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June 4, 1767. No. 127. |
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The
Trees: A Fable
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The
fragrant Bloom of May invited me abroad
As the Sun’s lucent Rays had ting’d the ruddy East,
Night on her dusky Car, and grey Twilight slip-shod,
In Flight precipitate before the Victor press’d. |
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The
rosy Morn smil’d on the verdant Hills, |
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The
gently rising Mists disclos’d to View
Th’ extended Plains and Vales; the purling Rills
Ran dimpling, winding ’twixt their Banks, with Dew
Bespangled Grass (in matted Fringe) o’er hung:
Whilst from each Tree and flowery Shrub the Birds melodious
sung. |
10 |
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The
beauteous Scene in Contemplation sweet |
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Immers’d
my Soul, my sympathetic Feet
Led to a shady Grove, for Contemplation meet.
There on a mossy Bank in Thought profound
I laid me down. When hark! a distant Sound,
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With
strangest Accents, broke upon mine Ear,
Attention held me mute: And drawing near,
A POPLAR fair, distinguish’d from the rest
In leafy Pride elate, the Forest thus address’d. |
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I,
from among all other Trees |
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That
deck this Grove, or scent the Breeze;
In Nature’s richest Verdure dress’d,
Am chosen Lord of all the rest:
Come then ——— obedient Homage pay
To me, who justly bear the Sway;
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The
lofty Beech, the
stubborn Oak
And stately Elm,
shall feel the Stroke,
If e’er with Arrogance
they dare
To damp my Joys with anxious Care,
Or Rome or Greece’s Maxims stale
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Of
Systems for the Public Weal.
For me shall Pleasure spread the Sail,
To catch each Passion’s various Gale.
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The
Fir of * avaricious
Race |
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| Obedient
bow’d, and got a Place.
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The
Holly with ten
thousand Spears
Arm’d at all Points, his Worth prefers.
The gaudy Laylock,
baleful Yew,
Places obtain’d, to Merit due.
And every noxious Tree around,
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By
Interest called Admittance found;
While Fern and
mystic Hemlock strew’d the Ground. |
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A
Senate’s form’d in close Debate |
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Of
Regulations for the State:
Much talk of publick Good tis true,
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But
Interest was the Point in View.
No honest Tree durst shew his Head,
Where those their baneful Influence shed. |
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While
thus I gaz’d in wild Surprize, |
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A
Reverend Object met my Eyes:
Within a neighbouring Grove obscure
An aged Oak there
dwelt secure;
Withdrawn from Vice and Folly’s Snare
Retired he lived, and free from Care: |
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| His
solid Trunk the Ivy green |
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Twin’d
friendly round. Hard by was seen
A Neighbour Elm by
Grief oppress’d,
Who thus the Reverend Oak
address’d:
Since fickle Fortune’s partial Hand
To that vain Poplar
gave the Wand,
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Dejected
merit droops the Head,
All honest Trees from hence are fled
Or banish’d far: ——— around his Gate
Nought but vile Sycophants await.
The mournful Willow
answer’d true:
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Then
wept in Drops of pearly Dew.
The steady Oak
unmoved replies
Have patience ——— hear me ——— and be wise.
The Time will come when foul Disgrace
Shall sweep the Forest of their Race;
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70 |
When
Storms blow high and Tempests roar,
And beating Billows lash the Shore,
When raging Boreas sweeps the Plain,
They’ll call our sheltring Arms in Vain.
He then to Jove address’d his Pray’r,
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75 |
| His
Plaints were just, and reach’d his Ear.
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Jove
in his loudest Thunder spoke |
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Indignant,
for his flighted Oak.
Then bade the Clouds obscure the Sky
And warring Winds tempestuous fly:
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Obedient
to his Word, the Breeze
First gently fans the rustling Trees,
The Gale now bends the nodding Grove,
The Leaves in quick Vibration move.
Now Clouds with warring Clouds contend,
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And
Thunder Gusts the Forest rend.
The Wind with Rage impetuous blows,
The yielding Grove resistless bows,
Up by the Roots with Fury torn
Thus did the prostrate Poplar
mourn: |
90 |
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Ah!
why did I in evil Hour |
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Seize
on the gilded Bait of Power?
Or why to Flattery lend an Ear
Whose fatal Poison costs so dear?
Had I around the Forest stray’d
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And
called forth Merit to my Aid,
The steady Oak and
sturdy Beech
Had I indulg’d within my Reach,
Their solid Trunks had firmly stood,
And sav’d me harmless with the Wood;
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I
still had held the Reins of State;
Alone, unequal to the Weight. |
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*
The Fir is
styled avaricious from its Quality of sucking up the
vegetative Food from the Earth, so that no wholesome Plant can
thrive near it.
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