Truth in Fiction Or, Morality in Masquerade. A Collection of Two hundred twenty five Select Fables of Aesop, and other Authors. Done into English Verse. By Edmund Arwaker |
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| V. | FABLE V. The Beau and his Cat:
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| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
 | Truth in Fiction |  |
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FABLE V. The Beau and his Cat:
Or, Nature unalterable.
A brisk young Beau, to airy Mirth enclin'd,
Did, with a Cat, unknown Diversion find;
For Puss was gay, and sportive too, as he,
As Velvet sleek, and white as Ivory;
Adorn'd with ev'ry Beauty, ev'ry Grace,
And might have look'd a Monarch in the Face:
With various Antick Tricks she pass'd the Day,
And, with whatever she cou'd find, wou'd play;
Or, if she had no other Game in view,
In winding Circles wou'd her Tail pursue:
All Day she strove to heighten his Delight,
And by his Side lay Purring all the Night.
These winning Ways did still her Charms improve,
And gain'd her the Ascendant o'er his Love;
'Till he esteem'd her at a higher Rate,
Than suited with the Merits of a Cat:
And now he wish'd (since he was doom'd to burn)
That Puss cou'd make his Flame a fit Return:
For this his Vows to Venus he address'd;
And she (who still helps Lovers, when distress'd)
Granted the Boon for which he often pray'd,
And metamorphos'd Mouser to a Maid.
The Spark, transported at so vast a Bliss,
With num'rous Scenes of Love caress'd his Miss;
Nothing was wanting that cou'd Joy express,
Raise her Delight, or speak his Happiness.
But Love's bright Goddess, who enclin'd to know
If, with her Shape, her Mind was alter'd too;
Resolv'd to try her with her former Game,
And sent a cheeping Mouse to tempt the Dame.
Scarce had the Animal approach'd the Place,
When Madam, with Impatience, gave her Chase;
Forgot her Shape, her Quality, and Love,
And did as much a Cat, as ever, prove.
The slighted Goddess, much incens'd, to find,
That Cat (in spite of Fate) wou'd to her Kind;
Reduc'd her to the Beast she was before,
And vow'd, she shou'd turn Cat in Pan no more.
Did, with a Cat, unknown Diversion find;
For Puss was gay, and sportive too, as he,
As Velvet sleek, and white as Ivory;
Adorn'd with ev'ry Beauty, ev'ry Grace,
And might have look'd a Monarch in the Face:
With various Antick Tricks she pass'd the Day,
And, with whatever she cou'd find, wou'd play;
Or, if she had no other Game in view,
In winding Circles wou'd her Tail pursue:
All Day she strove to heighten his Delight,
And by his Side lay Purring all the Night.
These winning Ways did still her Charms improve,
And gain'd her the Ascendant o'er his Love;
'Till he esteem'd her at a higher Rate,
Than suited with the Merits of a Cat:
And now he wish'd (since he was doom'd to burn)
That Puss cou'd make his Flame a fit Return:
285
And she (who still helps Lovers, when distress'd)
Granted the Boon for which he often pray'd,
And metamorphos'd Mouser to a Maid.
The Spark, transported at so vast a Bliss,
With num'rous Scenes of Love caress'd his Miss;
Nothing was wanting that cou'd Joy express,
Raise her Delight, or speak his Happiness.
But Love's bright Goddess, who enclin'd to know
If, with her Shape, her Mind was alter'd too;
Resolv'd to try her with her former Game,
And sent a cheeping Mouse to tempt the Dame.
Scarce had the Animal approach'd the Place,
When Madam, with Impatience, gave her Chase;
Forgot her Shape, her Quality, and Love,
And did as much a Cat, as ever, prove.
The slighted Goddess, much incens'd, to find,
That Cat (in spite of Fate) wou'd to her Kind;
Reduc'd her to the Beast she was before,
And vow'd, she shou'd turn Cat in Pan no more.
The MORAL.
‘Tho' Men their Climate shift, or cross the Main,‘They Nature's Tincture ev'ry-where retain:
‘Thus he, whose Temper is to Vice enclin'd,
‘By changing Stations, do's not change his Mind:
‘He cannot his primæval Impress lose,
‘Who takes himself along where-e'er he goes.
‘To alter Nature is a vain Device;
‘Cats will be Cats, as long as Mice are Mice.
| Truth in Fiction | |