If then your valour can the fright sustain The damsel led him through a spacious hall, At first he hears the wind with hollow roar Shake the loose lock, and swing the creaking door ; Nearer and nearer draws the dreadful found Of rattling chains, that dragg'd upon the ground: When lo, the spectre came with horrid ftride, Approach'd the bed, and drew the curtains wide; In human form the ghaftful phantom stood, Expos'd his mangled bosom dy'd with blood, Then filent pointing to his wounded breast, Thrice wav'd his hand. Beneath his frighted guest, The bed cords trembled, and with shudd'ring fear, Sweat chill'd his limbs, high rose his briftled hair; Then mutt'ring hasty pray'rs, he mann'd his heart, And cry'd aloud; Say, whence and who thou art ? The stalking ghost with hollow voice replies, Three years are counted, since with mortal eyes I faw the fun, and vital air refpir'd. Like thee benighted, and with travel tir'd, Within these walls I slept. O thirst of gain ! See still the planks the bloody marks retain; Stretch'd on this very bed, fiom sleep I start, And fee the steel impending o'er my heart; The barb'rous hostess held the lifted knife, The floor ran purple with my gushing life. My treasure now they seize, the golden spoil Here ceas'd the ghost. The stranger springs from bed, And boldly follows where the phantom led; The half worn stony stairs they now descend, Where passages obscure their arches bend, Silent they walk; and now through groves they pass, Now through wet meads their steps imprint the grass; At length amidst a spacious field they came : There stops the spectre, and ascends in flame. Amaz'd he stood, no bush, nor briar was found, To teach his morning search to find the ground; What could he do? the night was hideous dark, Fear shook his joints, and nature dropt the MARK; With that he starting wak'd, and rais'd his head, But found the golden MARK was left in bed. T CHAP. XVI. Of FABLES. HE Fable differs little from the Tale, except in this, that it is allegorical, and generally introduces animals, and things inanimate, as persons discoursing together, and delivering Precepts for the improvement of mankind. This species of composition was invented, we may suppose, to convey truth in an indirect manner, and under feigned characters, in cases where to speak plainly, and directly to the purpose, might not be so safe or so effectual. We find this use made of it even in the Holy Scriptures. Jotham's parable of the trees in the ninth chapter of Judges is a kind of Fable, as is also that of Nathan's poor man and his lamb; which, as Mr. Addifon observes, conveyed instruction to the ear of a king without offence, and brought David to a proper sense of his guilt, and of his duty. Asop, we may suppose, read his lectures in this manner as well for the sake of fafety, as to make them more agreeable; and we are told that in the beginning of the Roman Commonwealth, a mutiny was appeased, and the incenfed rabble reduced to reason, by a Fable of the belly and the limbs; when a man would have been torn in pieces, perhaps, who had preached the same doctrine to them in any other manner. It is always expected that these compositions should inculcate some moral, or useful lesson, for when deficient in this respect, they are of little, or no value. Take an example from Mr. Gay. The JUGGLERS. A FABLE. By Mr. GAY. A JUGGLER long through all the town Vice heard his fame, the read his bill; Is this then he so fam'd for flight, Provok'd, the juggler cry'd, 'tis done. He shakes his bag, he shows all fair, Vice now stept forth and took the place This magick looking glass, she cries, (There, hand it round) will charm your eyes : Each eager eye the fight defir'd, And ev'ry man himself admir'd. Next, to a fenator addressing;. See this Bank-note; observe the blessing; Breathe on the bill, Heigh, pass! 'Tis gone. Upon his lips a padlock shone. A fecond puff the magick broke, The padlock vanish'd, and he spoke. Twelve bottles rang'd upon the board, All full, with heady liquor stor'd, By clean conveyance disappear, And now too bloody swords are there. A purse she to the thief expos'd; She bids ambition hold a wand, She thakes the dice, the board she knocks. And from all pockets fills her box. She next a meager rake addrest A counter, in a mifer's hand, She bids his heir the sum retain, A guinea with a touch you see The juggler now, in grief of heart, Mr. Moore has convey'd a very useful and important lesson to the ladies, and represented disagreeable truths in a pleasing manner, by the following Fable. The POET and his PATRON. A Fable. By Mr. MOORE. Why, Calia, is your spreading waift So loose, so negligently lac'd ? Whence this forgetfulness of dress ? |