Crocodiles, Turtles, and Lizards. 25 



this he laughs immoderately, calls them both fools, and 

 says the chameleon is black, and he knows it why? 

 because he has got it in his pocket at that very moment- 

 And he whips the creature out 



" But to surprise them ane and a' 

 The animal was white as snaw ! " 



Shelley too has an exhortation admirably characteristic : 



" Chameleons feed on light and air ; 

 Poets' food is love and fame. 

 If in this wide world of care 

 Poets could but find the same 

 With as little toil as they, 

 Would they ever change their hue 

 As the light chameleons do, 

 Suiting it to every ray 

 Twenty times a day ? 



Poets are on this cold earth 

 As chameleons might be, 

 Hidden from their early birth 

 In a cave beneath the sea. 

 Where light is chameleons change ; 

 Where love is not poets do. 

 Fame is love disguised : if few 

 Find either, never think it strange 

 That poets range. 



Yet dare not stain with wealth or power 

 A poet's free and heavenly mind. 

 If bright chameleons should devour 

 Any food but beams and wind, 

 They would grow as earthly soon 

 As their brother lizards are. 

 Children of a summer star, 

 Spirits from beyond the moon, 

 Ah ! refuse the boon ! " 



But in its natural aspect the poets knew little of it. They 

 pretended to believe it "fed" upon air : 



" Stretch'd at its ease, the beast I view'd, 

 And saw it eat the air for food." Her rick. 



