The Moral.
Princes can never satisfy
That Worth that rates itself too high.
What Pity it is! some Men of Parts
Should have such haughty stubborn Hearts:
When once they are courted they grow vain:
Ambitious Souls cannot contain
Their Joy, which when they strive to hide,
They cover it with so much Pride,
So Saucy to Superiors,
Impatient of Competitors,
Th' are utterly untractable,
And put off like our Nightingale.
Many with him might have been great,
Promoted Friends, and serv'd the State,
That have beheld, with too much Joy,
The wish'd for Opportunity;
Then slipt it by their own Delays,
Sloth, Pride, or other willful Ways,
And ever after strove in vain
To see the Forelock once again.
Council held by the Rats.
A Cat, whose Sirname pretty hard was,
One Captain Felis Rodilardus
Had made so terrible a slaughter
Among the Rats; that little after
There's hardly one to shew his head,
Most part of 'em were maim'd or dead.
The few that yet had 'scap'd the Grave,
Liv'd in a subterranean Cave,
Where they sat thinking mighty dull,
With Bellies less than quarter full,
Not daring to stir out for fear
Of Rodilard, who's ev'ry where.
They tried a hundred ways to sun him:
But finding they could never shun him,
The Wretches look upon him, that
He's more a Devil than a Cat.
Once, when our am'rous Spark was gone
A hunting Wenches up and down,
The poor remainder to improve
The time their Enemy made love,
Assembl'd, and employ'd their Cares
About the straits of their Affairs.
Their President, a Man of Sence,
Told 'em, by long experience;
I know, the Captain used to come
In Ambush without beat of Drum.
Methinks, that if we could but hear him
We need not half so much to fear him:
And therefore, th' only way's to take
A Bell, and tie't about his Neck;
And then let him be ne'er so arch
He'll advertise us of his march.
His Council took, and every one }
Was of the same Opinion; }
Sure nothing better could be done. }
But pray, says one, who is to tie it;
For I desire not to be nigh it.
How! cries another, tie the Bell,
I dare draw all his Teeth as well.
A third, a fourth, all say the same,
And so they parted as they came.
The Moral.
Thus Cits advise what's to be done,
This way they should attack the Town;
Now here, then there, why don't they come?
So, often in a Coffee-room,
Where prudently they rule the Nation,
I've heard some Men of Reputation
Propose things which they dare as well
Perform, as Rats to tie the Bell.
The Bat and the two Weasels.
A Purblind Bat a heedless Beast
Ran headlong into a Weasel's Nest,
Who big with Child, and Passionate,
Had long since bore a mortal hate
To Mice; she rises, takes a Knife,
Runs to 'm resolv'd to have his Life,
And says: What Rascal in my House!
O impudence! a'nt you a Mouse?
Confess: Yes, I am sure you are,
Or I'm no Weasel: Have a Care,
No Names, good Lady, says the Bat,
No more a Mouse, than you a Rat.
What, I a Mouse? I scorn the Word;
And thank the Gods that made m' a Bird;
Witness my Wings, they're proof enough;
Long live the Birds, and so came off.
Some two Days after giddy brain
By a mischance, intrudes again
T' another Weasel's, who hates Birds,
She lets him enter, made no Words;
But fairly caught him by his Crupper,
And went to cranch him for her Supper.
In quality of Bird, says he,
Madam, this is an Injury,
Damn all the Birds, I do Protest
You wrong me: Sure y'are but in jest,
What reason I should pass for one?
All Birds have Feathers, I have none.
I am a Mouse long live the Rats,
And Jupiter confound the Cats.