"How think you of our friend the dean? 105 110 115 120 But something much more our concern, 145 150 Our friend Dan Prior told (you know) 155 He had a story of two mice. Once on a time (so runs the fable) Received a town mouse at his board, Just as a farmer might a lord. 160 A frugal mouse upon the whole, On just occasion, coute qui coute, He brought him bacon (nothing lean), 165 Pudding that might have pleased a dean; But wish'd it Stilton for his sake; Yet, to his guest though no way sparing, 170 And cried, "I vow you're mighty neat. Both small and great, both you and I: 175 4 [Prior has several little apologues on mice. His first work was the City and Country Mouse, a parody on Dryden's Hind and Panther, by Prior and Montagu (afterwards Lord Halifax). Pope's silence as to Montagu's share in the satire, seems to countenance the observation of Lord Peterborough, who, being asked if Montagu did not write the Country Mouse with Prior, replied, "Yes, just as if I was in a chaise, with Mr. Cheselden here, drawn by his fine horse, and should say, 'Lord, how finely we draw this chaise.'"] Then spend your life in joy and sport, The veriest hermit in the nation May yield, God knows, to strong temptation. When all their Lordships had sat late. A RAT, A RAT! CLAP TO THE DOOR!" Behold the place, where if a poet 190 The moon was up, and men a-bed, The napkins white, the carpet red: 195 The guests withdrawn had left the treat, Our courtier walks from dish to dish, 200 205 210 Or gods to save them in a trice! 215 "An't please your honour," quoth the peasant, "This same dessert is not so pleasant: Give me again my hollow tree, 220 A crust of bread, and liberty!" GAIN? A BOOK IV. ODE I. TO VENUS. new tumults in my breast? Ah spare me, Venus! let me, let me rest! I am not now, alas! the man As in the gentle reign of my Queen Anne. Ah, sound no more thy soft alarms, Nor circle sober fifty with thy charms. Mother too fierce of dear desires! Turn, turn to willing hearts your wanton fires. To Number Five direct your doves, There spread round Murray all your blooming loves; 5 Noble and young, who strike the heart With every sprightly, every decent part; Equal, the injured to defend, To charm the mistress, or to fix the friend. He, with a hundred arts refined, Shall stretch thy conquests over half the kind: To him each rival shall submit, Make but his riches equal to his wit. Then shall thy form the marble grace (Thy Grecian form), and Chloe lend the face: His house, embosom'd in the grove, Shall call the smiling loves, and young desires; For me the vernal garlands bloom no more. The still-believing, still-renew'd desire; Steals down my cheek the involuntary tear? Stop, or turn nonsense, at one glance of thee? Thee, dress'd in Fancy's airy beam, Absent I follow through the extended dream ; Now, now I seize, I clasp thy charms, And now you burst (ah cruel!) from my arms, 5 [Murray's chambers were at this time in King's Bench Walks, No. 5.] |