תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

Whilst Fubb till ten, on silken bed,
Securely lolls his drowsy head,

And leaves the cheese unguarded.

12 Nor rats nor mice the lap-dog fear,
Now uncontrolled their theft is;
And whatsoe'er the vermin spare,
Nab and her dog betwixt them share,
Nor pie nor pippin left is.

13 Meanwhile, to cover their deceit,
At once, and slander Grim;

Nab says, the cat comes, out of spite,
To rob her lady every night,
So lays it all on him.

14 Nor corn secure in garret high,
Nor cheesecake safe in closet;
The cellars now unguarded lie,
every shelf the vermin prey;

On

And still Grimalkin does it.

15 The gains from corn apace decayed,
No bags to market go:

Complaints came from the dairy-maid,
The mice had spoiled her butter trade,
And eke her cheese also.

16 With this same lady once there lived
A trusty servant maid,

Who, hearing this, full much was grieved,
Fearing her lady was deceived,

And hastened to her aid.

17 Much art she used for to disclose And find out the deceit;

At length she to the lady goes,
Discovers her domestic foes,

And opens all the cheat.

18 Struck with the sense of her mistake,
The lady, discontented,

Resolves again her cat to take,
And ne'er again her cat forsake,
Lest she again repent it.

THE WIDOW AND HER CAT.

A FABLE.

1

1 A WIDOW kept a favourite cat,

At first a gentle creature;

But, when he was grown sleek and fat,
With many a mouse, and many a rat,
He soon disclosed his nature.

2 The fox and he were friends of old,
Nor could they now be parted;
They nightly slunk to rob the fold,
Devoured the lambs, the fleeces sold;
And puss grew lion-hearted.

3 He scratched the maid, he stole the cream,
He tore her best laced pinner;
Nor chanticleer upon the beam,

Nor chick, nor duckling, 'scapes, when Grim Invites the fox to dinner.

4 The dame full wisely did decree, For fear he should dispatch more,

1 Some ascribe this to Swift.

That the false wretch should worried be;
But, in a saucy manner, he

Thus speeched it like a Lechmere:

5 Must I, against all right and law,
Like polecat vile be treated?
I, who so long with tooth and claw
Have kept domestic mice in awe,
And foreign foes defeated!

[ocr errors]

6 Your golden pippins, and your pies,
How oft have I defended!

'Tis true, the pinner which you prize,
I tore in frolic; to your eyes
I never harm intended.

7 'I am a cat of honour.'-'Stay!'
Quoth she, 'no longer parley;
Whate'er you did in battle slay,
By law of arms, became your prey:
I hope you won it fairly.

8 'Of this we'll grant you stand acquit,
But not of your outrages:
Tell me, perfidious! was it fit
To make my cream a perquisite,
And steal, to mend your wages?

9 So flagrant is thy insolence,

So vile thy breach of trust is, That longer with thee to dispense, Were want of power, or want of senseHere, Towzer!-do him justice.'

1 The celebrated lawyer.

A PARAPHRASE FROM THE FRENCH.

IN grey-haired Celia's withered arms

As mighty Lewis lay,

She cried, If I have any charms,

My dearest, let's away!

For you, my love, is all my fear,
Hark how the drums do rattle;
Alas, sir! what should you do here
In dreadful day of battle?
Let little Orange stay and fight,
For danger's his diversion;
The wise will think you in the right,

Not to expose your person.
Nor vex your thoughts how to repair
The ruins of your glory;

You ought to leave so mean a care
To those who pen your story.
Are not Boileau and Corneille paid
For panegyric writing?

They know how heroes may be made
Without the help of fighting.
When foes too saucily approach,

'Tis best to leave them fairly;
Put six good horses in your coach,
And carry me to Marly.

Let Bouflers, to secure your fame,

Go take some town, or buy it;
Whilst you, great sir, at Nostredame,
Te Deum sing in quiet!'

10

20

SONGS, SET TO MUSIC BY THE MOST EMINENT MASTERS.

I. SET BY MR ABEL.

READING ends in melancholy;

Wine breeds vices and diseases;
Wealth is but care, and love but folly;
Only friendship truly pleases.

My wealth, my books, my flask, my Molly,
Farewell all, if friendship ceases.

II. SET BY MR PURCELL.

1 WHITHER Would my passion run, Shall I fly her, or pursue her? Losing her, I am undone;

Yet would not gain her, to undo her.

2 Ye tyrants of the human breast,

Love and reason! cease your war,
And order death to give me rest;
So each will equal triumph share.

III. SET BY MR DE FESCH.

1 STREPHONETTA, why d'ye fly me, With such rigour in your eyes? Oh! 'tis cruel to deny me,

Since your charms I so much prize.

2 But I plainly see the reason,

Why in vain I you pursued;
Her to gain 'twas out of season,

Who before the chaplain wooed.

« הקודםהמשך »