The Poetical Works of the Right Hon. George Granville, Lord Lansdowne/43
THE WILD BOAR’S DEFENCE.
A boar who had enjoy’d a happy reign
For many a year, and fed on many a man,
Call’d to account, ſoft’ning his ſavage eyes,
Thus, ſuppliant, pleads his cauſe before he dies.
“For what am I condemn’d? My crime ’s no more5
To eat a man than yours to eat a Boar.
We ſeek not you, but take what chance provides,
Nature and mere neceſſity our guides.
You murder us in ſport, then diſh us up
For drunken feaſts, a reliſh for the cup.10
We lengthen not our meals; but you muſt feaſt,
Gorge till your bellies burſt—Pray, who ’s the beaſt?
With your humanity you keep a fuſs,
But are in truth worſe brutes than all of us.
We prey not on our kind, but you, dear Brother!15
Most beastly of all beasts, devour each other.
Kings worry kings, neighbour with neighbour ſtrives,
Fathers and ſons, friends, brothers, huſbands, wives,
By fraud or force, by poiſon, ſword, or gun,
Deſtroy each other, ev’ry mother’s ſon.”20