 | The Poetical Works of Laman Blanchard |  |
269
THE BREAKFAST PARTY.
Cato's Soliloquy.
On a proposal to subject all dogs that draw carriages to a payment of ‘Double Duty.’
Cato, who strains his nerves beneath the truck
Of Smith & Co.
Down Piccadilly, lectured thus on luck
An hour ago-
His bark I know.
Of Smith & Co.
Down Piccadilly, lectured thus on luck
An hour ago-
His bark I know.
‘Sad days for dogs, these dog-days! sad for those,
The few who lead
Like me a stoic's life, despising woes,
Howe'er, indeed,
One's heart may bleed.
The few who lead
Like me a stoic's life, despising woes,
Howe'er, indeed,
One's heart may bleed.
‘Sad days, and sadder are in store, no doubt,
To dim our lot;
The Comet sure is floundering about,
It's tail has got
Into a knot!
To dim our lot;
The Comet sure is floundering about,
It's tail has got
Into a knot!
270
‘Entangled with the dog-star, and may be
Our fate to ban!
Or have those bipeds passed their new decree!
One never can
Put faith in man.
Our fate to ban!
Or have those bipeds passed their new decree!
One never can
Put faith in man.
‘A stoic's soul can scarce the blow defy;
It makes one wish,
Like Man himself, “to be a butterfly,”
Or that gold fish
In yonder dish.
It makes one wish,
Like Man himself, “to be a butterfly,”
Or that gold fish
In yonder dish.
‘Was there not tyranny enough before,
And contrasts drawn
'Twixt fat sleek puppies, bull-dogs brave and poor,
'Twixt rags and lawn,
Bare bones and brawn?
And contrasts drawn
'Twixt fat sleek puppies, bull-dogs brave and poor,
'Twixt rags and lawn,
Bare bones and brawn?
‘Happy the dogs who form a breakfast group
Around the feet
Of some fair girl, dispensing milk or soup,
Or scraps of meat,
With smiles more sweet!
Around the feet
Of some fair girl, dispensing milk or soup,
Or scraps of meat,
With smiles more sweet!
‘How many now are basking in such smiles,
Who, breakfast o'er,
May gambol in the fields, and leap the stiles,
And then at four
Return for more.
Who, breakfast o'er,
May gambol in the fields, and leap the stiles,
And then at four
Return for more.
271
‘But I! must I, for lack of gloss or beauty,
Be quite undone,
In being sentenced thus to “double duty?”
Is not a ton
Enough for one?
Be quite undone,
In being sentenced thus to “double duty?”
Is not a ton
Enough for one?
‘I had escaped this heaviest of dooms,
Were I, sad wight,
Used, not in drawing trucks, but drawing-rooms;
Or prone to bite,
And fond of fight!
Were I, sad wight,
Used, not in drawing trucks, but drawing-rooms;
Or prone to bite,
And fond of fight!
‘Or were I bred among the sporting race,
To make a stir
In pits, or in preserves, or in the chase,
And live a cur
Of character!
To make a stir
In pits, or in preserves, or in the chase,
And live a cur
Of character!
‘Alas! my lot is merely usefulness;
I toil along,
Too plain to love, too rugged to caress;
I do no wrong,
But, ah, I'm strong!
I toil along,
Too plain to love, too rugged to caress;
I do no wrong,
But, ah, I'm strong!
‘My duty doubled! Well, I'd toil six days,
And, bless the mark!
Drag on the seventh, in a little chaise,
Five Smiths, till dark,
All round the Park!’
And, bless the mark!
Drag on the seventh, in a little chaise,
Five Smiths, till dark,
All round the Park!’
1836.
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