A vicious object ftill is worse, Successful there, he wins a curfe; But he, whom even in life's last stage Endeavours laudable engage,
Is paid, at least in peace of mind, And fenfe of having well defign'd; And if, ere he attain his end, His fun precipitate descend, A brighter prize than that he meant Shall recompence his mere intent. No virtuous wish can bear a date Either too early or too late.
THE green-houfe is my fummer feat; My fhrubs difplac'd from that retreat Enjoy'd the open air;
Two goldfinches, whofe fprightly fong Had been their mutual folace long, Liv'd happy pris'ners there.
They fang, as blithe as finches fing 'That flutter loofe on golden wing, And frolio where they lift;
Strangers to liberty, 'tis true, But that delight they never knew, And, therefore, never miss'd.
But nature works in ev'ry breast ; Instinct is never quite fupprefs'd; And Dick felt some defires, Which, after many an effort vain, Instructed him at length to gain A pass between his wires.
The open windows feem'd to invite The freeman to a farewell flight; But Tom was still confin'd; And Dick, although his way was clear, Was much too gen'rous and fincere To leave his friend behind.
For, fettling on his grated roof, He chirp'd and kifs'd him, giving proof That he defir'd no more;
Nor would forfake his cage at last, Till gently feiz'd, I shut him faft, A pris'ner as before.
Oh ye, who never knew the joys Of friendship, fatisfied with noife, Fandango, ball, and rout!
Blufh, when I tell you how a bird, A prifon, with a friend, preferr'd To liberty without.
I SHALL not afk Jean Jacques Rousseau *. If birds confabulate or no;
'Tis clear that they were always able To hold difcourfe, at least, in fable;
And ev❜n the child, who knows no better, Than to interpret by the letter,
A ftory of a cock and bull,
Must have a moft uncommon fkull.
It chanc'd then, on a winter's day, But warm and bright, and calm as May, The birds, conceiving a defign
To foreftal fweet St Valentine,
In many an orchard, copfe, and grove, Affembled on affairs of love,
And with much twitter, and much chatter, Began to agitate the matter.
*It was one of the whimsical fpeculations of this philofopher, that all fables which afcribe reafon and fpeech to animals fhould be withheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception. But what child was ever deceived by them, can be, against the evidence of his fenfes?
At length a Bulfinch, who could boast More years and wisdom than the most, Entreated, op'ning wide his beak, A moment's liberty to speak; And, filence publicly enjoin'd, Deliver'd briefly thus his mind.
My friends! be cautious how ye treat The fubject upon which we meet ; I fear we fhall have winter yet.
A finch, whofe tongue knew no controul, With golden wing and fattin pole, A last year's bird, who ne'er had tried What marriage means, thus pert replied. Methinks the gentleman, quoth fhe, Oppofite in the apple-tree,
By his good-will would keep us fingle, Till yonder heav'n and earth shall mingle, Or (which is likelier to befall)
My dear Dick Redcap, what fay you? Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling, Turning fhort round, ftrutting and fideling, Attefted, glad, his approbation
Of an immediate conjugation.
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