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Literary
April 1, 1785
Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
In this verse fable, a gardener discovers a snail devouring his prized peaches and angrily condemns the pest, vowing to kill it as a warning to other robbers. The snail retorts by comparing its fate to the impunity of thieving human ministers and greedy gardeners before being crushed.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
POET'S CORNER.
The GARDINER and the SNAIL.
A FABLE.
Gard'ner once, at early day,
Walk'd forth his fruit-trees to survey;
But long he hadn't look'd around,
E'er on a peach a snail he found;
The snail he clasps, with anger fill'd,
But thus bespeaks him e'er he kill'd:
"Thou crawling insect vile, and low,
For you did these fine peaches grow?
For you did I take so much care,
These trees to guard from blighting air?
To dress and prune them take delight,
Visit each morn and ev'ry night;
And now must all my pains be foil'd,
My hopes by such a reptile spoil'd?
My favourite fruit must you devour,
And blast my pride in one short hour?
Will nothing else please your nice palate?
No common and no coarser diet?
Won't coleworts, and such fare, suffice,
Will nought go down but rarities?
Die, caitiff, die, and take thy due;
Let other snails be warn'd by you:
Like you should every robber fall,
A victim to the public's call."
Hard is our fate the snail replies,
Each snail without compassion dies.
Oh! evil and unequal times,
To punish thus our lesser crimes,
When human Ministers of State,
Tho' oft deserving of our fate,
Securely live and dwell at ease,
And plunder whensoe'er they please.
O'er Gard'ners too, who kill us snails,
The love of rapine much prevails;
And, were you to strict justice brought,
Your race wou'd shortly come to nought:
More had he said,--when lo!
The Gard'ner crush'd him with his toe.
The GARDINER and the SNAIL.
A FABLE.
Gard'ner once, at early day,
Walk'd forth his fruit-trees to survey;
But long he hadn't look'd around,
E'er on a peach a snail he found;
The snail he clasps, with anger fill'd,
But thus bespeaks him e'er he kill'd:
"Thou crawling insect vile, and low,
For you did these fine peaches grow?
For you did I take so much care,
These trees to guard from blighting air?
To dress and prune them take delight,
Visit each morn and ev'ry night;
And now must all my pains be foil'd,
My hopes by such a reptile spoil'd?
My favourite fruit must you devour,
And blast my pride in one short hour?
Will nothing else please your nice palate?
No common and no coarser diet?
Won't coleworts, and such fare, suffice,
Will nought go down but rarities?
Die, caitiff, die, and take thy due;
Let other snails be warn'd by you:
Like you should every robber fall,
A victim to the public's call."
Hard is our fate the snail replies,
Each snail without compassion dies.
Oh! evil and unequal times,
To punish thus our lesser crimes,
When human Ministers of State,
Tho' oft deserving of our fate,
Securely live and dwell at ease,
And plunder whensoe'er they please.
O'er Gard'ners too, who kill us snails,
The love of rapine much prevails;
And, were you to strict justice brought,
Your race wou'd shortly come to nought:
More had he said,--when lo!
The Gard'ner crush'd him with his toe.
What sub-type of article is it?
Fable
Poem
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Political
Taxation Oppression
What keywords are associated?
Fable
Gardener
Snail
Justice
Plunder
Ministers
Satire
Literary Details
Title
The Gardiner And The Snail.
Key Lines
"Thou Crawling Insect Vile, And Low,
For You Did These Fine Peaches Grow?"
"When Human Ministers Of State,
Tho' Oft Deserving Of Our Fate,
Securely Live And Dwell At Ease,
And Plunder Whensoe'er They Please."
More Had He Said, When Lo!
The Gard'ner Crush'd Him With His Toe.