Classic Poem

A TALE .

Kind Heaven bade Hope, with features fair,
Dispel the thoughts that nurse Despair,
To hint, that though immers'd in grief,
Unlooked-for means may bring relief;
To tell us, though in sight of ruin,
A thousand blessings may be brewing;
That though to-day may set in sorrow,
The sun of Joy may rise to-morrow.
A farmer, than his neighbours wiser,
(By thoughtless spendthrifts called a miser,)
A field with such abundance stor'd,
That all the birds came there to board;
Where'er they fled, the beaky sinners
Came there to eat their daily dinners:
At length, to check the daring crew,
He fix'd a Scarecrow full'in view;
The birds, who now their feasting miss'd,
Collected, chatter'd, peck'd and hiss'd,
And fearing that some plot was hatching,
Suppos'd the farmer daily watching;
By caution led, they ey'd him round,
And each some striking feature found;
So ready is Imagination
To furnish traits of self-creation;
But whether it was so or not,
They called a meeting on the spot!
Decreed, the Magpies all proclaim,
From distant Idris Eagles came;
The Daws set out from Edward's towers,
And Cranes came down in feathery showers
Seiriol and Ormus were deserted,
And swans from Cevni's shores departed;
Even Gulls, that love the ocean's roar,
To learn the issue, left the shore;
Such screams and fluttering fill'd the air,
Astonish'd Mona stood to stare;
Whole flocks, that came not to be fed,
By love of news, this day were led;
The Linnets left their homes and hay-ricks,
And not a Crow was seen at Meyrick's;
The birds that haunt our ploughs and harrows,
And every thatch had lost its Sparrows;
(Save Ducks and Geese, who rarely roam,
And almost always dine at home);
All came in crowds, to join the council,
Even those that fed on grubs and groundsel;
The day involv'd the weal of feather,
And Hawks and Pigeons came together;
Sedition's grumblers durst not squeak,
Corn, peas, and seeds were all at stake;
The world of wing was staunch and hearty,
For this, to them, was Bonaparte!
A Jay first rising, chatter'd loud,
And mute attention still'd the crowd;
" Such strokes of art, such light and shade,
" No exhibition e'er display'd;
" No Reynold's closer copied features,
" Besides, the drapery — is Nature's;
" In every point so very like,
" 'Twould even a buzzard's blindness strike. "
An Owl, at once both wise and witty,
Propos'd that a select committee
Should watch the Scarecrow, never stir,
And then report — what might occur;
To this proposal, safe, though slow,
The great majority said — no.
The meeting, after much conjecture,
Sapient speeches, many a lecture,
Was breaking up, though unobtain'd
The point , which such a crowd conven'd;
Exhausted by the long debate,
Their roosting thoughts declar'd it late;
For though they had sat from sun to sun,
'Twas empty craws, and nothing done;
For here — this every bird can tell ye,
No shelf display'd a sandwich, jelly;
No welcome waiter came with cake,
The morning's lengthen'd fast to break;
Nor members left the deep debate,
To prowl about for Plenty's plate.

At length a Crow, whose wealth was knowledge,
(Although he had never seen a college,)
An humble motion meant to make,
Which Wisdom might reject or take;
" I move — that we attempt to dine,
(And all that heard him thought it time)
" To eat — one general effort try,
" At all events, we can but fly;
" If this will no attention win,
" Then rest assur'd — it is not him . "
They did — unmov'd remain'd the Miser,
The field was robb'd, the birds were wiser!

A Landlord — not the best of men,
Had little tenants, nine or ten;
Among them, though his rent was rack'd,
Industrious Griffith never lack'd;
Honest, frugal, sober, steady,
Till now — his rent was always ready:
This year, alas! had teem'd with harm,
A thoughtless boy had burnt his barn;
His hay had suffer'd by the flood,
Misfortunes sometimes meet the good;
But then, they lighter fall on him,
Whose waistcoat holds the Heaven within;
Poor Griffith now a week had spent,
In turning every stone for rent;
At last set out with aching heart,
To pay a pacifying part.
It happen'd that his straightest way,
Near this form terrific lay;
And having heard much talk before,
Survey'd the Scarecrow o'er and o'er;
When glittering, to his great surprise,
A guinea met his ravish'd eyes;
And sure enough, th' unthought of store,
Ne'er yet arriv'd, when wanted more;
No one, as yet, has money found,
That did not search the lucky ground;
A straggling brother coin to gain,
But Griffith's prying, prov'd in vain;
The figure pass'd — a second thought,
To Griffith's mind, inspection brought;
He knew the piece must leave the pocket,
And therefore he resolv'd to rock it;
And having mov'd it twice or more,
Down fell guineas — near a score:
Exulting, Griffith onward went,
A happy man, and paid his rent.
Yet Griffith, in a future hour,
When Heaven had bless'd his will with power,
To pay the Miser's cash took care;
He knew mistake had left it there;
For well to men and birds 'twas known,
The Scarecrow's clothes were long his own.
But hear it, Scandal's offspring, hear,
Who see a Miser's crimes so clear;
But never, with ingenuous spirit,
Even whisper deeds that mark his merit:
And know, that even faultless YOU ,
The Miser without hate may view;
Who, hearing how his gold was us'd,
To take a penny back — refus'd!
" No, honest friend, I plainly see,
" That Heaven design'd that hoard for thee. "
And be the Bard, for once, adviser,
With Mercy's language, treat the Miser;
He only forms a destin'd feature,
A varying note in human nature;
Delightful Octave, this and others ,
'Tis social concord — men and brothers.

And ye — the Muse your Merit saves,
Misers who bless us from your graves;
Whose lives were one divine endeavour
To heal the world, and heal for ever;
Whate'er of frailty some partake,
May Heaven forgive them for your sake.

This tale a pleasing precept gives,
To every worthy soul that lives;
'Tis this — that Virtue ne'er despairs ,
A S CARECROW may DISPERSE OUR CARES .