off, besought The man to spare. “Be not severe On him that keeps your pantry clear Of those intolerable mice.” “This were,” says he, “a work of price, If done entirely for my sake, And good had been the plea you make: But since, with all these pains and care, You seize yourself the dainty fare On which those vermin used to fall, And then devour the mice and all, Urge not a benefit in vain.” This said, the miscreant was slain. The satire here those chaps will own, Who, useful to themselves alone, And bustling for a private end, Would boast the merit of a friend. XXIII. THE FAITHFUL HOUSE-DOG. A Man that’s gen’rous all at once May dupe a novice or a dunce; But to no purpose are the snares He for the knowing ones prepares. When late at night a felon tried To bribe a Dog with food, he cried, “What ho! do you attempt to stop The mouth of him that guards the shop? You ’re mightily mistaken, sir, For this strange kindness is a spur, To make me double all my din, Lest such a scoundrel should come in.” XXIV. THE PROUD FROG.