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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The King and the Shepherd</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Through ev'ry Age some Tyrant Passion reigns: <br>Now Love prevails, and now Ambition gains <br>Reason's lost Throne, and sov'reign Rule maintains. <br>Tho' beyond Love's, Ambition's Empire goes; <br>For who feels Love, Ambition also knows, <br>And proudly still aspires to be possest <br>Of Her, he thinks superior to the rest. </a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">As cou'd be prov'd, but that our plainer Task <br>Do's no such Toil, or Definitions ask; <br>But to be so rehears'd, as first 'twas told, <br>When such old Stories pleas'd in Days of old. </a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><br> A King, observing how a Shepherd's Skill <br>Improv'd his Flocks, and did the Pastures fill, <br>That equal Care th' assaulted did defend, <br>And the secur'd and grazing Part attend, <br>Approves the Conduct, and from Sheep and Curs <br>Transfers the Sway, and changed his Wool to Furrs. <br>Lord-Keeper now, as rightly he divides <br>His just Decrees, and speedily decides; <br>When his sole Neighbor, whilst he watch'd the Fold, <br>A Hermit poor, in Contemplation old, <br>Hastes to his Ear, with safe, but lost Advice, <br>Tells him such Heights are levell'd in a trice, <br>Preferments treach'rous, and her Paths of Ice: <br>And that already sure 't had turn'd his Brain, <br>Who thought a Prince's Favour to retain. <br>Nor seem'd unlike, in this mistaken Rank, <br>The sightless Wretch, who froze upon a Bank <br>A Serpent found, which for a Staff he took, <br>And us'd as such (his own but lately broke) <br>Thanking the Fates, who thus his Loss supply'd, <br>Nor marking one, that with amazement cry'd, <br>Throw quickly from thy Hand that sleeping Ill; <br>A Serpent 'tis, that when awak'd will kill.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">A Serpent this! th' uncaution'd Fool replies: <br>A Staff it feels, nor shall my want of Eyes <br>Make me believe, I have no Senses left, <br>And thro' thy Malice be of this bereft; <br>Which Fortune to my Hand has kindly sent <br>To guide my Steps, and stumbling to prevent. <br>No Staff, the Man proceeds; but to thy harm <br>A Snake 'twill prove: The Viper, now grown warm <br>Confirm'd it soon, and fasten'd on his Arm. </a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"> Thus wilt thou find, Shepherd believe it true, <br>Some Ill, that shall this seeming Good ensue; <br>Thousand Distastes, t' allay thy envy'd Gains, <br>Unthought of, on the parcimonious Plains. <br>So prov'd the Event, and Whisp'rers now defame <br>The candid Judge, and his Proceedings blame. <br>By Wrongs, they say, a Palace he erects, <br>The Good oppresses, and the Bad protects. <br>To view this Seat the King himself prepares, <br>Where no Magnificence or Pomp appears, <br>But Moderation, free from each Extream, <br>Whilst Moderation is the Builder's Theme. <br>Asham'd yet still the Sycophants persist, <br>That Wealth he had conceal'd within a Chest, <br>Which but attended some convenient Day, <br>To face the Sun, and brighter Beams display. <br>The Chest unbarr'd, no radiant Gems they find, <br>No secret Sums to foreign Banks design'd, <br>But humble Marks of an obscure Recess, <br>Emblems of Care, and Instruments of Peace; <br>The Hook, the Scrip, and for unblam'd Delight <br>The merry Bagpipe, which, ere fall of Night, <br>Cou'd sympathizing Birds to tuneful Notes invite. <br>Welcome ye Monuments of former Joys! <br>Welcome! to bless again your Master's Eyes, <br>And draw from Courts, th' instructed Shepherd cries. <br>No more dear Relicks! we no more will part, <br>You shall my Hands employ, who now revive my Heart. <br>No Emulations, nor corrupted Times <br>Shall falsely blacken, or seduce to Crimes <br>Him, whom your honest Industry can please, <br>Who on the barren Down can sing from inward Ease. </a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><br> How's this! the Monarch something mov'd rejoins. <br>With such low Thoughts, and Freedom from Designs, <br>What made thee leave a Life so fondly priz'd, <br>To be in Crouds, or envy'd, or despis'd? </a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=345319" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"> Forgive me, Sir, and Humane Frailty see, <br>The Swain replies, in my past State and Me; <br>All peaceful that, to which I vow return. <br>But who alas! (tho' mine at length I mourn) <br>Was e'er without the Curse of some Ambition born.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><a href="http://poems.citatepedia.com/">poem</a> by <strong><a rel="author" href="http://authors.citatepedia.com/by.php?a=Anne+Kingsmill+Finch">Anne Kingsmill Finch</a></strong></div>