The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-04-30 00:00:00, page 8

GRIG INAI. POE TR 2'.
Literary Fables.
Translated from the Spanish of Thomas
De lriarte, ha an Inhabitant
of Wheeling.
Introductory Fable.
Inc Elephant and other Animals.
1 X days ol yore and realms remote,
^* hen every brute employed his throat
To give his thoughts a vocal dress,
In one or many languages ;
Aw Elephant, who felt a zeal
'A iselv to serve the commonweal,
Had noticed how abuses swarm d
^ hich he suppos'd should be reform'd.
I or this good purpose he convokes
A meeting ol the count rtf foils,
A horn (alter lowly bow ing to)
He urg’d to take a candid vinu9
By smoothing matters, at the start,
In an exordium conn’d by heart,
dut on the suby < t warmer grown,
He soon assuin <1 a harsher tom ,
And without iurthcr hems or halts,
Condemn’d a thousand obvious f aults ;
As many vices next assail’d,
And lash d some habits which prevail’d:
Such as, a shameful indolence,
Slid affectation, impud nee,
Mi.Iicious envy, treachery,
And arrogant stupidity.
Sonrn ol the audience, it appears,
'V ith open mouths, as wa ll as e at s,—
lo v.it, the luinnltsti lamb and dovi,
J lie pointer, lull ol loyal love,
I ;ie patient horse, th’ industrious bee,
i he ant, that working prod .;v,
J he linch,whose voice 13 prais'd so high,
the plumage-spangled lmtterflv,—
Had listen’d, all, to what thev heard,
So as to swallow every word,
But of'.he hearers there wa r - some
Who took offence, & look’d quite vrum ;
*\ml scarcely would attention pav
I'o what the babbler” had to sav,
I he ravenous wolf, the tiger prim,
With indignation scowl’d at him ;
i he serpent, then, a demon quite,
Belch do.it the poisonous breath of spite,
\n<l with hoarse Am-..-, and r-.urtnuring
1 he hornet fierce, the i lie drone, £tone,
i’hc wasp, and bloody \a llow-jacket,
Kick’d up a most trerm ndoe.s racket.
Of those so restless, rude, and loud,
Some actually left the crowd ;
t.Wause, it « ctms, they took the hints,
And, like gall'd jades, were forced to
Oi these,the cricketskiptaway, [wince.
Nor could the moth or locust stay.
1 he sulky martin snapt and chid ;
The fox, in smiles, his anger hid ;
I he monkey, last, more knave than fool,
1 urn’d all the speech to ridicule.
— 1'he Elephant, with all his phlegm,
Laugh’d almost out, anil, crying hem !
I o check, per force, the rising smile,
C oncludcd in the following style :
“ 1 he hints, my friends, w hich 1 let fall,
Apply to none,—apply to all;
Ills guilt who feels the sting, appears ;
Who 1 eels not, needs not stop his ears.”
I hese Tables, so,— tis very plain*—
Are not address'd to 1 ram c, nor Spain,
Nor any one peculiar spot,
But t very place, no matter what.
Nor are they to (hi-, age confin’d,—■
for faults are common to mankind ;
And s inee there is no pointed aim
Ot fixing individual blame,
II he who feels the smart declare if,
lj’.e cap fits him-o let him wear it.
Anegooi n.
It was observed by a Bostonian, that
a st ive would save hej the wood com
monly used in a fire-place. “ Then,”
says a w ag, I would get two cf them,
and save the v.’hole.
[From the Weekly M gin.in:
B 1 LF.CTIONS on Contlntm: NT.
All mankind who r. ason, unite in one
general conclusion, we should he content
ed ; but I never lound that man vet who
as really so. The soul, which i, an
immortal being, cannot find real con
i' ntment in mutable and transient <>b
! jetts ; and in a religious light, it would
be improper that in aft should be com
pletely satis! . cl with terrestrial honours,
riche s, glory and renown, as he would
then entertain no d sire for eternal hai
rily. To carry this thought a little far
ther; w hen I reflect upon contentment,
and find no one in possession ' t this
treasure upon earth, methinks i' should j
strengthen our beli- i with respect to fu
turity; lor as e very thing hath its con
trast—as fire and water,Muck and white,
great and small, strength and weaknes ,
&c. &c. by a parity of re a ioniug, the dis
! content of human nature should also
I omewhei'i: have «’ ? jipo.ii'-, coni' • *.
1 Tr.ent: find M it is hot to be met with
under the sun, we must conclude that it
is to be found in another world ; for-in
this, as the poet happily expresses it,
That something ever unpossessed,
Cor rod v and leavens all the rest;
I hat something, could ive but obtain
II oidd soon create a future pain.
There is, indeed, a great deal of affecta
tion played oil in the world, concerning
contentment. There are many men whose
pride and vanity will not allow them to
let their neighbours know their wants,
anti who pretend to enjoyments they ne
ver taste. 1 hese splendid miserables arc
all gaiet) and mirth in public ; in pri
vate, melancholy and wretchedness__
On the other hand, it is a mark of a very
narrow way oi thinking, for a man,
\vh»>se possessions scarcely allow him the
conveniencies ol life, to pretend that he
is satisfied. This is a false philosophy,
whit h w ill never supply his wants ; and
like that ol the other who boasts posses
sions he does not enjoy, may afford a
temporary external gratification with
tlu world, but will never furnish them
with real internal satisfaction.
I recollect,when I was at Vienna, see
ing an inscription upon a stone to this
‘-‘fleet : “ This house was erected by
count 1). to be given to the first man
w ho could prove that he w as really con
tented. 1 inquired an explanation of
an Austrian gentleman, who told me this
inscription was placed on a magnificent
house constructed 1>\ the count; and that
one day a stranger knocked at the gate,
and uesired to speak to the master, and
upon being introduced and asked his
bus ne >s, sai 1, I come to take posses
• ion ol tiiis house, as I find you have
huilt.it in order to bestow it on the man
‘*fi *s really contented. Now as 1 am
in Inal state, ol which I am willing to
make oath, yon w ill please, Sir, to put
me in immediate possession.” The
count did not interrupt him till he had
finished his speech ; when he replied,
“ \ oil are very right, Sir, with respect
to my intention -t but as I do not disco
ver tin least pretence you have to the ti
tle ol a contented man, I beg you will
retire ; for if you were quite contented,
you would not crave my house.
IV II L E LI N C,
(OHIO COUNTY, VIRGINIA,)
Pni.vTfiD BY A. ARMSTRONG.