54 The Book of Cats. 



Or, watchful for the lab'ring swain, 

 From lurking rats secures the gi-ain ? 

 For this, if he rewards bestow, 

 Why should your heart with gall o'erflow ? 

 Why pine my happiness to see. 

 Since there's enough for you and me ? ' 

 ' Thy words are just,' the Farmer cried. 

 And spurned the Spaniel from his side." 



And, again, the same idea occurs in Gay's fable 

 of the " Man., the Cat., the Dog., and the FlyT 

 The Cat solicits aid from the Man in the social 

 state. 



" ' Well, Puss,' says Man, 'and what can you 

 To benefit the public do ?' 

 The Cat replies, ' These teeth, these claws, 

 W^ith vigilance shall serve the cause. 

 The Mouse, destroy'd by my pursuit, 

 No longer shall your feasts pollute ; 

 Nor Rats, from nightly ambuscade, 

 With wasteful teeth your stores invade. 

 ' I grant, ' says Man, * to general use 

 Your parts and talents may conduce ; 

 For rats and mice purloin our grain, 

 And threshers whirl the flail in vain ; 

 Thus shall the Cat, a foe to spoil. 

 Protect the farmers' honest toil.' " 



Mr. Ruskin says, " There is in every animal's 

 eye a dim image and gleam of humanity, a flash of 

 strange life through which their life looks at and up 

 to our great mystery of command over them, and 



