Fables
Book Description
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: TO HIS HIGHNESS WILLIAM DUKE OF CUMBERLAND FABLE I. THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE TRA VELLER. A CCEPT, young Prince, the moral lay, And in these tales mankind survey; With early virtues plant your breas...
MorePurchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: TO HIS HIGHNESS WILLIAM DUKE OF CUMBERLAND FABLE I. THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE TRA VELLER. A CCEPT, young Prince, the moral lay, And in these tales mankind survey; With early virtues plant your breast, The specious arts of vice detest. Princes, like beauties, from their youth Are strangers to the voice of truth ; Leam to contemn all praise betimes; . For flattery's the nurse of crimes : Friendship by sweet reproof is shown, (A virtue never near a throne); In courts such freedom must offend, There none presumes to be a friend. To those of your exalted station Each courtier is a dedication. Must I too flatter like the rest, And turn my morals to a jest ? The Muse disdains to steal from those, Who thrive in courts by fulsome prose. But shall I hide your real praise, Or tell you what a nation says ? They in your infant bosom trace The virtues of your royal race ; In the fair dawning of your mind Discern you gen'rous, mild, and kind ; They see you grieve to hear distress, And pant already to redress. Go on, the height of good attain, Nor let a nation hope in vain. For hence we justly may presage The virtues of a riper age. True courage shall your bosom fire, And future actions own your sire. Cowards are cruel; but the brave Love mercy, and delight to save. A Tiger roaming for his prey, Sprung on a Trav'ler in the way; The prostrate game a lion spies, And on the greedy tyrant flies ; With mingled roar resounds the wood, Their teeth, their claws distil with blood ; Till vanquish'd by the Lion's strength, The spotted foe extends his length. The Man besought the shaggy lord, And on his knees for life implor'd. His life the gen'rous hero gave ; Together walking to his cave, The Lion thus bespoke his guest. What hardy beast shall dare contest My matchless streng...
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