The Bee and the Butterfly

 UPON a garden's perfum'd bed 
With various gaudy colours spread, 
Beneath the shelter of a ROSE 
A BUTTERFLY had sought repose; 
Faint, with the sultry beams of day, 
Supine the beauteous insect lay.
 

A BEE, impatient to devour
The nectar sweets of ev'ry flow'r, 
Returning to her golden store, 
A weight of fragrant treasure bore; 
With envious eye, she mark'd the shade, 
Where the poor BUTTERFLY was laid, 
And resting on the bending spray, 
Thus murmur'd forth her drony lay:­ 

"Thou empty thing, whose merit lies 
In the vain boast of orient dies; 
Whose glittering form the slightest breath 
Robs of its gloss, and fades to death; 
Who idly rov'st the summer day, 
Flutt'ring a transient life away, 
Unmindful of the chilling hour, 
The nipping frost, the drenching show'r; 
Who heedless of "to-morrow's fare," 
Mak'st present bliss thy only care; 
Is it for THEE, the damask ROSE 
With such transcendent lustre glows? 
Is it for such a giddy thing 
Nature unveils the blushing spring? 
Hence, from thy lurking place, and know, 
'Tis not for THEE her beauties glow.
" 

The BUTTERFLY, with decent pride, 
In gentle accents, thus reply'd: 
"'Tis true, I flutter life away 
In pastime, innocent and gay; 
The SUN that decks the blushing spring 
Gives lustre to my painted wing; 
'Tis NATURE bids each colour vie, 
With rainbow tints of varying die; 
I boast no skill, no subtle pow'r 
To steal the balm from ev'ry flow'r; 
The ROSE, that only shelter'd ME, 
Has pour'd a load of sweets on THEE; 
Of merit we have both our share, 
Heav'n gave thee ART, and made me FAIR; 
And tho' thy cunning can despise 
The humble worth of harmless flies; 
Remember, envious, busy thing, 
Thy honey'd form conceals a sting; 
Enjoy thy garden, while I rove 
The sunny hill, the woodbine grove, 
And far remov'd from care and THEE, 
Embrace my humble destiny; 
While in some lone sequester'd bow'r, 
I'll live content beyond thy pow'r;
For where ILL-NATURE holds her reign 
TASTE, WORTH, and BEAUTY, plead in vain; 
E'en GENIUS must to PRIDE submit 
When ENVY wings the shaft of WIT.

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