Asses and Apes, 129 



Metaphors and images are therefore abundantly drawn 

 from this animal Every one, from Moore's Sovereign — 



" A royal ass, by grace divine 

 And right of ears, most asinine," 



to Crabbe's Schoolboy, is pelted with the epithet. 



" The man's a donkey — let him bray," suffices in Mackay 

 to stand by itself as all-suflScient and not requiring explana- 

 tion. Mankind in general belong to the species : says 

 Cowper — 



" Man is the genuine ofispring of revolt. 

 Stubborn and sturdy, a wild ass's colt." 



So do nations collectively and separately ; as in Byron — 



" The world is a bundle of hay, 



Mankind are the asses who pull ; 

 Each lugs it a different way. 

 And the greatest of all is John Bull." 



Or as Oldham in his Satires, placing a donkey in London, 



asks — 



" What would he think on a Lord Mayor's Day 

 Should he the pomp and pageantry survey. 

 Or view the judges and their solemn train 

 March with grave decency to kiil a man ? 



What would he say, were he condemned to stand 

 For one long hour in Fleet Street or the Strand ; 

 To cast his eyes upon the motley throng. 

 The iwo-legged herd, that daily pass along ? 



If, after prospect of all thi>, the a-s 



Siiould find the voice he had in ^sop's days. 



Then, doctor, then, casting his eyes around 



On human fools, which everywhere abound. 



Content with thistles, from all envy free, 



And shaking his grave head, no doubt he'd cry, 



Good faiih ! man is a beast as much as we I " 



I 



