FABLE XIII.
THE HONEYSUCKLE.
I.
AT height of noon, a youth reclin’d
Beneath a woodbine bow’r;
Defended by whose thick’ning shade,
He pass’d the sultry hour,
II.
But when mild breezes cool’d the air,
And length’ning shadows rose;
He scann’d with philosophic mind
The place of his repose.
III.
High over-head the twining boughs,
Where thousand blossoms glow,
Of ev’ry beam of light bereave
The cool alcove below.
IV.
“Ah! (said the youth) ungrateful still!
“And dost thou thus repay
“The bounties of that glorious God,
“Who wak’d thee into day?
V.
“While he in his meridian course
“Illumines wide the sky;
“Dost thou, O wretch, resist his pow’r,
“And all his beams defy?
VI.
“Unlike to thee, ingrate, behold
“The Sun-flow’r drinks his light;
“Lives, to his radiance ever true,
“And with him sinks to night.
VII.
“But like some faithless fav’rite you,
“Or some more faithless fair;
“Spurn at the very pow’r that grac’d,
“And made you what you are.
VIII.
“Oh! useful lesson to be learn’d,
“With scanty hand to pour
“Those blessings, which, when once conferr’d,
“Shall ne’er be thought on more!”
IX.
Unmov’d the beauteous Woodbine heard,
Then, nodding from on high,
Shook the green honours of her brow,
As thus she made reply:
X.
“Vain is the hypocritic plea
“That gilds the selfish end;
“And base the poor unfeeling heart
“That ill repays a friend.
XI.
“For me, not such my care ill-plac’d;—
“My blessings unconfin’d,
“I give each gentle breathing air,
“And scatter to the wind.
XII.
“What if my leaves exclude that Pow’r
“By whom thou say’st I live;
“Yet He beholds me, while I bloom,
“A grateful tribute give.
XIII.
“My fragrance, nay, that friendly shade,
“Which you ungrateful blame,
“Are off’rings still to Phœbus’ self,
“Who nurs’d them with his flame.
XIV.
“He, for the use of base mankind,
“Bade me all these dispense:
“For whom I spread these vernal charms,
“So pleasing to the sense.
XV.
“Ungrateful thou, thy ill-meant charge
“Take back, so mis-apply’d:
“And fairly reason with thy heart,
“And check thy selfish pride.
XVI.
“Thou, in my shadows late reclin’d,
“Could’st pass the hours at ease;
“Then, what is now ingratitude,
“Thy narrow mind could please.
XVII.
“Take back the charge; thy maxim too;
With thee let others use:—
“Keep thou this moral in thy mind,
“T’ enjoy, but not abuse.”