Those who will not the forms obey To be obliging in their way, Must often punishment abide For their ill-nature, and their pride. A Grasshopper, in rank ill-will, Was very loud and very shrill Against a sapient Owl’s repose, Who was compelled by day to doze Within a hollow oak’s retreat, As wont by night to quest for meat-- She is desired to hold her peace. But at the word her cries increase; Again requested to abate Her noise, she’s more importunate. The Owl perceiving no redress, And that her words were less and less Accounted of, no longer pray’d, But thus an artifice essay’d: “Since ’tis impossible to nod, While harping like the Delphian god, You charm our ears, stead of a nap, A batch of nectar will I tap, Which lately from Minerva came; Now if you do not scorn the same, Together let us bumpers ply.” The Grasshopper, extremely dry, And, finding she had hit the key That gain’d applause, approach’d with glee; At which the Owl upon her flew, And quick the trembling vixen slew. Thus by her death she was adjudged To give what in her life she grudged. XVI. THE TREES PROTECTED. The gods took certain trees (th’ affair Was some time since) into their care. The oak was best approved by Jove, The myrtle by the queen of love; The god of music and the day Vouchsafed to patronise the bay; The pine Cybele chanced to please, And the tall poplar Hercules. Minerva upon this inquired Why they all barren trees admired? “The cause,” says Jupiter, “is plain, Lest we give honour up for gain.” “Let every one their fancy suit, I choose the olive for its fruit.” The sire of gods and men replies, “Daughter, thou shalt be reckon’d wise By all the world, and justly too; For whatsover things we do, If not a life of useful days, How vain is all pretence to praise!” Whate’er experiments you try, Have some advantage in your eye. XVII. JUNO AND THE PEACOCK. Her fav’rite bird to Juno came, And was in dudgeon at the dame, That she had not attuned her throat With Philomela’s matchless note; “She is the wonder of all ears; But when I speak the audience sneers.” The goddess to the bird replied, (Willing to have him pacified,) “You are above the rest endued With beauty and with magnitude; Your neck the em’rald’s gloss outvies, And what a blaze of gemmeous dies Shines from the plumage of your tail!” “All this dumb show will not avail,” Cries he, “if I’m surpass’d in voice.” “The fates entirely have the choice Of all the lots--fair form is yours; The eagle’s strength his prey secures; The nightingale can sing an ode; The crow and raven may forebode: All these in sheer contentment crave No other voice than Nature gave.” By affectation be not sway’d, Where Nature has not lent her aid; Nor to that flatt’ring hope attend, Which must in disappointment end. XVIII. ESOP AND THE IMPORTUNATE FELLOW.