Make every meaner music odious.”—­
At length the Nightingale[8] was heard,
For voice and wisdom long revered,
Esteem’d of all the wise and good,
The Guardian Genius of the wood: 
He long in discontent retired,
Yet not obscured, but more admired: 
His brethren’s servile souls disdaining,
He lived indignant and complaining: 
They now afresh provoke his choler,
(It seems the Lark had been his scholar,
A favourite scholar always near him,
And oft had waked whole nights to hear him.)
Enraged he canvasses the matter,
Exposes all their senseless chatter,
Shows him and them in such a light,
As more inflames, yet quells their spite. 
They hear his voice, and frighted fly,
For rage had raised it very high: 
Shamed by the wisdom of his notes,
They hide their heads, and hush their throats.

[Footnote 1:  Lord Carteret, Lord-lieutenant of Ireland.—­F.]

[Footnote 2:  Ireland.—­F]

[Footnote 3:  A famous modern architect, who built the Parliament-house in Dublin.—­F.]

[Footnote 4:  Dr. Delany.—­F.]

[Footnote 5:  Dr. T——­r.—­F.]

[Footnote 6:  Right Hon. Rich.  Tighe.—­F.]

[Footnote 7:  Dr. Sheridan.—­F.]

[Footnote 8:  Dean Swift.—­F.]

ANSWER TO DR. DELANY’S FABLE OF THE PHEASANT AND LARK. 1730

In ancient times, the wise were able
In proper terms to write a fable: 
Their tales would always justly suit
The characters of every brute. 
The ass was dull, the lion brave,
The stag was swift, the fox a knave;
The daw a thief, the ape a droll,
The hound would scent, the wolf would prowl: 
A pigeon would, if shown by AEsop,
Fly from the hawk, or pick his pease up. 
Far otherwise a great divine
Has learnt his fables to refine;
He jumbles men and birds together,
As if they all were of a feather: 
You see him first the Peacock bring,
Against all rules, to be a king;
That in his tail he wore his eyes,
By which he grew both rich and wise. 
Now, pray, observe the doctor’s choice,
A Peacock chose for flight and voice;
Did ever mortal see a peacock
Attempt a flight above a haycock? 
And for his singing, doctor, you know
Himself complain’d of it to Juno. 
He squalls in such a hellish noise,
He frightens all the village boys. 
This Peacock kept a standing force,
In regiments of foot and horse: 
Had statesmen too of every kind,
Who waited on his eyes behind;
And this was thought the highest post;
For, rule the rump, you rule the roast. 
The doctor names but one at present,
And he of all birds was a Pheasant. 
This Pheasant was a man of wit,
Could read all books were ever writ;
And, when among companions privy,
Could quote you Cicero and Livy.