A vicious ohject ftill is worse, Successful there, he wins a curse ; But he, whom ev'n in life's last stage A brighter prize than that he meant Either too early or too late. COWPER. CHA P. XXII. THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. THE green-house is my fummer feat ; My fhrubs difplac'd from that retreat Two goldfinches, whose sprightly fong They fang, as blithe as finches fing Strangers to liberty, 'tis true, But that delight they never knew, But But Nature works in ev'ry breast ; And Dick felt fome defires, The open windows feem'd to invite But Tom was still confin'd; And Dick, although his way was clear, For fettling on his grated roof, He chirp'd and kifs'd him, giving proof Nor would forfake his cage at last, Oh ye, who never knew the joys COWPER. CHAP. CHA P. XXIII. PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED. A FABLE. *If birds confabulate or no; Shall not ask Jean Jacques Rouffeau, 'Tis clear that they were always able A ftory of a cock and bull, Must have a most uncommon skull, It chanc'd then, ona winter's day, But warm and bright, and calm as May, The birds conceiving a defign, To foreftal fweet St. Valentine; In many an orchard, copse and grove, And with much twitter and much chatter, At length a Bulfinch, who could boaft, *It was one of the whimsical fpeculations of this philofopher that all fables which afcribe reafon and speech to animals fhould be witheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception. But what child was ever deceived by them, or can be, against the evidence of his fenfes ? My My friends! be cautious how ye treat The subject upon which we meet ; I fear we fhall have winter yet. A Finch, whofe tongue knew no controul, A laft year's bird, who ne'er had tried By his good will, would keep us fingle 'Till death exterminate us all. I marry without more ado, My dear Dick Redcap, what say you? Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling, Turning fhort round, ftrutting and fideling, Attested, glad, his approbation Of an immediate conjugation. Their fentiment fo well exprefs'd, Influenced mightily the reft, All pair'd, and each pair built a neft. But though the birds were thus in haste, } } } Stepping Stepping into their neft, they paddled, Themselves were chill'd their eggs were addled; Soon ev'ry father bird and mother Grew quarrelfome, and peck'd each other, Parted without the least regret, Except that they had ever met, Than to neglect a good adviser. HERE is a field through which 1 often pass, T Thick overfpread with mofs and filky grass, Adjoining close to Kilwick's echoing wood, An |