The
King
and
the
Shepherd
.
Imitated
from
the
French
.
THrough
ev'ry
Age
some
Tyrant
Passion
reigns
:
Now
Love
prevails
,
and
now
Ambition
gains
Reason's
lost
Throne
,
and
sov'reign
Rule
maintains
.
Tho'
beyond
Love's
,
Ambition's
Empire
goes
;
For
who
feels
Love
,
Ambition
also
knows
,
And
proudly
still
aspires
to
be
possest
Of
Her
,
he
thinks
superior
to
the
rest
.
As
cou'd
be
prov'd
,
but
that
our
plainer
Task
Do's
no
such
Toil
,
or
Definitions
ask
;
But
to
be
so
rehears'd
,
as
first
'twas
told
,
When
such
old
Stories
pleas'd
in
Days
of
old
.
A
King
,
observing
how
a
Shepherd's
Skill
Improv'd
his
Flocks
,
and
did
the
Pastures
fill
,
That
equal
Careth'
assaulted
did
defend
,
And
the
secur'd
and
grazing
Part
attend
,
Approves
the
Conduct
,
and
from
Sheep
and
Curs
Transfers
the
Sway
,
and
chang'd
his
Wool
to
Furrs
.
Lord-Keeper
now
,
as
rightly
he
divides
His
just
Decrees
,
and
speedily
decides
;
When
his
sole
Neighbour
,
whilst
he
watch'd
the
Fold
,
A
Hermit
poor
,
in
Contemplation
old
,
Hastes
to
his
Ear
,
with
safe
,
but
lost
Advice
,
Tells
him
such
Heights
are
levell'd
in
a
trice
,
Preferments
treach'rous
,
and
her
Paths
of
Ice
:
And
that
already
sure
't
had
turn'd
his
Brain
,
Who
thought
a
Prince's
Favour
to
retain
.
Nor
seem'd
unlike
,
in
this
mistaken
Rank
,
The
sightless
Wretch
,
who
froze
upon
a
Bank
A
Serpent
found
,
which
for
a
Staff
he
took
,
And
us'd
as
such
(
his
own
but
lately
broke
)
Thanking
the
Fates
,
who
thus
his
Loss
supply'd
,
Nor
marking
one
,
that
with
amazement
cry'd
,
Throw
quickly
from
thy
Hand
that
sleeping
Ill
A
Serpent
'tis
,
that
when
awak'd
will
kill
.
A
Serpent
this
!
th'
uncaution'd
Fool
replies
:
A
Staff
it
feels
,
nor
shall
my
want
of
Eyes
,
Make
me
believe
,
I
have
no
Senses
left
,
And
thro'
thy
Malice
be
of
this
bereft
;
Which
Fortune
to
my
Hand
has
kindly
sent
To
guide
my
Steps
,
and
stumbling
to
prevent
.
No
Staff
,
the
Man
proceeds
;
but
to
thy
harm
A
Snake
'twill
prove
:
The
Viper
,
now
grown
warm
Confirm'd
it
soon
,
and
fasten'd
on
his
Arm
.
Thus
wilt
thou
find
,
Shepherd
believe
it
true
,
Some
Ill
,
that
shall
this
seeming
Good
ensue
;
Thousand
Distastes
,
t'allay
thy
envy'd
Gains
,
Unthought
of
,
on
the
parcimonious
Plains
.
So
prov'd
the
Event
,
and
Whisp'rers
now
defame
The
candid
Judge
,
and
his
Proceedings
blame
.
By
Wrongs
,
they
say
,
a
Palace
he
erects
,
The
Good
oppresses
,
and
the
Bad
protects
.
To
view
this
Seat
the
King
himself
prepares
,
Where
no
Magnificence
or
Pomp
appears
,
But
Moderation
,
free
from
each
Extream
,
Whilst
Moderation
is
the
Builder's
Theme
.
Asham'd
yet
still
the
Sycophants
persist
,
That
Wealth
he
had
conceal'd
within
a
Chest
,
Which
but
attended
some
convenient
Day
,
To
face
the
Sun
,
and
brighter
Beams
display
.
The
Chest
unbarr'd
,
no
radiant
Gems
they
find
,
No
secret
Sums
to
foreign
Banks
design'd
,
But
humble
Marks
of
an
obscure
Recess
,
Emblems
of
Care
,
and
Instruments
of
Peace
;
The
Hook
,
the
Scrip
,
and
for
unblam'd
Delight
The
merry
Bagpipe
,
which
,
ere
fall
of
Night
,
Cou'd
sympathizing
Birds
to
tuneful
Notes
invite
.
Welcome
ye
Monuments
of
former
Joys
!
Welcome
!
to
bless
again
your
Master's
Eyes
,
And
draw
from
Courts
,
th'
instructed
Shepherd
cries
.
No
more
dear
Relicks
!
we
no
more
will
part
,
You
shall
my
Hands
employ
,
who
now
revive
my
Heart
.
No
Emulations
,
or
corrupted
Times
Shall
falsly
blacken
,
or
seduce
to
Crimes
Him
,
whom
your
honest
Industry
can
please
,
Who
on
the
barren
Down
can
sing
from
inward
Ease
.
How's
this
!
the
Monarch
something
mov'd
rejoins
.
With
such
low
Thoughts
,
and
Freedom
from
Designs
,
What
made
thee
leave
a
Life
so
fondly
priz'd
,
To
be
in
Crouds
,
or
envy'd
,
or
despis'd
?
Forgive
me
,
Sir
,
and
Humane
Frailty
see
,
The
Swain
replies
,
in
my
past
State
and
Me
;
All
peaceful
that
,
to
which
I
vow
return
.
But
who
alas
!
(
tho'
mine
at
length
I
mourn
)
Was
e'er
without
the
Curse
of
some
Ambition
born
.