MY meaning will be best unravell’d,
When I premise that Tim has travell’d. 
In Lucas’s by chance there lay
The Fables writ by Mr. Gay. 
Tim set the volume on a table,
Read over here and there a fable: 
And found, as he the pages twirl’d,
The monkey who had seen the world;
(For Tonson had, to help the sale,
Prefix’d a cut to every tale.)
The monkey was completely drest,
The beau in all his airs exprest. 
Tim, with surprise and pleasure staring,
Ran to the glass, and then comparing
His own sweet figure with the print,
Distinguish’d every feature in’t,
The twist, the squeeze, the rump, the fidge in all,
Just as they look’d in the original. 
“By —­,” says Tim, and let a f—­t,
“This graver understood his art. 
’Tis a true copy, I’ll say that for’t;
I well remember when I sat for’t. 
My very face, at first I knew it;
Just in this dress the painter drew it.” 
Tim, with his likeness deeply smitten,
Would read what underneath was written,
The merry tale, with moral grave;
He now began to storm and rave: 
“The cursed villain! now I see
This was a libel meant at me: 
These scribblers grow so bold of late
Against us ministers of state! 
Such Jacobites as he deserve—­
D—­n me!  I say they ought to starve.”

TOM AND DICK[1]

Tim[2] and Dick had equal fame,
  And both had equal knowledge;
Tom could write and spell his name,
  But Dick had seen the college.

Dick a coxcomb, Tom was mad,
  And both alike diverting;
Tom was held the merrier lad,
  But Dick the best at farting.

Dick would cock his nose in scorn,
  But Tom was kind and loving;
Tom a footboy bred and born,
  But Dick was from an oven.[3]

Dick could neatly dance a jig,
  But Tom was best at borees;
Tom would pray for every Whig,
  And Dick curse all the Tories.

Dick would make a woful noise,
  And scold at an election;
Tom huzza’d the blackguard boys,
  And held them in subjection.

Tom could move with lordly grace,
  Dick nimbly skipt the gutter;
Tom could talk with solemn face,
  But Dick could better sputter.

Dick was come to high renown
  Since he commenced physician;
Tom was held by all the town
  The deeper politician.

Tom had the genteeler swing,
  His hat could nicely put on;
Dick knew better how to swing
  His cane upon a button.

Dick for repartee was fit,
  And Tom for deep discerning;
Dick was thought the brighter wit,
  But Tom had better learning.

Dick with zealous noes and ayes
  Could roar as loud as Stentor,
In the house ’tis all he says;
  But Tom is eloquenter.

[Footnote 1:  This satire is a parody on a song then fashionable.—­Scott.]