This trick so swelled him with conceit, He thought no enterprise too great. Alike in sciences and arts, He boasted universal parts; Pragmatic, busy, bustling, bold, His arrogance was uncontrolled: _80 And thus he made his party good, And grew dictator of the wood. The beasts with admiration stare, And think him a prodigious bear. Were any common booty got, 'Twas his each portion to allot: For why, he found there might be picking, Even in the carving of a chicken. Intruding thus, he by degrees Claimed too the butcher's larger fees. _90 And now his over-weening pride In every province will preside. No talk too difficult was found: His blundering nose misleads the hound. In stratagem and subtle arts, He overrules the fox's parts. It chanced, as, on a certain day, Along the bank he took his way, A boat, with rudder, sail, and oar, At anchor floated near the shore. _100 He stopp'd, and turning to his train, Thus pertly vents his vaunting strain: 'What blundering puppies are mankind, In every science always blind! I mock the pedantry of schools. What are their compasses and rules? From me that helm shall conduct learn. And man his ignorance discern.' So saying, with audacious pride, He gains the boat, and climbs the side. _110 The beasts astonished, lined the strand, The anchor's weighed, he drives from land: The slack sail shifts from side to side; The boat untrimmed admits the tide, Borne down, adrift, at random toss'd, His oar breaks short, the rudder's lost. The bear, presuming in his skill, Is here and there officious still; Till striking on the dangerous sands, Aground the shattered vessel stands. _120 To see the bungler thus distress'd, The very fishes sneer and jest. Even gudgeons join in ridicule, To mortify the meddling fool. The clamorous watermen appear; Threats, curses, oaths, insult his ear: Seized, thrashed, and chained, he's dragged to land; Derision shouts along the strand. * * * * * FABLE VI. THE SQUIRE AND HIS CUR. TO A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.