Poems on several occasions

But here my stubborn wit refuses
To beg assistance from the Muses;
Because 't has long been known by many,
There never were nor will be any.
Yet, not to' offend against the fashion,
That still insists on invocation,
I thus go on, in form proceeding
To boast my parts and show my reading.

Thou four-legg'd god, in former ages
Adored by wise Egyptian sages,
(Who deepest learning well express'd
By painted shapes of bird and beast,
Whose secret meaning all the while was
As secret as the head of Nile was,)
Thou four-legg'd deity, a cat,
Assist a rhymer desperate:
For rhyme thine influence will go fur in,
Since verses often spring from purring.
But if, like Apis, thou 'rt deceased,
And thy nine lives are gone and past,
I'll even—with reverence be it spoken—
Fill up thy place with Roger Rokin;

463

Whose worth and usefulness and beauty
As well deserve religious duty,
As e'er did animal of Nile,
From humblest rat to crocodile.

First, with his beauty we begin:
As soft as Negro's is his skin.
Of darkest tabby are his hairs,
Becoming gravity and years;
Which yet so bright has Nature made,
They cast a lustre in the shade,
Whence truer sparks of light arise
Than e'er were shot from ladies' eyes.
Much less can ladies' eyes exceed
Those eyes that shine in Roger's head.
At night compare them,—though they say
“At night” that “every cat is grey:”
Your women's twinklers then are gone,
And disappear like Bristol-stone;
While his are eminently bright,
Like truest diamonds, in the night.

Mustachios large his mouth environ
That need no crisping curling-iron:
No Spanish Don can equal be
In whiskers or in gravity.
His stiff, fair eyes are open, but
His mouth is almost always shut.
Roger that piece of wisdom prizes
Which old philosopher advises;
True way to wisdom still appearing,—
Tardy of speech and quick of hearing.

464

Yet when he pleases to be jolly,
And shake off form and melancholy,
You'd think his whole employ and calling
Was nought but mirth and caterwauling;
Though in the midst of all his glee
He keeps a wondrous majesty.
Gracious he stretches out his paw,
And pulls-in close his harmless claw:
A pattern for the town and court,
To do no mischief in their sport.
To human mouth he gives his phiz,
And to the dogs his breech, to kiss:
The pink of courtesy all o'er;
'Tis all his skin; what would you more?

And here we would discourse concerning
His reading books, if not his learning.
Obedient to his master's call,
As much in study as in hall,
Whole hours he sits, nor even stirs,
Nor mews, nor scarce so much as purs:
For Greek and Arabic as well
As plainest English he can spell;
And grave and wise the leaves he looks on
As any nobleman of Oxon.

Ye heavenly brace of dogs, make room!
Let worthy Rokin thither come.
He will not spit nor quarrel, seeing
With Lion here so well agreeing.

465

And, sure, a cat is fitter far
Than e'er was dog to be a star;
The verdant lustre of whose eyes
Like stars at night can gild the skies.

O would the man whose words did promise
To pay due glory to Sir Thomas,
Once more employ his tongue well-spoken,
And rise to honour Roger Rokin;
Then should this cat in fame be greater
Than Puss, the darling of Spectator.

The mastiff.

University of Virginia Library

VERSES UPON MR. BEAR'S CAT,

CALLED ROGER ROKIN.