Hast thow transform them to the mottled
Where, with thy sister Pleiades, [skies
Thou wearest them in thy bright amber hair
Or do they fade upon
Thy boson, where thy fondest suitor dies.
15. MARY AND THE WEE SNAIL.
Ah! poor little mortal, said Polly one day,
As she carelessly trod on a snail in her way,
In spite of the horns that grow out of your head,
How cruelly trampled! how soon you are dead!
Thus man, through this valley of tears as he creeps,
While sometimes he laughs, and at others he weeps,
Puts forth his fine feelers to find ont the road,
To ease his hard yoke ard to lighten his load,
Till Fortune more hastily driving along,
Unheard her swift wheel and unnoticed her song,
While he struggles to catch her, she tramples him
And he meets with a cross who would catch at a
Then turning, she viewed the poor creature again, And blush'd that so cruel a girl she had been;
Remorse overcame her, she hung down ger head,
Consulted the doctor, and hasten'd to bed!
But no sooner at rest she was laid for the night.
Than the ghost of the snail woke her up in a fright,
And crawling at length to the top of the broom,
Thus awfully spoke in the midst of the gloom!
"For this fault there awaits you,
as oracles say,
In the kingdom to come a smart whipping one day!
But if satisfaction you'r willing to make,
To morrow give Neptune the whole of your cake;
Haste now to your birdcage and open the door,
Let fly pour canary, and murder no more!"
Well knew she the doctrine of penance and grace.
Took warning, got up and made haste to the place,
Let fly the fond bird to give thanks on the fir,
For freedom regained, to his Maker and her!
And further, to Heaven, on interest, to lend,
Sent to London one pound to the Animals' Friend (*).
16. ON A CAT. BY DR. JORTIN.
"Fessa annis morboque gravi, mitissima felis "Infernos tandem cogor adire lacus:
(*) By an agent of the Animals' Friend Society, 52, Mark Lane. This is done into Latin by the author, infra.
"Et mihi subridens Proserpinus dixit, habeto 'Elysios soles, Elysiumque nemus :
"Sed bene si merui, facilis regina silentum, "Da mihi saltem unâ nocte redire domum, "Nocte redire domum, dominoque haec discere in [aurem, "Te tua fida etiam trans Styga felis amat."
ON A FAVOURITE CAT KILLED, Oct. 6, 1820.
A victim to Euphonia's furious rage,
Tho' thy attentive hand was ever nigh
Each want to help and every pang assuage,
At length with hideous agony I die.
Believe that ev'n in death a wish remains,
Nor do I rest without a fond desire
To tell thee, gentle soother of my pains,
All which true love and gratitude inspire.
O let me as a dream at least appear,
Revisiting the glimpses of the moon,
And whisper grateful" in Susanna's ear,
-This wish abtained I ask no farther boon.
18. HET KIND EN DEN WIND.
In Rotterdam een kleyn kind,
Tusschen het water en den wind,
Omwenden is gevallen,
Het was een wys en lustig kind,
En onderdaenig aen den wind,
En voldaen was te vallen,
En had zoo aen den wind gezeyd,
Ik valle als myne kindermeyd,
In 't water is gevallen,
Die kleyn ried aen biese stand,
Als grooten boom met sterken band,
Met wind staet neer te vallen.
ADDRESSED TO ONE WHO, IN MAKING A LIST OF THE DOGS, HAD OMITTED ONE NAMED SPECTRE, RE
MARKABLE FOR HIS SLOW PACES.
"Oh, recreant Scribe, thou hast forgotten A dog, so far from being rotten,
"That though commissioned to inspect him,
Each undertaker would neglect him;
And by a jury 't would be said,
That though not quick, he was not dead:
But if he were,
So many a puss who no more purs,
Are set down in thy catalogue,
Thou might'st have mentioned this poor dog."
Stay, doughty critic, sapient Sir,
I have forgot no living cur;
The poorest bitch I'd not neglect her,
No beast alive can be a spectre;
And pray observe my catalogue
Contains no beast, but Cat or Dog;
This looks a Dog he hunts a Cat,
His choicest game is but a Rat.
I leave it to the learned whether
A beast like this is fairly ether?" EF
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