# Pig (Smart)

From Fables.
* The PIG.
* FABLE XVIII.
* In every age, and each profession,
* Men err the most by prepossession;
* But when the thing is clearly shown,
* And fairly stated, fully known,
* 5 We soon applaud what we deride,
* And penitence succeeds to pride.—
* A certain baron on a day,
* Having a mind to shew away,
* Invited all the wits and wags,
* 10 Foot, Massey, Shuter, Yates and Skeggs,
* And built a large commodious stage,
* For the Choice Spirits of the age;
* But above all, among the rest,
* There came a Genius who profess'd
* 15 To have a curious trick in store,
* Which never was perform'd before.
* Thro' all the town this soon got air,
* And the whole house was like a fair;
* But soon his entry as he made,
* 20 Without a prompter, or parade,
* 'Twas all expectance, all suspence,
* And silence gagg'd the audience.
* He hid his head behind his wig,
* And with such truth TOOK OFF a Pig,
* 25 All swore 'twas serious, and no joke,
* For doubtless underneath his cloak,
* He had conceal'd some grunting elf,
* Or, was a real hog himself.
* A search was made, no pig was found—
* 30 With thund'ring claps the seats resound,
* And pit, and box, and galleries roar,
* With—O rare! Bravo! and Encore.
* Old Roger Grouse, a country clown,
* Who yet knew something of the town,
* 35 Beheld the mimic and his whim,
* And on the morrow challeng'd him,
* Declaring to each beau and bunter,
* That he'd out-grunt th'egregious grunter.
* The morrow came—the croud was greater—
* 40 But prejudice and rank ill-nature
* Usurp'd the minds of men and wenches,
* Who came to hiss, and break the benches.
* The mimic took his usual station,
* And squeak'd with general approbation.
* 45 Again, encore! encore! they cry—
* 'Twas quite THE THING—'twas VERY HIGH:
* Old Grouse conceal'd, amidst the racket,
* A real Pig beneath his jacket—
* Then forth he came—and with his nail
* 50 He pinch'd the urchin by the tail.
* The tortur'd Pig from out his throat,
* Produc'd the genuine nat'ral note.
* All bellow'd out—'twas very sad!
* Sure never stuff was half so bad!
* 55 That like a Pig!—each cry'd in scoff,
* Pshaw! Nonsense! Blockhead! Off! Off! Off!
* The mimic was extoll'd; and Grouse
* Was hiss'd, and catcall'd from the house.—
* “Soft ye, a word before I go,”
* 60 Quoth honest Hodge—and stooping low
* Produc'd the Pig, and thus aloud
* Bespoke the stupid, partial croud:
* BEHOLD AND LEARN FROM THIS POOR CREATURE,
* HOW MUCH YOU CRITICS KNOW OF NATURE. 1752

## Notes

First published in The Midwife; or The Old Woman's Magazine (iii. 77-9, Aug. 1752). Reprinted 1756, 1758, 1763, 1791. Untitled (1752, 1763). Title: The Critic Mistaken. A Tale (1756). Smart's revised version of the fable appears under the title The Buffoon and the Country Fellow in his translation of Phaedrus's Scurra and Rusticus.
Reviews:
* ↑ Well-known actors and performers of the London stage in the 1750s. (Karina Williamson's note).
* ↑ 24. And so exact TOOK OFF a Pig, (Text 1752).
* ↑ 56. Pshaw! Nonsense! Blockhead! Damn it! Off! (Text 1763).

## Links

* on "books.google.co.uk" (1)
* on "books.google.co.uk" (2)
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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