FABLE
[
39
]
XXXIX
.
The
Father
and
Jupiter
.
The
Man
to
Jove
his
suit
preferr'd
;
He
begg'd
a
wife
;
his
prayer
was
heard
.
Jove
wonder'd
at
his
bold
addressing
.
For
how
precarious
is
the
blessing
!
A
wife
he
takes
.
And
now
for
heirs
Again
he
worries
heav'n
with
prayers
.
Jove
nods
assent
.
Two
hopeful
boys
And
a
fine
girl
reward
his
joys
.
Now
more
solicitous
he
grew
,
And
set
their
future
lives
in
view
;
He
saw
that
all
respect
and
duty
Were
paid
to
wealth
,
to
power
,
and
beauty
.
Once
more
,
he
cries
,
accept
my
prayer
,
Make
my
lov'd
progeny
thy
care
:
Let
my
first
hope
,
my
fav'rite
boy
,
All
fortune's
richest
gifts
enjoy
.
My
next
with
strong
ambition
fire
,
May
favour
teach
him
to
aspire
,
'Till
he
the
step
of
power
ascend
,
And
courtiers
to
their
idol
bend
.
With
ev'ry
grace
,
with
ev'ry
charm
My
daughter's
perfect
features
arm
.
If
Heav'n
approve
,
a
father's
blest
.
Jove
smiles
,
and
grants
his
full
request
.
The
first
,
a
miser
at
the
heart
,
Studious
of
ev'ry
griping
art
,
Heaps
hoards
on
hoards
with
anxious
pain
,
And
all
his
life
devotes
to
gain
.
He
feels
no
joy
,
his
cares
encrease
,
He
neither
wakes
nor
sleeps
in
peace
,
In
fancy'd
want
,
(
a
wretch
compleat
)
He
starves
,
and
yet
he
dares
not
eat
.
The
next
to
sudden
honours
grew
,
The
thriving
art
of
courts
he
knew
;
He
reach'd
the
height
of
power
and
place
,
Then
fell
,
the
victim
of
disgrace
.
Beauty
with
early
bloom
supplies
His
daughter's
cheek
,
and
points
her
eyes
:
The
vain
coquette
each
suit
disdains
,
And
glories
in
her
lovers
pains
.
With
age
she
fades
,
each
lover
flies
,
Contemn'd
,
forlorn
,
she
pines
and
dies
.
When
Jove
the
father's
grief
survey'd
,
And
heard
him
Heav'n
and
Fate
upbraid
,
Thus
spoke
the
God
.
By
outward
show
Men
judge
of
happiness
and
woe
:
Shall
ignorance
of
good
and
ill
Dare
to
direct
th'
eternal
will
?
Seek
virtue
;
and
of
that
possest
,
To
Providence
resign
the
rest
.