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FABLE [33] XXXIII.
The Courtier and Proteus.
1 Whene'er a courtier's out of place,
2 The country shelters his disgrace;
3 Where, doom'd to exercise and health,
4 His house and gardens own his wealth.
5 He builds new schemes, in hope to gain
6 The plunder of another reign;
[Page 112]7 Like Philip's son would fain be doing,
8 And sighs for other realms to ruin.
9 As one of these (without his wand)
10 Pensive, along the winding strand
11 Employ'd the solitary hour
12 In projects to regain his power;
13 The waves in spreading circles ran,
14 Proteus arose, and thus began.
15 Came you from court? For in your mien
16 A self-important air is seen.
17 He frankly own'd his friends had trick'd him,
18 And how he fell his party's victim.
19 Know, says the God, by matchless skill
20 I change to ev'ry shape at will;
21 But yet, I'm told, at court you see
22 Those who presume to rival me.
23 Thus said. A snake, with hideous trail,
24 Proteus extends his scaly mail.
25 Know, says the Man, though proud in place,
26 All courtiers are of reptile race.
27 Like you, they take that dreadful form,
28 Bask in the sun, and fly the storm;
29 With malice hiss, with envy glote,
30 And for convenience change their coat,
31 With new-got lustre rear their head,
32 Though on a dunghill born and bred.
33 Sudden the God a lyon stands,
34 He shakes his mane, he spurns the sands;
35 Now a fierce lynx, with fiery glare,
36 A wolf, an ass, a fox, a bear.
37 Had I ne'er liv'd at court, he cries,
38 Such transformation might surprise;
39 But there, in quest of daily game,
40 Each able courtier acts the same.
41 Wolves, lyons, lynxes, while in place,
42 Their friends and fellows are their chace;
43 They play the bear's and fox's part,
44 Now rob by force, now steal with art;
[Page 114]45 They sometimes in the senate bray;
46 Or, chang'd again to beasts of prey,
47 Down from the lyon to the ape,
48 Practice the frauds of ev'ry shape.
49 So said. Upon the God he flies,
50 In cords the struggling captive tyes.
51 Now, Proteus, now (to truth compell'd)
52 Speak, and confess thy art excell'd.
53 Use strength, surprise, or what you will,
54 The courtier finds evasion still;
55 Not to be bound by any tyes,
56 And never forc'd to leave his lyes.
Source edition
Gay, John, 1685-1732. FABLES. By Mr. GAY. London: Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts, MDCCXXVII., 1727, pp. 111-114. [14],173,[1]p.: ill.; 4°. (ESTC T13818)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by John Gay
- [FABLE ] INTRODUCTION TO THE FABLES. The Shepherd and the Philosopher. ()
- FABLE [01] I. The Lyon, the Tyger, and the Traveller. ()
- FABLE [02] II. The Spaniel and the Cameleon. ()
- FABLE [03] III. The Mother, the Nurse, and the Fairy. ()
- FABLE [04] IV. The Eagle, and the Assembly of Animals. ()
- FABLE [05] V. The Wild Boar and the Ram. ()
- FABLE [06] VI. The Miser and Plutus. ()
- FABLE [07] VII. The Lyon, the Fox, and the Geese. ()
- FABLE [08] VIII. The Lady and the Wasp. ()
- FABLE [09] IX. The Bull and the Mastiff. ()
- FABLE [10] X. The Elephant and the Bookseller. ()
- FABLE [11] XI. The Peacock, the Turkey, and Goose. ()
- FABLE [12] XII. Cupid, Hymen, and Plutus. ()
- FABLE [13] XIII. The tame Stag. ()
- FABLE [14] XIV. The Monkey who had seen the World. ()
- FABLE [15] XV. The Philosopher and the Pheasants. ()
- FABLE [16] XVI. The Pin and the Needle. ()
- FABLE [17] XVII. The Shepherd's Dog and the Wolf. ()
- FABLE [18] XVIII. The Painter who pleased No body and Every body. ()
- FABLE [19] XIX. The Lyon and the Cub. ()
- FABLE [20] XX. The Old Hen and the Cock. ()
- FABLE [21] XXI. The Rat-catcher and Cats. ()
- FABLE [22] XXII. The Goat without a beard. ()
- FABLE [23] XXIII. The Old Woman and her Cats. ()
- FABLE [24] XXIV. The Butterfly and the Snail. ()
- FABLE [25] XXV. The Scold and the Parrot. ()
- FABLE [26] XXVI. The Cur and the Mastiff. ()
- FABLE [27] XXVII. The Sick Man and the Angel. ()
- FABLE [28] XXVIII. The Persian, the Sun and the Cloud. ()
- FABLE [29] XXIX. The Fox at the point of death. ()
- FABLE [30] XXX. The Setting-dog and the Partridge. ()
- FABLE [31] XXXI. The Universal Apparition. ()
- FABLE [32] XXXII. The two Owls and the Sparrow. ()
- FABLE [34] XXXIV. The Mastiffs. ()
- FABLE [35] XXXV. The Barley-mow and the Dung-hill. ()
- FABLE [36] XXXVI. Pythagoras and the Countryman. ()
- FABLE [37] XXXVII. The Farmer's Wife and the Raven. ()
- FABLE [38] XXXVIII. The Turkey and the Ant. ()
- FABLE [39] XXXIX. The Father and Jupiter. ()
- FABLE [40] XL. The two Monkeys. ()
- FABLE [41] XLI. The Owl and the Farmer. ()
- FABLE [42] XLII. The Jugglers. ()
- FABLE [43] XLIII. The Council of Horses. ()
- FABLE [44] XLIV. The Hound and the Huntsman. ()
- FABLE [45] XLV. The Poet and the Rose. ()
- FABLE [46] XLVI. The Cur, the Horse, and the Shepherd's Dog. ()
- FABLE [47] XLVII. The Court of Death. ()
- FABLE [48] XLVIII. The Gardener and the Hog. ()
- FABLE [49] XLIX. The Man and the Flea. ()
- FABLE [50] L. The Hare and many Friends. ()