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| II. |
 | Poems on several subjects |  |
A child, on a time as he sat at his dinner,
By an ape and a cat was attack'd in this manner:
These animals both fast to him approach'd,
And first on the elbow him gently touch'd,
To curry his favour, but chiefly to gain
Some part of his dinner their lives to sustain.
Both us'd their endeavours to gain the child's heart,
And make him with some of his victuals to part.
Puss simply purring as her natural song,
Stroak'd his hand with her head, while her tail swept along
His mouth and his nose: which when he had done
A small bit he gave her, and bade her begone.
The ape, hunger-bitten, was mov'd with envy
'Gainst puss, whom he seemingly lov'd formerly:
He thought it high time both to speak and to act,
If he ought of the child's dinner should make.
By an ape and a cat was attack'd in this manner:
These animals both fast to him approach'd,
And first on the elbow him gently touch'd,
To curry his favour, but chiefly to gain
Some part of his dinner their lives to sustain.
Both us'd their endeavours to gain the child's heart,
And make him with some of his victuals to part.
Puss simply purring as her natural song,
Stroak'd his hand with her head, while her tail swept along
His mouth and his nose: which when he had done
A small bit he gave her, and bade her begone.
The ape, hunger-bitten, was mov'd with envy
'Gainst puss, whom he seemingly lov'd formerly:
He thought it high time both to speak and to act,
If he ought of the child's dinner should make.
“That base ill-bred badrons (then said the false ape)
Attacks my dear child in too rustic a shape:
She can teach you nothing that you stand in need,
Except it be rubbing your hand with her head.
Be ruled by me, my dear child, if you can,
I'll teach you to mimic the deeds of a man;
I'll teach you to climb, to leap and to scratch,
And fifty fine things in a moment dispatch.”
Attacks my dear child in too rustic a shape:
She can teach you nothing that you stand in need,
Except it be rubbing your hand with her head.
Be ruled by me, my dear child, if you can,
I'll teach you to mimic the deeds of a man;
I'll teach you to climb, to leap and to scratch,
And fifty fine things in a moment dispatch.”
Ambition puffs up the poor child to believe;
Not doubting or dreaming that he did deceive;
He gave him his dinner: but when he was strute,
At the child's disappointment did both laugh and flout;
And told him his kyte was so cram'd with his victual,
At present he could not well show him his mettle;
You'll wait till I'm clunger; but take care of that,
Regard not the rubbings of badrons the cat.
Not doubting or dreaming that he did deceive;
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At the child's disappointment did both laugh and flout;
And told him his kyte was so cram'd with his victual,
At present he could not well show him his mettle;
You'll wait till I'm clunger; but take care of that,
Regard not the rubbings of badrons the cat.
| Poems on several subjects | |