_Princes can never satisfy That Worth that rates itself too high. What Pity it is! some Men of Parts Should have such haughty stubborn Hearts: When once they are courted they grow vain: Ambitious Souls cannot contain Their Joy, which when they strive to hide, They cover it with so much Pride, So Saucy to Superiors, Impatient of Competitors, Th' are utterly untractable, And put off like our Nightingale. Many with him might have been great, Promoted Friends, and serv'd the State, That have beheld, with too much Joy, The wish'd for Opportunity; Then slipt it by their own Delays, Sloth, Pride, or other willful Ways, And ever after strove in vain To see the Forelock once again._
A Cat, whose Sirname pretty hard was, One Captain _Felis Rodilardus_ Had made so terrible a slaughter Among the Rats; that little after There's hardly one to shew his head, Most part of 'em were maim'd or dead. The few that yet had 'scap'd the Grave, Liv'd in a subterranean Cave, Where they sat thinking mighty dull, With Bellies less than quarter full, Not daring to stir out for fear Of _Rodilard_, who's ev'ry where. They tried a hundred ways to sun him: But finding they could never shun him, The Wretches look upon him, that He's more a Devil than a Cat. Once, when our am'rous Spark was gone A hunting Wenches up and down, The poor remainder to improve The time their Enemy made love, Assembl'd, and employ'd their Cares About the straits of their Affairs. Their President, a Man of Sence, Told 'em, by long experience; I know, the Captain used to come In Ambush without beat of Drum. Methinks, that if we could but hear him We need not half so much to fear him: And therefore, th' only way's to take A Bell, and tie't about his Neck; And then let him be ne'er so arch He'll advertise us of his march. His Council took, and every one } Was of the same Opinion; } Sure nothing better could be done. } But pray, says one, who is to tie it; For I desire not to be nigh it. How! cries another, tie the Bell, I dare draw all his Teeth as well. A third, a fourth, all say the same, And so they parted as they came.
_Thus Cits advise what's to be done, This way they should attack the Town; Now here, then there, why don't they come? So, often in a Coffee-room, Where prudently they rule the Nation, I've heard some Men of Reputation Propose things which they dare as well Perform, as Rats to tie the Bell._