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THE PHEASANT AND THE LARK.
A FABLE. BY DR. DELANY. 1730.
"—Quis iniquæ
Tam patiens urbis, tam ferreus, ut teneat se?"
Juv.
IN ancient times, as bards indite,
(If clerks have conn'd the records right)
A Peacock reign'd, whose glorious sway
His subjects with delight obey:
His tail was beauteous to behold,
Replete with goodly eyes and gold;
Fair emblem of that monarch's guise,
Whose train at once is rich and wise;
And princely rul'd he many regions,
And statesmen wise, and valiant legions.
A Pheasant lord[1], above the rest,
With every grace and talent blest,
Was sent to sway, with all his skill,
The sceptre of a neighbouring hill[2].
No science was to him unknown,
For all the arts were all his own:
In all the living learned read,
Though more delighted with the dead:
For birds, if ancient tales say true,
Had then their Popes and Homers too
Could read and write in prose and verse,
And speak like ***, and build like Pearce[3].
- ↑ Lord Carteret, lord lieutenant of Ireland.
- ↑ Ireland.
- ↑ A famous modern architect, who built the parliament house in Dublin.
