Divitiis homines, an fint virtute beati :
Quidve ad amicitias, ufus rectumne, trahat ños:
Et quae fit natura boni, fummumque quid ejus.
Cervius haec inter vicinus garrit aniles
Ex re fabellas. fi quis nam laudat Arellî
Solicitas ignarus opes; fic incipit: Olim
Rufticus urbanum murem mus paupere fertur
Accepiffe cavo, veterem vetus hofpes amicum;
Afper, et attentus quaefitis; ut tamen arctum
Solveret hofpitiis animum. quid multa? neque ille
Sepofiti ciceris, nec longae invidit avenae :
Aridum et ore ferens acinum, femefaque lardi
Frufta dedit, cupiens varia faftidia coena
Vincere tangentis male fingula dente superbo :
Cum pater ipfe domus palea porrectus in horna
Effet ador loliumque, dapis meliora relinquens.
Tandem urbanus ad hunc, Quid te juvat, inquit,
amice,
Praerupti nemoris patientem vivere dorfo ?
Vin' tu homines urbemque feris praeponere fylvis?
Carpe viam (mihi crede) comes: terreftria quando
Mortales
Which is the happier, or the wifer,
A man of Merit, or a Mifer?
Whether we ought to chufe our Friends,
For their own Worth, or our own Ends?
What good, or better, we may call,
And what, the very best of all?
Our Friend Dan Prior, told (you know)
A Tale extremely à propos :
Name a Town Life, and in a trice,
He had a Story of two Mice.
Once on a time (fo runs the Fable)
A Country Mouse, right hospitable,
Receiv'd a Town Moufe at his Board,
Juft as a Farmer might a Lord.
A frugal Moufe upon the whole,
Yet lov'd his Friend, and had a Soul,
Knew what was handsome, and would do't,
On juft occafion, coute qui coute,
He brought him Bacon (nothing lean)
Pudding, that might have pleas'd a Dean ;
Cheese, such as men in Suffolk make,
But wifh'd it Stilton for his fake;
Yet, to his Guest tho' no way sparing,
He eat himself the rind and paring.
Our Courtier scarce could touch a bit,
But fhow'd his Breeding and his Wit;
He did his best to seem to eat,
And cry'd, "I vow you're mighty neat. "But Lord, my Friend, this favage Scene! 175 "For God's fake, come, and live with Men:
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Confider,
Mortales animas vivunt sortita, neque ulla est,
Aut magno aut parvo, leti fuga. quo, bone, circa,
Dum licet, in rebus jucundis vive beatus :
Vive memor quam
fis aevi brevis. Haec ubi dicta
Agreftem pepulere, domo levis exfilit : inde
Ambo propofitum peragunt iter, urbis aventes
Moenia nocturni fubrepere. jamque tenebat
Nox medium coeli fpatium, cum ponit uterque
In locuplete domo veftigia: rubro ubi cocco
Tincta fuper lectos canderet veftis eburnos ;
Multaque de magna fupereffent fercula coena,
Quae procul exftructis inerant hefterna caniftris.
Ergo ubi purpurea porrectum in vefte locavit
Agreftem; veluti fuccinctus curfitat hofpes,
Continuatque dapes : nec non verniliter ipfis
Fungitur officiis, praelibans omne quod affert.
and I.
"Confider, Mice, like Men, muft die,
"Both fmall and
great, both you
"Then spend your life in Joy and Sport,
"(This doctrine, Friend, I learnt at Court) 180
The veriest Hermit in the Nation
May yield, God knows, to strong temptation.
Away they come, thro' thick and thin,
To a tall houfe near Lincoln's-Inn;
('Twas on the night of a Debate,
When all their Lordfhips had fat late.)
Behold the place, where if a Poet
Shin'd in Description, he might show it;
Tell how the Moon-beam trembling falls,
And tips with filver all the walls
Palladian walls, Venetian doors,
Grotefco roofs, and Stucco floors :
But let it (in a word) be faid,
The Moon was up and Men a bed,
The Napkins white, the Carpet red :
The Guests withdrawn had left the Treat,
And down the Mice fate, tête à tête.
Our Courtier walks from difh to dish,
Taftes for his Friend of Fowl and Fish;
Tells all their names, lays down the law,
"Que ça eft bon! Ah gouter ça !
"That Jelly's rich, this Malmsey healing,
"Pray, dip your Whiskers and your Tail in."
Was ever fuch a happy Swain?
He stuffs and swills, and ftuffs again.
"I'm quite afham'd-'tis mighty rude
"To eat fo much-but all's fo good.
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Ille cubans gaudet mutata forte, bonifque
Rebus agit laetum convivam: cum subito ingens
Valvarum ftrepitus lectis excuffit utrumque.
Currere per totum pavidi conclave; magifque
Exanimes trepidare, fimul domus alta Moloffis
Perfonuit canibus. tum rufticus, Haud mihi vita
Eft opus hac, ait, et valeas: me fylva, cavufque
Tutus ab infidiis tenui folabitur ervo.
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