562 LESSONS FOR THE LITERATI. 



THE GOOSE AND THE GOLDFINCH, 



A FABLE FOR BALLAD-MONGERS. 



A GOOSE, with other poultry fed, 

 Inhabiting a farm-yard shed ; 

 So vile a bird was never seen, 

 Her nest was litter'd and unclean : 

 If she had eggs, 'twould sure befal 

 She'd overlay and smash them all ; 

 Or, if she ever hatched a brood, 

 She let them die for want of food : 

 Besides all this, from morn till night 

 She ate with monstrous appetite, 

 And yet, for all her stuffing in, 

 She still was nought but bone and skin : 

 To sell her for the smallest gain, 

 The farmer having tried in vain 

 (For none to buy a beast was willing, 

 That was not even worth the killing) 

 He turned her out, one dreary night, 

 To seek her fortune as she might. 



The goose, ere long, began to feel 

 The want of her accustom'd meal, 

 When, as she wander'd on, she heard 

 The voice of a melodious bird, 

 Who, with some others, sang a lay 

 In honour of the dawning day. 

 " Ha," mused the goose, " the thought will do 

 Why should not I turn singer too ? 

 No doubt my voice is sweet enough, 

 And art, and science are all stuff!" 

 Waddling to where the songsters stood, 

 She'd sing all day, she said, for food ; 

 Spoke of her lonely voice, and then 

 Gave a long hiss, as specimen. 



A sober goldfinch was at hand, 

 Who on that day had led the band : 

 " Fool that thou art," he said, " to think 

 Upon such terms, to eat and drink. 

 What ! thou a goose in ev'ry thing 

 Dare to presume with us to sing, 

 Why there's no art, be what it will, 

 Demands such genius and skill. 

 Leave us to sing alone, I pray. 

 And seek your food some other way." 



How many without power or worth 

 For any useful end on earth, 

 When every other hope has past, 

 Resort to poetry at last ; 

 As if that only can dispense 

 With talent, skill, and common sense ! 

 This tale to such may be of use 

 Let them take warning by the goose ; 

 Consider what the goldfinch said, 

 And seek some other way their bread. 



R. A. 



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