Shock perform'd a pas seul with immortal eclat;
But the Kid's cotillion, and the Fawn's entrechat,
Thy Gavotte, La Gazelle! and Du Chevre's chassé,
Are feats that resound in the woods to this day.
Brother Reynard meanwhile had retir'd from the press,
And accepted the Elephant's challenge at chess.
In the robes of a learned King's Counsel array'd,
If he cheated, 'twas all in the way of his trade;
So he shuffled his moves both above and beneath,
And checkmated the Elephant 'spite of his teeth.
But my grave Lord Chief Justice, Sir Ourang Outang,
O'erlook'd the sly thief, whom he sentenc'd to hang.

Just then a mix'd din that out-roar'd that of Babel, Announc'd that the Supper was plac'd upon table: The Turn-spit, lest such an occasion should lapse, Had acted as Cook, with an eye to the scraps. But a royal Pavilion of state had been rear'd By the architect Beaver, and in it appear'd, Prepar'd by the Jackall, a separate treat

For the Lion, and those of his majesty's suite:

There Pidcock, alas! unless Chronicles fable,

Like an Ox roasted whole was the prime dish at table;

*

Now Hell's triple-headed Molossus he feeds,
While prancing with beef-eaters, trumpets, and steeds,
To his mortal Menagerie triumphant succeeds
Great Signor Polito-but reader forbear,

Nor attempt to unravel the black bill of fare.—
Nay, such was the general scramble that follow'd,
The whole, ere the Muse could record it, was swallow'd,
Tho' the remnants, if any remain'd from their pickings,
Were chiefly the bones of grown fowls, and of chickens;
For these gluttons had carried their envy so far,
As e'en after death with their rivals to war:

The Cat was content for that night with small fowl,

Though she envied the barbecued mouse of the Owl;
And the Fox, who gain'd most by the terms of the truce
Declar'd he could sup ev'ry night upon Goose:

Not so the gaunt Wolf, who beginning to put on
A look that declar'd much in favour of mutton,
Was a hint broad enough for the Lamb to slink off:
An act of distrust that caus'd many a scoff;
The Lev'ret went next, and the Greyhound pursu'd,
So the Truce was infring'd, and a panic ensu'd—
In a trice all was noise, consternation, and haste,
And away went the chasers, and those who were chas'd;

*

Vide The Peacock at Home.

But muffled and clogg'd with the trappings they bore, The rogues could do little but rumble and roar.

A few graver animals blam'd this proceeding, As a breach of morality, faith, and good breeding; And from all that was done, and from all that was said, Collected this caution from Pug's Masquerade

MORAL.

They who herd with rough Brutes, must their rough. ness endure,

"La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure.”

THE

ANT AND THE CRICKET;

FROM LA FONTAINE;

ADDRESSED TO A FRIEND.

Nuit et jour à tous venants

Je chantois, ne vous deplaise.

Vous chantiez? j'en suis fort aise,

Allez, dansez maintenant.

WHO claims a Patron, must produce
Some proof that he can be of use;

Or feel his nose put out of joint.

La Fontaine puts a case in point.

A Cricket all the summer long, Like me, had chirp'd an idle song;

And found himself in desperate plight

When Autumn's blasts began to bite :
Of every single scrap bereft,

Not even a gnat's pinion left.

His next door neighbour was an Ant: Of her he begs, for very want,

A short supply, till fairer weather,
Just to keep life and soul together:
And vow'd upon his faith and credit-
A solemn pledge although he said it—
Ere next September, without fail,
He'd pay her down upon the nail.

This Ant had one, and but one fault,

By some indeed a virtue thought,

She was-and that past all amending-
Inflexibly averse to lending.

And "Pray," quoth she, "my worthy sir,

What plea for aid can you prefer?
Doubtless you labour'd all the spring.'

"Faith I did nothing else but sing;