[FABLE ] INTRODUCTION TO THE FABLES. The Shepherd and the Philosopher. John Gay Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T13818 Gay, John, 1685-1732. FABLES. By Mr. GAY. London Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts, MDCCXXVII. 1727 pp. []-[]. [14],173,[1]p.: ill.; 4°.

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[ FABLE ] INTRODUCTION TO THE FABLES . The Shepherd and the Philosopher . Remote from citys liv'd a Swain , Unvex'd with all the cares of gain , His head was silver'd o'er with age , And long experience made him sage ; In summer's heat and winter's cold He fed his flock and pen'd the fold , His hours in cheerful labour flew , Nor envy nor ambition knew ; His wisdom and his honest fame Through all the country rais'd his name . A deep Philosopher ( whose rules Of moral life were drawn from schools ) The Shepherd's homely cottage sought , And thus explor'd his reach of thought . Whence is thy learning ? Hath thy toil O'er books consum'd the midnight oil ? Hast thou old Greece and Rome survey'd , And the vast sense of Plato weigh'd ? Hath Socrates thy soul refin'd , And hast thou fathom'd Tully's mind ? Or , like the wise Ulysses thrown By various fates on realms unknown , Hast thou through many citys stray'd , Their customs , laws and manners weigh'd ? The Shepherd modestly reply'd . I ne'er the paths of learning try'd , Nor have I roam'd in foreign parts To read mankind , their laws and arts ; For man is practis'd in disguise , He cheats the most discerning eyes : Who by that search shall wiser grow , When we ourselves can never know ? The little knowledge , I have gain'd , Was all from simple nature drain'd ; Hence my life's maxims took their rise , Hence grew my settled hate to vice . The daily labours of the bee Awake my soul to industry . Who can observe the careful ant , And not provide for future want ? My dog ( the trustiest of his kind ) With gratitude inflames my mind ; I mark his true , his faithful way , And in my service copy Tray . In constancy , and nuptial love I learn my duty from the dove . The hen , who from the chilly air With pious wing protects her care , And ev'ry fowl that flies at large Instructs me in a parent's charge . From nature too I take my rule To shun contempt and ridicule . I never with important air In conversation overbear : Can grave and formal pass for wise , When men the solemn owl despise ? My tongue within my lips I rein , For who talks much must talk in vain ; We from the wordy torrent fly : Who listens to the chatt'ring pye ? Nor would I with felonious slight By stealth invade my neighbour's right ; Rapacious animals we hate : Kites , hawks and wolves deserve their fate . Do not we just abhorrence find Against the toad and serpent kind ? But envy , calumny and spite Bear stronger venom in their bite . Thus ev'ry object of creation Can furnish hints to contemplation , And from the most minute and mean A virtuous mind can morals glean . Thy fame is just , the Sage replys , Thy virtue proves thee truly wise ; Pride often guides the author's pen , Books as affected are as men , But he who studys nature's laws From certain truth his maxims draws , And those , without our schools , suffice To make men moral , good and wise .