A Weazel once made fhift to flink

In at a Corn-loft through a Chink;
But having amply stuff'd his fkin,
Could not get out as he got in;
Which one belonging to the House
('Twas not a Man, it was a Mouse)
Observing, cry'd, "You 'scape not fo,
"Lean as you came, Sir, you must go.”
Sir, you may spare your Application,
I'm no fuch Beast, nor his Relation;
Nor one that Temperance advance,
Cramm'd to the Throat with Ortolans:
Extremely ready to refign

All that may make me none of mine.
South-fea Subfcriptions take who please,
Leave me but Liberty and Eafe.

'Twas what I faid to Craggs and Child,
Who prais'd my Modefty, and fmil'd.
Give me, I cry'd, (enough for me)
-My Bread, and Independency!
So bought an Annual-rent or two,

Cui mustela procul, Si vis, ait, effugere istinc;
Macra cavum repetes arctum, quem macra fubisti.
Hac ego fi compellar imagine, cun&ta refigno;
Nec fomnum plebis laudo fatur altilium, nec
Otia divitiis Arabum liberrima muto.
Saepe verecundum laudafti: Rexque, Paterque
Audisti coram, nec verbo parcius abfens :

55

60

65

70

Near

Near fifty, and without a Wife,
I trust that Sinking Fund, my Life.
Can I retrench? Yes, mighty well,
Shrink back to my Paternal Cell,
A little Houfe, with Trees a-row,
And, like its Master, very low.

There dy'd my Father, no man's Debtor,
And there I'll die, nor worfe nor better.
To fet this matter full before ye,
Our old friend Swift will tell his Story.
Harley, the nation's great fupport-"
But you may read it, I ftop short.

Infpice, fi poffum donata reponere laetus,

Parvum parva decent. mihi jam non regia Roma,
Sed vacuum Tibur placet, aut imbelle Tarentum.
Strenuus et fortis, caufifque Philippus agendis
Clarus, &c.

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80

The

The latter Part of SATIRE VI*.

O Charming Noons! and Nights divine!
Or when I fup, or when I dine,
My Friends above, my Folks below,
Chatting and laughing all-a-row,
The Beans and Bacon fet before 'em,
The Grace-cup ferv'd with all decorum:
Each willing to be pleas'd, and please,
And even the very Dogs at ease!

Here no man prates of idle things,
How this or that Italian fings,

A Neighbour's Madness, or his Spouse's,
Or what's in either of the Houses:

But fomething much more our concern,
And quite a scandal not to learn :
Which is the happier, or the wifer,
A man of Merit, or a Mifer?

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140

145

Whether

O noctes coenaeque Deûm ! quibus ipfe meique,
Ante Larem proprium vefcor, vernafque procaces
Pafco libatis dapibus: cum, ut cuique libido eft,
Siccat inaequales calices conviva, solutus
Legibus infanis: feu quis capit acria fortis
Pocula; feu modicis uvefcit laetius. ergo
Sermo oritur, non de villis domibusve alienis,
Nec male necne Lepos faltet: fed quod magis ad nos
Pertinet, et nefcire malum eft, agitamus; utrumne

* See the first part in Swift's Poems.

Whether we ought to chufe our Friends,

For their own Worth, or our own Ends?
What good, or better, we may call,
And what, the very best of all?

Our Friend Dan Prior, told (you know)
A Tale extremely “à propos :"

Name a Town Life, and in a trice,
He had a Story of two Mice.

Once on a time (fo runs the Fable)
A Country Moufe, right hofpitable,
Receiv'd a Town Mouse at his Board,
Juft as a Farmer might a Lord.
A frugal Mouse, upon the whole,
Yet lov'd his Friend, and had a Soul,

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155

160

Knew what was handfome, and would do't,

On just occasion, "coute qui coute.”

He brought him Bacon (nothing lean)

165

Pudding, that might have pleas'd a Dean;

Cheese,

Divitiis homines, an fint virtute beati :

Et

quae

Quidve ad amicitias, ufus rectumne, trahat nos:
fit natura boni, fummumque quid ejus.
Cervius haec inter vicinus garrit aniles
Ex re fabellas. fi quis nam laudat Arellî
Solicitas ignarus opes; fic incipit: Olim
Rufticus urbanum murem mus paupere fertur
Accepiffe cavo, veterem vetus hofpes amicum;
Asper, et attentus quaefitis; ut tamen arctum
Solveret hofpitiis animum, quid multa? neque illi
Sepofiti ciceris, nec longae invidit avenae :

Cheese, fuch as men in Suffolk make,
But wifh'd it Stilton for his fake;
Yet, to his Gueft though no way sparing,
He eat himself the rind and paring.
Our Courtier scarce could touch a bit,
But fhow'd his Breeding and his Wit;
He did his best to seem to eat,

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And cry'd, "I vow you're mighty neat.
"But Lord, my Friend, this favage Scene!

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"For God's fake, come, and live with Men: "Confider, Mice, like Men, must die,

"Both fmall and great, both you and I:
"Then spend your life in Joy and Sport,
"(This doctrine, Friend, I learn'd at Court.)”
The verieft Hermit in the Nation

May yield, God knows, to ftrong temptation.

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Away

Aridum et ore ferens acinum, femefaque lardi
Frufta dedit, cupiens varia fastidia coena
Vincere tangentis male fingula dente fuperbo:
Cum pater ipfe domus palea porrectus in horna
Effet ador loliumque, dapis meliora relinquens.
Tandem urbanus ad hunc, Quid te juvat, inquit, amice.
Praerupti nemoris patientem vivere dorfo ?

Vin' tu homines urbemque feris praeponere fylvis ?
Carpe viam (mihi crede) comes: terreftria quando
Mortales animas vivunt fortita, neque ulla eft,
Aut magno aut parvo, leti fuga. quo, bone, circa,
Dum licet, in rebus jucundis vive beatus:

Vive memor quam fis aevi brevis. Haec ubi dicta