NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Verses on the death of a cat. 



Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue, 

 Through richest purple to the view, 

 Betray'd a golden gleam. 



The hapless nymph with wonder saw ; 

 A whisker first, and then a claw, 



With many an ardent wish, 

 She stretch'd, iu vain, to reach the prise > 

 What female heart can gold despise ? 



What cat's averse to fish ? 



Presumptuous ruaid ! with looks intenty 

 Again she stretch'd, again she bent, 



Nor knew the gulf between : 

 'Malignant fate sat by and smil'd 

 The slipp'ry verge her feet beguil'd 



She tumbled headlong in. 



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 : 



A fav'rite has no friend ! 



From hence, ye beauties ! undeceiv'd, 

 Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd. 



And be with caution bold. 

 Not all that tempts your wand'riiig eyesj 

 And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; 



Nor all that glitters gold;" 



" Young kittens/' says Goldsmith, " are very 

 playful and amusing; but their sport soon turn* 

 into malice, and even from the beginning they 

 show a disposition to cruelty; they often look 

 wistfully towards a cage ; sit sentinels at the mouth 

 ef a mouse-hole ; and A in a short time, become 



