 | The Poems of St. George Tucker of Williamsburg, Virginia 1752-1827 |  |
The Faithful Mastiff
A True Story
At lukewarm, or at faithless friends
I've no design to rail:
An honest, but mistaken zeal,
The subject of my tale.
I've no design to rail:
An honest, but mistaken zeal,
The subject of my tale.
Yet think not, with a cynic's eye
That I regard mankind
Because in men and brutes, alike,
Some qualities I find.
That I regard mankind
Because in men and brutes, alike,
Some qualities I find.
To err is human—and that dogs
Can be mistaken too,
Most clearly follows from a tale
Which I can vouch is true.
Can be mistaken too,
Most clearly follows from a tale
Which I can vouch is true.
Ah! could I but as clearly prove
That men, like dogs, were true,
Full many a heart would now be blithe,
Which now their falsehood rue.
That men, like dogs, were true,
Full many a heart would now be blithe,
Which now their falsehood rue.
In Williamsburg, 'ere party rage
The capital removed,
Together lived three waggish sparks
Who mirth, and frolic loved.
The capital removed,
Together lived three waggish sparks
Who mirth, and frolic loved.
Their names are still remembered there;
For, still, some there remain,
To curse that policy that razed
Their city to the plain.
For, still, some there remain,
To curse that policy that razed
Their city to the plain.
136
Their house by night from thieves to guard
A mastiff they had bred;
Yet, oft, did honest Towser go
The way their footsteps led.
A mastiff they had bred;
Yet, oft, did honest Towser go
The way their footsteps led.
For well he knew their waggish tricks
Might sometimes kindle rage,
And well he knew the argument
That passion to assuage.
Might sometimes kindle rage,
And well he knew the argument
That passion to assuage.
For he had found a single look
From him could peace command,
As readily as did the touch
Of Hermes' magic wand:
From him could peace command,
As readily as did the touch
Of Hermes' magic wand:
Or, as the intercessions strong
Of well-armed faithful friends,
Or, as the sheriff's puissant arm,
When posse com. attends.
Of well-armed faithful friends,
Or, as the sheriff's puissant arm,
When posse com. attends.
One evening in the month of June,
When sultry was the day
To Waller's Grove our youngest wag
Directs his lonely way:
When sultry was the day
To Waller's Grove our youngest wag
Directs his lonely way:
That Grove, where old Dodona's pride
Spread far and wide its shade
Till war and avarice allied
A cruel havoc made.
Spread far and wide its shade
Till war and avarice allied
A cruel havoc made.
His steps the faithful Towser marked
As on he saw him pass,
And followed lest perchance there lurked
Some snake beneath the grass.
As on he saw him pass,
And followed lest perchance there lurked
Some snake beneath the grass.
When night her sable mantle spread
The youth a cottage spied,
Where to solace from earth-born care,
With nimble pace he hied.
The youth a cottage spied,
Where to solace from earth-born care,
With nimble pace he hied.
137
There, lived a nymph whose tender breast
Was ne'er assailed in vain;
Delighting pleasure to impart
To all who felt a pain.
Was ne'er assailed in vain;
Delighting pleasure to impart
To all who felt a pain.
Our weary pilgrim in the bed
Now sought a soft repose;
When Towser straight crept underneath,
And fell into a doze.
Now sought a soft repose;
When Towser straight crept underneath,
And fell into a doze.
The creaking bedstead roused him soon;
A rustling noise he hears
Of conflict fierce above his head,
And for his master fears.
A rustling noise he hears
Of conflict fierce above his head,
And for his master fears.
He bounces up—and seized the foe,
Beyond the bended knee,
Nor, heeds, that in the conflict, low,
And panting, laid was she.
Beyond the bended knee,
Nor, heeds, that in the conflict, low,
And panting, laid was she.
“Why how now, Towser!” cried the wag.
“Pray let us both alone:
“Your aid, just now, I do not want,
“My adversary's down.”
“Pray let us both alone:
“Your aid, just now, I do not want,
“My adversary's down.”
Dec. 24, 1789
| The Poems of St. George Tucker of Williamsburg, Virginia 1752-1827 | |