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PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED,

A FABLE.

I SHALL not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau *,
If birds confabulate or no;

(Tis clear that they were always able
To hold discourse, at least, in fable;
And e'en the child, who knows no better,
Than to interpret by the letter,
A story of a cock and bull,

Must have a most uncommon skull.

It chanced then on a winter's day,
But warm and bright, and calm as May,
The birds conceiving a design

To forstal sweet St. Valentine,
In many an orchard, copse, and grove,
Assembled on affairs of love,

And with much twitter and much chatter,

Began to agitate the matter.

At length a Bulfinch, who could boast
More years and wisdom than the most,

*It was one of the whimsical speculations of this philoso pher, that all fables which ascribe reason and speech to animals should be withheld from children, as being only vehi cles of deception. But what child was ever deceived by them, or can be, against the evidence of his senses?

234

PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED.

Entreated, opening wide his beak,
A moment's liberty to speak;
And, silence publicly enjoined,
Delivered briefly thus his mind.

My friends! be cautious how ye treat
The subject, upon which we meet;

I fear we shall have winter yet.

A Finch, whose tongue knew no control,
With golden wing and satin poll,
A last year's bird, who ne'er had tried
What marriage means, thus pert replied.
Methinks the gentleman, quoth she,
Opposite in the apple-tree,

By his good-will would keep us single
Till yonder heaven and earth shall mingle,
Or (which is likelier to befall)

Till death exterminate us all.
I marry without more ado,

My dear Dick Redcap, what say you?

Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling, Turning short round, strutting and sideling, Attested, glad, his approbation

Of an immediate conjugation.
Their sentiments so well expressed

Influenced mightily the rest,

All paired, and each pair built a nest.
But though the birds were thus in haste,
The leaves came on not quite so fast,
And destiny, that sometimes bears
An aspect stern on man's affairs,
Not altogether smiled on theirs.

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The wind, of late breathed gently forth,
Now shifted east and east by north;
Bare trees and shrubs but ill, you know,
Could shelter them from rain or snow,

Stepping into their nests, they paddled,
Themselves were chilled, their eggs were addled,
Soon every father bird and mother

Grew quarrelsome, and pecked each other,
Parted without the least regret,

Except that they had ever met,
And learned in future to be wiser,
Than to neglect a good adviser.

INSTRUCTION.

Misses! the tale that I relate

This lesson seems to carry-
Choose not alone a proper mate,
But proper time to marry.

THE DOG AND THE WATER-LILY.

ΝΟ FABLE.

The noon was shady, and soft airs
Swept Ouse's silent tide,

When, 'scaped from literary cares,
I wandered on his side.

My spaniel, prettiest of his race,
And high in pedigree,

(Two nymphs* adorned with every grace That spaniel found for me)

Now wantoned lost in flags and reeds,
Now starting into sight

Pursued the swallow o'er the meads
With scarce a slower flight.

It was the time when Ouse displayed
His lilies newly blown!
Their beauties I intent surveyed,
And one I wished my own.

With cane extended far I sought
To steer it close to land;
But still the prize, though nearly caught,
Escaped my eager hand.

Beau marked my unsuccessful pains

With fixt considerate face,
And puzzling sat his puppy brains
To comprehend the case.

But with a chirrup clear and strong,
Dispersing all his dream,

I thence withdrew, and followed long
The windings of the stream.

*Sir Robert Gunning's daughters,

My ramble finished, I returned';

Beau tottering far before

The floating wreath again discerned,
And plunging left the shore.

I saw him with that lily cropped
Impatient swim to meet

My quick approach, and soon he dropped
The treasure at my feet.

Charmed with the sight, the world, I cried,
Shall hear of this thy deed:
My dog shall mortify the pride
Of man's superior breed:

But chief myself I will enjoin,

Awake at duty's call,

To shew a love as prompt as thine
To Him who gives me all.

THE POET, THE OYSTER, AND SENSITIVE. PLANT."

AN Oyster, cast upon the shore,
Was heard, though never heard before,.
Complaining in a speech well worded,
And worthy thus to be recorded-

Ah, hapless wretch! condemned to dwell
For ever in my native shell;

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