 | Beasts at law, or zoologian jurisprudence |  |
“This Goat, it seems, saw fit to call
And visit Canis at his stall;
Who begg'd a private chat to hold
“On matters that concerned the fold.”
Confiding in him, she retired,
And he with wickedness inspired,
Assail'd her virtue! lick'd her tests!
And almost scared her into fits!
And what excuse did he prefer
For such assault? The treacherous Cur
Attempts to prove our Mammoth king
Would pardon such a trifling thing:
But finding his intreaties vain,
This virtuous Goat's consent to gain,
He next this awful threat applies;
“If you your reputation prize,
Keep this a secret...or I swear,
By the official garb I wear,
I'll tell the flock, and they'll believe it,
What damns your fame...you can't retrieve it.”
Besides all this, to gain his ends,
He thus the horrid act commends:
“If I, your shepherd, dare commit it,
Sure your own conscience may acquit it;
Why, I have twice perform'd the thing,
And yet am honored by the king;
So far from losing reputation,
I've been promoted to this station.”
He then the well-known fable brought,
About the mouse by Lion caught,
To demonstrate that any ill
Can find forgiveness, if we will.
And visit Canis at his stall;
Who begg'd a private chat to hold
“On matters that concerned the fold.”
Confiding in him, she retired,
And he with wickedness inspired,
Assail'd her virtue! lick'd her tests!
And almost scared her into fits!
And what excuse did he prefer
For such assault? The treacherous Cur
Attempts to prove our Mammoth king
Would pardon such a trifling thing:
95
This virtuous Goat's consent to gain,
He next this awful threat applies;
“If you your reputation prize,
Keep this a secret...or I swear,
By the official garb I wear,
I'll tell the flock, and they'll believe it,
What damns your fame...you can't retrieve it.”
Besides all this, to gain his ends,
He thus the horrid act commends:
“If I, your shepherd, dare commit it,
Sure your own conscience may acquit it;
Why, I have twice perform'd the thing,
And yet am honored by the king;
So far from losing reputation,
I've been promoted to this station.”
He then the well-known fable brought,
About the mouse by Lion caught,
To demonstrate that any ill
Can find forgiveness, if we will.
| Beasts at law, or zoologian jurisprudence | |