THE EAGLE , THE KITE , AND THE COCK . An Emblematic Fable , most respectfully addressed to the Right Hon. General C——y. Written in the year 1788. It is not to be supposed this alludes to the present most noble Marquis of S——y . In former days when birds could speak , And held their courts three times a week , Nay , had their councils — held debate — Had Lords and Commons , Church and State ; With gentle sway an Eagle reign'd , His charity the poor maintained ; So mild — benignant — that his mind , To heaven-born clemency inclined ; Mercy and justice prop'd his throne , His deeds are through Britannia known ; But to sum up this Eagle's praise , Our Royal George his worth displays ; But as the best of Eagles may By evil birds be led astray , He placed his confidence — delight , In a dissembling , cruel Kite ; From Hatfield's woods the tyrant came , Nay , Hatfield still can tell his name ; The generous heart is soon deceived , The Kite professed , his King believed ; And fatal tarnish to his reign , He named the Kite , L—d C——b——n ; Then all that had a claim , or right , Must pay obeisance to this Kite ; But to pourtray his wily deeds , Attend the fact that now succeeds : In Eagle's court there dwelt a Cock , That rear'd a numerous happy flock ; For nineteen chicks his dame did brink , Fifteen he meant to serve their King ; And gentle partlets worth and grace , Adorned the little guiltless race ; This Cock the Eagle's fire had served , And of the son had much deserved ; He fought their battles , spilt his blood , Yet to his post he firmly stood ; But when returned , he deemed it hard , Never to share the least reward ; But with his partlet meek and kind , In sad obscurity he pined ; To raise their pretty helpless flock , Solely employed the valiant Cock ; 'Till chance his piteous tale conveyed , To charming R—l—y's peaceful shade ; Where dwelt a bird of noble race , His mind was fraught with every grace , His heart to worthiest deeds inclined , He felt the woes of all his kind ; And acting for the general good , Resolved to quit his favourite wood ; The wider to extend his sway , To Eagle's Court he winged his way ; To bless a nation's ample round , The monarch's confidence he found ; When near the throne , in power high , He viewed our Cock with pitying eye ; His Godlike mind , on blessing bent , A gracious mandate quickly sent ; And thus our injur'd bird address'd : " Thy wrongs by me shall be redress'd ; " Repair with speed to Eagle's court , " My interest shall thy cause support . " The Cock obey'd , his grateful brood , With tears of joy his hands bedew'd . Behold him placed to serve his King , Beneath the shade of C——y's wing ; His heart was loyal , actions pure , Poor bird ! he deem'd his bliss secure ; His partlet happy , chickens good , He hoped no griefs would e'er intrude ; But ah ! how blind to human fate ! Between the ins and outs of state There rose , alas ! a stern debate . How fatal to our Cock's repose , 'Twas then his baleful planet rose ; His noble patron — guardian friend , No longer would at court attend . The Eagle cried ( his friends then few ) " And wilt thou leave me , H——d , too ? " He look'd , he sigh'd , to Eagle bow'd , ( The softest thoughts his memory croud ) " I've serv'd thee long , my gracious Sire , " My honor bids me now retire ; " I cannot league with those that fawn , " H——d's retirement marks their dawn ; " Thy name I bless , thy worth revere , " Nought but my conscience half so dear . " Beloved Liege ! these truths receive , " And now with prayers I take my leave . " 'Twas then the Lords , with courtly grace , Tried to succeed to H——d's place ; Though many tried , not one could boast Those charms the King in H——d lost ; At length the Kite the Eagle pleas'd , And swift the envied station seiz'd ; His specious manner , artful smile , The unsuspecting soon beguile . The Cock , not lowest in his train , Wishes his friendship to obtain ; For his dear chicks ( even birds aspire ) He wish'd to rise a little higher ; With winning grace the artful Kite , Promis'd to aid the soldier's right ; He said , " a council sits on high , " I'll bear thy wishes to the sky ; " Eagle will ne'er reject thy prayer , " Soldiers are children of his care ; " I'll bring his gracious pleasure down , " And may success my efforts crown ! " The Cock he crows — with hope elate , In triumph views his future fate ; To partlet and her groupe he flies ; " My love , my dearest chicks , he cries , " The generous Kite supports my claim , " Be ever blest his honor'd name ! " Meek partlet weeps — the chickens dance , And think in life they'll have a chance : Ah ! blind to fate ! the storm impends , That blights thy hopes , destroys thy friends ; The gloomy power from ebon throne That birds and beasts , even man must own , Aim'd at poor partlet's breast a blow That laid her and her wishes low : The widow'd Cock reclin'd his head : Depress'd with sorrow , reason fled ; His chicks exert their softest powers , To soothe their parent's languid hours ; But all their filial duty fail'd , His wild delirium still prevail'd ; A doctor then , with solemn face , Declar'd the Cock's a doubtful case ; And to the C——b——n did send His oath , that he could not attend : 'Twas in that sad , that anguish'd hour , The Kite exerted cruel power ; The loyal Cock next day disgraced , Another in his room was placed ; And birds there were ( perhaps too bold ) Declar'd , Lord Kite the place had sold ; Mean time the Cock held lingering strife Between the powers of death and life ; And when returning reason came , Remembrance faint , he could not name The Kite , but cried , " my chickens dear , " He is my friend , I need not fear ; " For your dear sakes I'll life endure ; " While I exist , your bread's secure ; " Ye are too young your food to gain , " Or storms of winter to sustain ; " And more — without a father's care , " What will not birds of prey oft dare ! " Languid and weak , no more he said , But meek reclin'd his drooping head ; Fondly then view'd his children near , And soon discern'd the starting tear ; For long his chicks their grief represt , At length it burst their suffering breast ; That cruel Kite , detested name ! Had him depriv'd of bread and fame ; He trembled , look'd , his heart grew sick , Yet thus address'd his eldest chick : " Sweet emblem of my partlet's worth , " Child of my love from early birth , " Thy widow'd parent's fate behold , " Now lost , expos'd to want and cold , " The victim of contempt and scorn , " Of treachery too ; ah me forlorn ! " Survey these chicks of tender age ; " Let these thy every power engage ; " Go seek the Kite , o'er him prevail , " The plea of innocence can't fail ; " He will not persevere in wrong , " But listen to thy guiltless tongue ; " Exert thyself , a parent's need " Will teach a daughter how to plead . " The chick replied , her tears supprest , While varied passions tear her breast , " Beloved parent ! swift I go : " She stopt — her tears began to flow : Then wildly to the Kite she flies , With drooping wings and languid eyes ; The serving birds , in order ranged , Believ'd the chicken much deranged ; Denied her entrance — said that he Would never any stranger see : She gasp'd for breath , she tried to speak , She look'd — yet still the look was meek ; Her meekness pleas'd — her looks prevail , For when did ever meekness fail ? They let the little chicken in , And thus the trembler did begin : " Pardon , great Lord ! nor think me rude ; " For mercy — justice — I intrude ; " The daughter of the injur'd Cock ; " I come from him — from all his flock ; " Low at thy feet a victim see ; " She prays for him that trusted thee : " Be gracious then — the Cock restore ; " Indeed I never begg'd before ; " Let mercy plead — some pity lend " To one who never could offend ! " Proud of his state , the Kite look'd down With a malignant , scornful frown ; Saying , " thy race I do not know , " Nor could I deign to be thy foe ; " But thou the Cock , I think , didst name ; " I recollect — he merits blame : " Presuming thing ! I say begone ; " Thy father's arts are not unknown ; " Dare he e'er hope for my support , " That for his post did gold extort " From my brave major — worthy friend ? " And yet the Cock did ne'er offend ! " The King the shameful deed shall know ; " Go home , rash chick , and tell him so . " [ Ere I proceed , I must premise , ( My tale would suffer from disguise ) The bird , the Kite alluded to , Was a poor , lazy , dull cuckoo ; That , like his race , to birds a pest , Crept meanly to another's nest ; But still he could not but allow , And on his honour must avow , His patron's falsehood to defy , And accusation to deny ; For that , so far from giving gold , He never did the Cock behold ; Nay , wrote for every bird to view , The Cock he never even knew . Benignant reader ! I digress ; Pardon : I will no more transgress . ] With honest pride , indignant eyes , The astonish'd chick with firmness cries , " My father's fame shall brightly shine " When shame shall cover thee and thine " Even now , detested tyrant , now , " They curse thy deeds that lowly bow ; " And learn , proud Lord , tho' greatly placed , " With seeming honor highly graced " A just , a gracious Power reigns , " That falsehood even in Lords disdains ; " In retribution's awful hour " Thoul't feel that vengeful Being's power ; " He'll aim at thy base heart a blow , " With kindred fiends , to lay thee low ; " Nor hope for mercy — never pray ; " Justice o'er thee presides that day ; " But shouldst thou dare — remember'd be , " Almighty Powers ! his deeds to me . " My parent pray'd — he was abused ; " I kneel for mercy — am refused : " Adieu , thou base , destructive Kite ! " Thus said , she took an instant flight . I'll veil her meeting with the Cock , The mutual tears of all the flock ; Oh ! wou'd I also cou'd conceal Those ills each honest bird must feel ; The gallant Cock , to griefs a prey , The varied ills of power display , Expos'd to sorrow , want , and debt , With duns and poverty beset , Each morn he wakes to guiltless fear , No friend to aid , no hope to cheer ; The pledges of his much-lov'd wife , More dear to him than fame or life , Scatter'd , neglected , hopeless driven , By bleakest blasts of angry Heaven , To seek beneath an humble shed ; To shield the weary , languid head , And gain the hard-earn'd daily bread ; Their beauteous plumage all deranged , Their virtues hid , their friends estranged ; They pine — they mourn — but do not live ; Can righteous Heaven the Kite forgive ? Daughters and sons of human kind , Whom bright benevolence doth bind , Accept this fable ; it conveys A fact which real life displays , A mournful truth of courtly ways ; It represents a soldier's fate , Sinking beneath oppression's weight ; His claims rejected — robb'd of bread , Without a home to shield his head From the rude world's inclement storms , From poverty in direst forms ; His children scatter'd and distress'd , Their worth neglected — hopes depress'd ; To honor born — in affluence bred , Behold them now — each blessing fled : They cannot beg — a noble race Remember'd , flush the pallid face ; They every sentiment refine , And , victims of regret , they pine ; The sole distinction they can boast , Is , that they have not virtue lost . Ye Great ! in fortune's favour high , Vouchsafe to bend a pitying eye ! Should e'er this family be known , Or on your goodness e'er be thrown Be kind — protect a parent's age , In his defence , ye good , engage ! Survey his mild persuading form , And save his guiltless groupe from harm . Ye highly placed , supreme in power , Should ye e'er find a vacant hour , Oh ! deign this little tale to read , Your hearts will for a soldier plead ; And thou of adamantine soul , Whom justice never could controul , Shouldst thou this little fable scan , And conscience cry " thou art the man , " Receive the warning offer'd here , A daughter pleads , and Heaven will hear : But thou to whom these lines I send , Thou first of mortals — firmest friend , These sad , sad truths so often heared , Thy heart hath pitied — bounty cheared ; Thy mercy was the kindly ray , The star that chear'd the gloomy way ; Still deign thy gracious aid to lend , Thy powerful influence extend ; Supported by thy liberal hand , These lines will all I wish command : Oh ! thou lov'd excellence revered , So honor'd , and where known endeared ; Long may thy virtues mend the mind , And bless the hours , of human kind ; Then , when this dream of life is o'er , Thy fame shall bloom for ever more , And gratitude with pride proclaim The worth that graced a C———y's name .