THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE FOX.
THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE FOX.
Courtiers, discretion is your safest plan:Malice is sure to find its source again;And, while you do yourself what good you can,Reflect that slandering others is in vain.
FABLE CXLIV.
THE HEAD AND THE TAIL OF THE SERPENT.
The Snake has two parts, it is said,Hostile to man—his tail and head;And both, as all of us must know,Are well known to the Fates below.Once on a time a feud aroseFor the precedence—almost blows."I always walked before the Tail,"So said the Head, without avail.The Tail replied, "I travel o'erFurlongs and leagues—ay, score on score—Just as I please. Then, is it rightI should be always in this plight?Jove! I am sister, and not slave:Equality is all I crave.Both of the selfsame blood, I claimOur treatment, then, should be the same.As well as her I poison bear,Powerful and prompt, for men to fear.And this is all I wish to ask;Command it—'tis a simple task:Let me but in my turn go first;For her 'twill be no whit the worst.I sure can guide, as well as she;No subject for complaint shall be."Heaven was cruel in consenting:Such favours lead but to repenting.Jove should be deaf to such wild prayers:He was not then; so first she fares;She, who in brightest day saw not,No more than shut up in a pot,Struck against rocks, and many a tree—'Gainst passers-by, continually;Until she led them both, you see,Straight into Styx. Unhappy allThose wretched states who, like her, fall.
FABLE CXLV.
THE DOG WHICH CARRIED ROUND HIS NECK HIS MASTER'S DINNER.
Few eyes are against beauty proof;Few hands from gold can keep aloof;Few people guard a treasure well,Or of strict faithfulness can tell.A certain Dog, true, brave, and stout,Carried his master's dinner out.This self-denial pressed him hard,When he had dainty food to guard:Yet long he kept it safe and sound.Well, we are tempted oft, 'tis found,By good things near us! Strange, we learnFrom dogs, and yet we hopeless turnFrom men when temperance is in view!One day this Dog, so staunch and true,A mastiff met, who wished to seizeThe dinner. Not so, if you please.The Dog put down the food, to fightA mighty combat. Left and rightCame other dogs,—mere thieves and foes,Who cared not for the hardest blows.Our Dog, who dreaded every stranger,And saw the food was much in danger,Wanted his share. "Come, gentlemen,This rabbit does for me; now, then,You take the rest!" so he leaped on it,And then the others fell upon it.He snapped the best, and then they flewAnd shared the plunder,—the whole crew.So, sometimes, when they yield a town,And soldiers burghers trample down,Sheriffs and provosts are the worstTo rob and pillage, being first:
THE DOG AND HIS MASTER'S DINNER.
THE DOG AND HIS MASTER'S DINNER.
Pleasant to see them pistoles seize,Filling their purses at their ease!And if, by chance, to one more coolSome scruples come, they call him fool:Then he repents him of the blunder,And is the first to lead the plunder.
FABLE CXLVI.
DEATH AND THE DYING MAN.
Death never yet surprised the sage,Who's always ready for the stage;Knowing each hour that comes may beHis passage to eternity.Death's rule embraces every day:Each moment is beneath his sway.We all pay tribute to that lord;We all bow down beneath his sword.The instant the king's child has birth—And looks forth on this desert earth—-That instant Death may it surprise,And close its scarcely-opened eyes.Beauty, youth, virtue, every day,Death steals so ruthlessly away.One day the world will be his prey:This knowledge is most largely shared;For no event we're less prepared.A dying man, a century old,Complained to Death, that he was toldToo suddenly, before his willWas made; he'd duties to fulfil;"Now, is it just," this was his cry,"To call me, unprepared, to die?No; wait a moment, pray, sir, do;My wife would wish to join me, too.For still one nephew I'd provide:And I have causes to decide.I must enlarge my house, you know.Don't be so pressing, pray, sir, go.""Old man," said Death, "for once be wise;My visit can be no surprise.What! I impatient? In the throngOf Paris who has lived so long?Find me in all France even ten;I should have warned you, you say then?And so your will you would have made,Your grandson settled; basement laid.What! not a warning, when your feetCan scarcely move, and fast retreatYour memory makes, when half your mindAnd wit is left a league behind?When nearly all fails?—no more hearing—No taste—all fading, as I'm fearing.The star of day shines now in vainFor you: why sigh to view againThe pleasures out of reach? Just seeYour comrades drop continually,Dead, dying: is no warning there?I put it to you, is this fair?Come, come, old man; what! wrangling still?No matter, you must leave your will;The great republic cares not, sir,For one or no executor."And Death was right: old men, at least,Should die as people leave a feast,Thanking the host—their luggage trim:Death will not stay to please their whim.You murmur, dotard! look and sigh,To see the young, that daily die;Walk to the grave or run, a nameTo win of everlasting fame:Death glorious may be, yet how sure,And sometimes cruel to endure.In vain I preach; with foolish zeal,Those most akin to death but feelThe more regret in quitting life,And creep reluctant from the strife.
FABLE CXLVII.
THE POWER OF FABLES.
TO M. DE BARILLON.
How can a great ambassador descendTo simple tales a patient ear to lend?How could I trifling verses to you bring,Or dare with transient playfulness to sing?For if, sometimes, I vainly tried to soar,Would you not only deem me rash once more?You have more weighty matters to debateThan of a Weasel and a Rabbit's fate.Read me, or read me not; but, oh, debarAll Europe banding against us in war.Lest from a thousand places there ariseFresh enemies our legions to surprise.England already wearies of her rest,And views our king's alliance as a jest.Is it not time that Louis sought repose?What Hercules but wearies of his blowsAt the huge Hydra?—will it show its might,And press again the lately ended fight,By thrusting forth another head to meet,At his strong sinewy arm, a fresh defeat?If your mind, pliant, eloquent, and strong,Could soften hearts, and but avert this wrong,I'd sacrifice a hundred sheep to you—A pretty thing for a poor bard to do.Have then, at least, the kindness graciouslyThis pinch of incense to receive from me.Accept my ardent vows, and what I write:The subject suits you that I here indite.I'll not repeat the praises Envy ownsAre due to you, who need not fear her groans.In Athens' city, fickle, vain, of old,An Orator, who dangers manifoldSaw crowding on his country, one day wentUp in the tribune, with the wise intent,With his skill'd tongue, and his despotic art,Towards a republic to force every heart.He spoke with fervour 'bout the common weal;They would not listen: they were hard as steel.The Orator, to rouse them, had recourseTo metaphors of greater fire and force,To sting the basest. He awoke the dead.He, Zeus-like, flamed and thunder'd o'er each head:The wind bore all away,—yes, every word.The many-headed monster had not heard:They ran to see the rabble children play,Or two boys fighting made them turn away.What did the speaker do?—he tried once more:"Ceres," he said, "once made, we hear, a tour.An Eel and Swallow follow'd her:A river gave them some demur.The Eel it swam: the Swallow flew,Now what I tell you's really true."And as he utter'd this, the crowd"And Ceres, what did she?" cried loud."Just what she did:—then pious rageStirr'd him to execrate the age.What children's tales absorb your mind,Careless of all the woes behind!Thou only careless Grecian state,What Philip does you should debate."At this reproach the mob grew still,And listen'd with a better will:Such silence a mere fable won!We're like the Greeks, all said and done.And I myself, who preach so well,If any one to me would tell"Le Peau d'Ane," I should, with delight,Listen for half the livelong night.The world is old, as I have heard,And I believe it, on my word;Yet still, though old, I'm reconciledTo entertain it like a child.
FABLE CXLVIII.
THE BEAR AND THE AMATEUR OF GARDENING.
A certain Mountain Bruin once, they say,Was wont within a lonely wood to stray,—A new Bellerophon secluded there,His mind had gone, and left his brain-pan bare.Reason on lonely people sheds no ray;It's good to speak—better to silent stay:Both in excess are bad. No animalWas ever seen, or was within a call.Bear though he was, he wearied of this life,And longed for the world's joy and the world's strife:Then "Melancholy marked him for her own."Not far from him an old man lived alone:
THE BEAR AND THE AMATEUR OF GARDENING.
THE BEAR AND THE AMATEUR OF GARDENING.
Dull as the Bear, he loved his garden well;Was priest of Flora and Pomona; still,Though the employment's pleasant, a kind friendIs needful, its full charms to it to lend:Gardens talk little, save in my small book.Weary at last of their mere smiling look,And those his dumb companions, one fine day,Our man set forth upon his lonely way,To seek a friend. The Bear, with the same thought,Had left his mountain, satisfied with nought.By chance most strange the two adventurers meetAt the same turning. He's afraid to greetThe Bear; but fly he can't. What can he do?Well, like a Gascon, he gets neatly through:Conceals his fright. The bear is not well bred;Still growls, "Come, see me!" but the other said,"Here is my cottage; pray come in, my lord;Do me the honour at my frugal boardTo lunchal fresco.I have milk and fruit,That will, perhaps, your worship's pleasure suitFor once, though not your ordinary fare;I offer all I have." With friendly airThey're chums already before reaching home;Still better friends when there they've fairly come.In my opinion it's a golden rule:Better be lonely than be with a fool.The Bear, who did not speak two words a day,Left the drudge there to work and toil away.Bruin went hunting, and brought in the game,Or flapped the blow-flies, when the blow-flies came;And kept from off his sleeping partner's faceOf winged parasites the teasing race.One day a buzzer o'er the sleeping manPoised, and then settled on his nose,—their plan.The Bear was crazy: all his chase was vain;"I'll catch you, thief!" he cried: it came again.'Twas said, 'twas done; the flapper seized a stone,And launched it bravely—bravely it was thrown.He crushed the fly, but smashed the poor man's skull—A sturdy thrower, but a reasoner dull.Nothing's so dangerous as a foolish friend;Worse than a real wise foe, you may depend.
FABLE CXLIX.
THE MAN AND THE FLEA.
People pray to and weary the gods, now and then,About trifles unworthy to interest men;Thinking Providence cruel unless it contrivesTo design to their likings the whole of their lives.Why believe that Olympus should study us moreThan it studied the Greeks and the Trojans of yore?A gaby was bit on the shoulder, one night,By a Flea, which took refuge instanter in flight."O Hercules, Hercules, prithee come down,And exterminate Fleas!" cried the suppliant clown."O Jupiter, strike with your lightning the beasts,And avenge me on them and their horrible feasts!"To punish a Flea, 'twould be rather a wonderIf gods went to work with their clubs and their thunder.
FABLE CL.
THE WOMAN AND THE SECRET.
A secret is a dreadful weighty thing:Few women carry secrets very far;And this remark doth to my memory bringSome men, too, born beneath the female star.To try his wife, a husband one night cried,"Ye gods, I perish! spare me, spare, I pray:For, lo! I have just laid an egg." "An egg?" she sighed."Here it is—newly laid: but do not sayA single word, or they will call me 'hen.'Be silent, darling." Then, in full belief,She swore by all the gods to keep all menQuite in the dark, so she assured her chief.But with the shadows pass those words of hers.Foolish and indiscreet, at earliest dawn,She seeks her neighbour, and she thus avers:"My gossip, such a thing took place last night!You must say nothing, or I shall be beat.My husband laid an egg, yes, large and white.And big as any four; but don't repeat,In Heaven's name, nor mention anywhereThis strange occurrence." "Now, I see you mock,"The other said. "What! mention the affair!You know me not. Go, I am like a rock!"The hen's wife hastened homeward presently;The other spreads the tale in twenty places.The one big egg she quickly turns to three;Nor was this all: to many startled facesAnother chatterer makes the number four.Whispering is no more needful—all is known.Before the day was over there had flownA rumour that the man had forty scoreOf chickens of his own all cackling round his door.
TIRCIS AND AMARANTH.
TIRCIS AND AMARANTH.
FABLE CLI.
TIRCIS AND AMARANTH.
FOR MADEMOISELLE DE SILLERY.
I quitted Æsop, long ago,For pleasant old Boccaccio;But now a fair DivinityWould once more from Parnassus seeFables in my poor manner; soTo answer with a boorish "No,"Without a valid, stout excuse,To goddesses would be no use;Divinities need more than this,And belles especially, I wis.Her wishes are all queens, you see;She rules us all, does Sillery;Who wishes once again to knowOf Master Wolf, and Master Crow.Who can refuse her majesty?None can deny her. How can I?Well, to her mind my stories areObscure, and too mysterious far;For, sometimes, evenbeaux espritsAre puzzled and astray, you see.Let us, then, write in plainer tune,That she may so decipher soon.I'll sing of simple shepherds, then,Before I rhyme of wolves again.Tircis to youthful Amaranth, one day,Said, "Ah! but if you knew the griefs that slay!Pleasing enchantments! Heaven-kindled woe!The greatest joy of earth you then would know.Oh, let me picture them! you need not fear.Could I deceive you? Stay, then, sweet, and hear.What! I betray?—I, whose poor heart is cleftBy fondest hopes that cruel Love has left?"Then Amaranth exclaimed, "What is this pain?How call you it?—now, tell me once again!""'Tis Love!" "A pretty word, its symptoms tell:How shall I know it—I, who am so well?""A malady, to which all pleasant things—Yes, even all the pleasures of great kings—Seem poor and faded. Lovers thus are known:In gloomy forests they will walk alone;Muse by the river, watch the stream beside,Yet their own faces rise not from the tide;One image only in the flood shows day by day;This lovely shadow comes, but to betray:To other things they're blind. A shepherd speaks;His voice, his name, raise blushes on your cheeks:You like to think of him, yet know not why;You wonder at the wish, and yet you sigh;You fear to see him, and yet, absent, cry."Amaranth leaped for joy: "Is this, then, love?Is that the pain you rank all things above?It is not new to me: I think I know it."Tircis thought he was safe, but dared not show it.The maid said, "Yes, and that, I freely grant,Is what I feel for dear, dear Clidamant."Then Tircis almost burst with rage and spite;But yet it served the cheating fellow right.Thinking to gain the prize, he lost the game,And only cleared the road for him who came.
FABLE CLII.
THE JOKER AND THE FISHES.
He's vastly popular, your "Funny Man;"Formypart I avoid him when I can.I generally find him rather hollow;—The joker's is no easy art to follow.I think sarcastic people were createdFor fools to grin at, when exhilarated.Let me present one at a dinner-table,To point a moral and adorn a fable.A wag, dining out at a banker's, one day,Had some very small fishes put near him.He saw there were finer ones farther away,So, pretending the fishes could hear him,He mutter'd some words to the poor little creatures,And feign'd to receive their replies.It was done with such grave and unchangeable features,That people all opened their eyes.Then he said that some very particular friendWasen routefor the Indies, or thereabouts;And he feared he might come to a watery end,So he wanted some hints of his whereabouts."The fishes had answered," he added, politely,"Thattheywere too young to reply;But they fancied their fathers could answer him rightly,Should one of them chance to be by."To say that the company relished the jest,Or the jester, is more than I'm able;But it answered his end, for they gave him the bestOf the fishes that lay on the table.'Twas a monster that might have related him storiesAs much as a century old;Long tales of the sea, of its perils and glories,As wondrous as ever were told.
FABLE CLIII.
THE RAT AND THE OYSTER.
A Rustic Rat, of mighty little sense,Weary of home, would needs go travel thence;And quitted the paternal hearth, one day,To study life in places far away.At each wide prospect, hitherto unscanned,He murmured, "Oh, how beautiful! how grand!Yon mount is Caucasus, begirt with pines;That range, methinks, must be the Apennines."For every molehill, to his wondering eyes,Became a mountain of terrific size.He reached a province of the land, at last,Where Tethys, deity of seas, had castSome Oysters on the sand, which looked at leastLike first-rate frigates to our simple beast."My father is a timid soul," he said,"Who fears to travel: what an empty dread!As to myself, what marvels I have seen;What scores of wonders, earthly and marine!"Thus boasted he, in magisterial tone,And boasted loud, though speaking all alone.Most rats, I beg to say, are more discreet,And use their lips but when they wish to eat.Meanwhile, one Oyster—a luxurious one—With shells apart, was basking in the sun.Tasting the balmy breeze, it lay agape,—A fine fat morsel of seductive shape.The Rat, with moistenings of the under lip(Mistaking still the Oyster for a ship),Ran up, and, smelling something nice to eat,Prepared, straightway, his grinders for a treat."The crew," quoth he, "have left a feast on board,—A cold collation, fit for any lord;If it deceive me not, I've got a prize,Or else I do not know the use of eyes."So saying, Master Rat, resolving well,Peered round the pearly margin of the shell.It held him fast: the Oyster from his napHad woke, and sharply shut his treacherous trap.This all arose from fatal ignorance:The fable's useful to the folks of France,—Nor France alone: it shows with what surpriseThe simplest object strikes a booby's eyes.And notice, oftentimes, for want of wit,The fool, who thinks he's biting, is first bit.
FABLE CLIV.
THE TWO FRIENDS.
Two steadfast Friends lived once in Monomtàpa;They loved as if really they'd had the same pàpa:What one earned the other earned. Ah! for that land;It's worth ten such countries as ours, understand.One night, when a deep sleep had fallen on all,And the sun had gone off in the dark, beyond call,One of these worthy men, woke by a nightmare,Ran to his friend, in a shiver, and quite bare.The other at once takes his purse and his sword,Accosts his companion, and says, "'Pon my wordYou seldom are up when all other men snore;You make better use of the night than to poreOver books; but come, tell me, you're ruined at play,Or you have quarrelled with some one; now, speak out, I say.Here's my sword and my purse; or, if eager to restOn a fond wife's compassionate, fondling breast,Take this slave: she is fair." "No, no," said the other,"'Twas neither of these things that startled me, brother.Thanks, thanks for your zeal; 'twas a dream that I had:I saw you appear to me, looking so sad;I feared you were ill, and ran to you to see:'Twas that dream, so detestable, brought me to thee."Which friend loved the most?—come, reader, speak out!The question is hard, and leaves matter for doubt.A true friend is choicest of treasures indeed;In the depths of your heart he will see what you need:He'll spare you the pain to disclose woes yourself,Indifferent to either his trouble or pelf:A dream, when he loves, or a trifle—mere air—Will strike him with terror, lest danger be there.
FABLE CLV.
THE PIG, THE GOAT, AND THE SHEEP.
A Goat, a Sheep, and a fat Pig were sentTo market, to their mutual discontent;Not for the pleasures of the noisy fair,But just to sell—the farmer's only care.Not to see jugglers' tricks drove on the carter,Bent only on his traffic and his barter.Sir Porker screeched, as if he felt the knife,Or heard ten butchers plotting 'gainst his life.It was a noise to deafen any one:His mild companions prayed him to have done.The carter shouts, "Good heavens! why this riot?You'll drive us silly; fool! can't you be quiet?These honest folks should teach you manners, man;So hold your tongue, you coward, if you can.Observe this sheep, he has not said a word,And he is wise." "Now, fool! you talk absurd.If he the dangers knew as well as I,Till he was hoarse and blind he'd bleat and cry.And this my other friend, so calm and still,Would scream his life out, as I, carter, will.They think you're only going, on the morrow,From this his milk, from that his wool to borrow:Theymay be right or wrong, I do not know;ButIam certain of the deadly blow:I'm good but for the spit. Farewell to you,My house, and wife, and children! now, adieu."Sir Porker reasoned with sufficient skill;But all was useless: he was fit to kill.Fear nor complaint could change his destiny:He who looks forward least will wisest be.
FABLE CLVI.
THE RAT AND THE ELEPHANT.
In France there's many a man of small degreeFond of asserting his own mightiness:A "nobody" turns "somebody." We seeIn this the nation's natural flightiness.In Spain men are not vain; their high-flown schoolsHave made them proud, yet have not made them fools.A tiny Rat saw a huge ElephantTravelling slowly with his equipage;'Mongst beasts a sultan, knowing not a want.His suite comprised within a monstrous cage
THE RAT AND THE ELEPHANT.
THE RAT AND THE ELEPHANT.
His household gods, his favourite dog and cat,His parroquet, his monkey, and all that.The Rat, astonished to see people stareAt so much bulk and state, which took up allThe space where he of right should have his share,Upon the citizens began to call:"Fools! know you not that smallest rats are equalTo biggest elephants?" (Alas! the sequel.)"Is it his monstrous bulk you're staring at?It can but frighten little girls and boys;Why, I can do the same.You see, a RatIs scarce less than an Elephant." A noise!The Cat sprang from her cage; and, with one pant,The Rat found he was not an Elephant.
FABLE CLVII.
THE FUNERAL OF THE LIONESS.
The Lion lost his wife, one day;And everybody made his wayTo bring the prince that consolationWhich makes us feel our desolation.The King announced the funeralOn such a day, to one and all.They regulate the obsequy,And marshal the vast company:As you may guess, each one was there;The prince's groanings filled the air;And the den shook, above, below—Lions have got great lungs, you know.As the King does, all the others do;So the best courtiers blubbered too.Let me define a court: a placeSad—gay; where every changeful face,Careless of joy, is ready stillTo change again at the King's will;And if some cannot change, they tryTo watch the change in the King's eye:Chameleons, apes, in every feature;Plastic and pliant in their nature.One soul by turns fills many bodies:These knaves are soulless, which more odd is.But to return. The Stag aloneUttered no single sigh or groan.It could not well be otherwise;This death avenged old injuries.The Queen had cruel, mischief done;Strangled his wife, and slain his son:Therefore he shed no single tear.A flatterer noticed, hovering near;Moreover, the spy saw him smile.The anger of a King, meanwhile(I may observe, with Solomon,The wisest man beneath the sun),Is terrible; but to our friendNo book could much instruction lend."Base creature of the woods!" with scornThe Lion cried, "you do not mourn!What should prevent our sacred clawsTeaching you friendship's holy laws?Come, Wolves, avenge that Queen of mine:Offer this victim on her shrine!"The Stag replied, "The time for griefIs passed; tears now are useless, Chief.Your wife, whose features well I know,Appeared to me an hour ago,Half hid in flowers. 'My friend,' she said,'For me your tears are vainly shed.Weep not: in the Elysian fieldsI've every pleasure that life yields,Conversing with my holy friends;But for a time the King descendsTo a despair that charms me so.'"Scarce had he spoken thus, when, lo!"A miracle!" the courtiers cry.The Stags rewarded, instantly;And safely, without punishment,Back to his native woods is sent.With dreams amuse a listening king,With falsehoods sweet and flattering;Whatever rage within may burn,He'll gorge the bait, and friendly turn.
FABLE CLVIII
THE BASHAW AND THE MERCHANT.
An old Greek Merchant, one day, soughtProtection from a Bashaw, boughtAt pasha's, not at merchant's, price(Such guardians are not very nice).It cost so much, that he complainedHis purse and coffer were both drained.Three other Turks, of lower station,Offered, from sheer commiseration,Their joint help, by word and deed,For less than half the first to cede:
THE BASHAW AND THE MERCHANT.
THE BASHAW AND THE MERCHANT.
The Greek he listens, then agrees.The Bashaw, cheated of his fees,Is told that if of time the nickHe'd seize, these rascals he must trick—Send them to Mahomet, to bearA message for his private ear;And quickly, too, or they united,Knowing his friends, would see him righted;Would send him some vile poison-broth,To show the keenness of their wrath;And that would send him to protectThe Stygian merchants, they expect.The Turk—an Alexander—strodeUnto the Merchant's snug abode:Down at the table sat—his airGenerous, bold, and free from care,For he feared nothing,—how could he?"My friend," he said, "you're quitting me;And people tell me to watch keenly.—You are too worthy: so serenelyNo poisoner ever looks, I know;So no more on that tack we'll go.But for these patrons you have found,Hear me,—to tell a tale I'm bound.To wrong you I have no intent,With reasoning, or with argument."Once a poor shepherd used to keepA dog, to guard his silly sheep;Till some one asked him, plain and pat,How he could keep a beast like that,With such a ravenous appetite:It really wasn't fair or right.'Twas their and every one's desireHe'd give the dog up to the squire.Three terriers were best for him,To guard his flocks, in life and limb:The cur ate three times more than they.—But the fool meddlers did not sayHe also fought with treble teeth,When wolves came howling out for death.The shepherd listened—three dogs bought:They cost him less, but never fought.The flock discovered their ill lotAlmost as soon as you, I wot.Your wretched choice will quickly do:Now mark what I have said to you;If you'll do well, return to me."The Greek obeyed him speedily.'Tis good the provinces should heed:'Tis better, in good faith I plead,Unto one powerful king to bend,Than on poor princelings to depend.
FABLE CLIX.
THE HOROSCOPE.
A Man will sometimes meet his destinyThe moment that he turns ill-luck to flee.A father had an only son, and dearHe held him; so, as love is kin to fear,He with astrologers held a debateAbout the stars that ruled the infant's fate.One of these people said the father's careShould of all lions specially beware.Till he was twenty, he should keep him in,And, after that, his safety would begin.The cautious father, resolute to saveHis offspring from the ever-yawning grave,Knowing the danger turned on one neglect,Guarded him carefully, in this respect;—Forbad him exit; barred up every door;But other pleasures lavished more and more.With his companions, all the live-long day,He was allowed to walk, and run, and play.When he had reached the age that loves the chase,A closer ward they kept upon the place.They talked with scorn of all the huntsman's joys,Spoke of the dangers—mocked the trumpet's noise.But all in vain were sermons, though well meant;Nothing can change the force of temperament.The youth was restless, fiery, hot, and brave;The stormy impulses came, wave on wave.He sighed for pleasure;—more the obstacle,The more desire; in vain they try to quell:He knew the cause of all his misery.The spacious house, so rich with luxury,Was full of pictures, and of tapestry,—The subjects hunting scenes, and forest glades:Here animals, there men, strong lights, dark shades,—The weaver made the lion chief of all:"Out, monster!" cried the youth, and eyed the wallWith foaming rage: "'tis you that keep me here,In gloom and fetters. Is it you I fear?"He spoke, and struck, with all a madman's might,The beast so innocent. There, out of sight,Under the hanging, a sharp nail was stuck:It pricked him deeply, by the worst of luck.The arts of Æsculapius were in vain:He joined the shadows that own Pluto's reign.His death was due to his fond sire's regard,That in the locked-up palace kept him barred.It was precaution, too, that whilom slewThe poet Æschylus, if they say true.It had been prophesied a house should fallUpon his head, so he shunned tower and wall,The city left, and camped out on the plain.Far from all roofs and danger, he was slain:An eagle, with a tortoise in his grip, flew by;The poet's bald head, from the upper sky,Looked like a smooth boulder; the bird let dropThe prey he wished to crush upon the top.So perished Æschylus. From hence, we see,The art, if true, led to the miseryThat they would shun, all who in it had trust;But I maintain it's false, and quite unjust.I'll ne'er believe that Nature ties our hands,Or would submit herself to such vile bands,As in the skies to write our future fate;Times, persons, places, have far greater weightThan the conjunctions of a charlatan,Under the self-same planet, tell the man.Are kings and shepherds born, though one may swayWith golden sceptre, and the other playWith ashen crook? "The will of Jupiter,"—A star has not a soul, my worthy sir;Why should its influence affect these twoSo diversely? How can it pierce throughThat sea of air,—those cloudy gulfs profound,Mars and the Sun, and pass each fiery bound?An atom would disturb it on its path.Horoscope-mongers, let me rouse your wrath:The state of Europe,—who predicted that?Did you foresee it?—now, then, answer pat.Think of each planet's distance, and its speed;These sage's passions, it is well agreed,Prevent their judging of our actions right.On them our fate depends: a planet's courseGoes like our minds, with a still-varying force.And yet these fools, with compass and with line,Of men's whole lives would map out a design!But do not let the tales that I repeatWeigh in the balance more than it is meet.The fate of boy and Æschylus came true,Blind and deceitful though the art be, too.Once in a thousand times the bull's eye's hit;That is the good luck of your juggling wit.