Like heav'n, it hears the orphan's cries, Their crimes on gold fhall mifers lay, THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE GEESE. BE very short and neat in your expreffion in reading the following fable, as indeed you ought to be in most of them. A LION, tir'd with ftate affairs, Quite fick of pomp, and worn with cares It was proclaim'd; the day was fet: Paufe after "Behold." The Fox was viceroy made. The crowd To the new regent humbly bow'd. Stop after "Regent," as if a comma. Wolves, bears, and mighty tigers bend, He He straight affumes a folemn grace, Collects his wisdom in his face. Affume a little of the perfonification in your manner, which gives a pleafing variety. The crowd admire his wit, his fenfe; Stop a little after "flatt'rer." He who hath pow'r is fure of praife. The fame after "pow'r." A Fox stepp'd forth before the reft, After "Fox" the fame. And thus the fervile throng addrefs'd: Here again affume a little of the actor, which will keep up the life and Spirit of your reading. How vaft his talents, born to rule, He He faid. A Gocfe, who diftant stood, Whenever I hear a knave commend, To prove his tafte and feem polite, Will feed on Geese both noon and night! THE MONKEY WHO HAD SEEN THE WORLD. THERE is a good deal of humour in the following fable. Let your manner be entirely unrestrained, and your utterance eafy and flowing. A MONKEY, to reform the times, Make a much longer ftop after "Monkey" than you would to a comma.-In fact, we advise the scholar not to pay much attention to the common punctuation he meets with, but to stick close to the Spirit and meaning of the author, and in fo doing his own taste and judgment will of themselves point out the necessary stops to be made. Refolv'd Refolv'd to vifit foreign climes: At length the treach'rous fnare was laid, Proud as a lover of his chains, Pause, as if a comma after "Proud." He day by day her favour gains. All this with the ease of converfation. In vifits too his parts and wit, When jefts grew dull, were fure to hit. Like Orpheus, burnt with public zeal, So watch'd occafion, broke his chain, The hairy fylvans round him press, Keep Keep pace by your manner with this whimsical descrip tion. Some praise his fleeve, and others glote His flutt'ring fhoulder-knot admire. In all these descriptions you must keep up the ftrength and Spirit of the outline drawn by the poet, by your mode of reading, and enforce the impreffion on the mind of the hearer by every means in your power. You must now raise your voice, and give an affected confequence to your manner. Hear and improve, he pertly cries; I come to make a nation wife. Weigh your own worth, fupport your place, The next in rank to human race. In cities long I pafs'd my days, Convers'd with men, and learn'd their ways. Their drefs, their courtly manners fee, Seek ye to thrive? in flatt'ry deal; But use them for your private ends. Stint |