478 The Vision of Beasts. [Nov- 



Great, he said, and strange 

 Had been the change 

 Which he upon their stubborn hearts had made. 

 By his conversions. 

 And his exertions. 

 He threw the missionaries in the shade ; 

 For in a little time they were so tame. 

 As to seem human in all things but name. 



They had their lectures and their college. 

 And their " Society for Useful Knowledge," 

 Read little treatises upon astronomy. 

 And on political economy. 



And, stranger still. 

 They had their House of Commons and their Bill ; 

 For some there were that kept the loaves and fishes 



From other people's dishes. 

 But good king Leo had begun his reign. 

 And, like our own, was monarch of the mane ; 

 And he determined, come what would. 



Even if he lost his kingdom in the storm. 

 As it was solely for his people's good. 

 There should be a reform. 

 " But what," said I, " has that to do 



With what I view ?" 

 " This." said he, " I know 

 Is merely done to shew 

 Us, who are called the lords of the creation. 

 That they are strictly a dramatic nation. 

 And here 

 They will appear, 

 ' Warbling their native Wood-notes wild 1' 

 As for their teeth. 

 What Mr. Bunn 

 Has said, he will have done — 

 I've heard that he intends with the Gazette, 

 To have them filed." 



I said no more. 

 But looked more eagerly than I had looked before. 

 And saw the lion acting Romeo to his love. 

 Roaring " as gently as a sucking dove ;" 

 But in the dying scene he made me stare — 

 In fact, I thought that Romeo Coates was there. 

 And then, the cameleopard, I sawr him go. 



With trembling step, and slow. 

 As he whose poverty but not his will 

 Did Romeo kill — 

 (By the by, 

 I thought he held his head somewhat too high) . 

 An orang-outang played with great success 

 The gallant gay Mercutio. I confess. 

 Although it was his first appearance, still 

 He shewed a promise time will soon fulfil. 

 Who did the gentle Juliet ? 'Twas the same 

 Mad'moiselle D'Jeck by name, 

 Wlio, not long ago. 

 Acted in concert with Monsieur Ducrow. 

 Such loud applause her acting did create. 

 That I heard many say. 

 During the play. 

 Miss Fanny Kemble ne'er was half so great. 



