University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Works of John Hall-Stevenson

... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes

collapse sectionI. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
FABLE V. POUR MOI MEME.
 VI. 
 VII. 
  
 VIII. 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
collapse sectionII. 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
 XXII. 
 XXIII. 
 XXIV. 
 XXV. 
 XXVI. 
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionIII. 
collapse section 
  
  
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
collapse section 
  
collapse sectionIV. 
 I. 
  
collapse section 
  
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
collapse sectionIII. 
  
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
  
 XI. 
collapse section 
  
  
  


203

FABLE V. POUR MOI MEME.

Within a Joiner's shop upon a stool,
With countenance serene and grave;
A Cat examin'd every tool,
As nicely as Rousseau's Elève.
A File that understood its trade,
Provok'd her Ladyship past bearing;
Observing the great waste it made,
By clipping artfully and paring.
I'll serve you your own way, you knave,
For that, says Puss, let me alone;
I'll lick you with my tongue, you slave,
Till I have lick'd you to the bone.
She lick'd till her whole tongue was flead,
And laugh'd to see the villain bleed;
With blood he was all over red:
Determining the File to kill,
The Cat lick'd on, believing still
It was the File, and not her tongue, that bled.

204

My Gard'ner, my Coachman John,
My Groom, my Butler, the whole Corps,
Are objects to vent spleen upon,
Whene'er the bileous pot boils o'er;
But I'll grow better when I'm able,
To fume and fret is not worth while.
I am the Cat that bleeds in fable,
My Family—th' unfeeling File.