Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Thomas Gray. 17161771456. On a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes
TWAS on a lofty vase’s side, | |
Where China’s gayest art had dyed | |
The azure flowers that blow; | |
Demurest of the tabby kind, | |
The pensive Selima reclined, | 5 |
Gazed on the lake below. | |
Her conscious tail her joy declared; | |
The fair round face, the snowy beard, | |
The velvet of her paws, | |
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, | 10 |
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes, | |
She saw; and purr’d applause. | |
Still had she gazed; but ‘midst the tide | |
Two angel forms were seen to glide, | |
The Genii of the stream: | 15 |
Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue | |
Thro’ richest purple to the view | |
Betray’d a golden gleam. | |
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw: | |
A whisker first and then a claw, | 20 |
With many an ardent wish, | |
She stretch’d in vain to reach the prize. | |
What female heart can gold despise? | |
What Cat ‘s averse to fish? | |
Presumptuous Maid! with looks intent | 25 |
Again she stretch’d, again she bent, | |
Nor knew the gulf between. | |
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled.) | |
The slipp’ry verge her feet beguiled, | |
She tumbled headlong in. | 30 |
Eight times emerging from the flood | |
She mew’d to ev’ry wat’ry god, | |
Some speedy aid to send. | |
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr’d: | |
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard. | 35 |
A Fav’rite has no friend! | |
From hence, ye Beauties, undeceived, | |
Know, one false step is ne’er retrieved, | |
And be with caution bold. | |
Not all that tempts your wand’ring eyes | 40 |
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; | |
Nor all that glisters, gold. |