Arachne and the Poets. 1 9 7 



To emblem laws in which the weak are caught, 



But which the strong break through. 

 And if a victim in thy toils is ta'en, 



Like some poor client is that wretched fly 

 I'll warrant thee thou'lt drain 



His life-blood dry. 



And is not thy weak work like human schemes 



And care on earth employed ! 

 Such are young hopes and love's delightful dreams 



So easily destroyed ! 

 So does the statesman, whilst the avengers sleep, 



Self-deem'd secure, his wiles in secret lay, 

 Soon shall destruction sweep 



His work away. 



Thou busy labourer ! one resemblance more 



Shall yet the verse prolong, 

 For, spider, thou art like the poet poor, 



Whom thou hast helped in song. 

 Both busily, our needful food to win, 



We work, as nature taught, with ceaseless pains 

 Thy bowels thou dost spin, 



I spin my brains." 



Parallel passages to each of these may be easily quoted 

 for Southey was a careful reader and a generous borrower. 

 Thus, as to the web-weaving of Beelzebub, from Burns : 



" Ah Nick ! ah Nick ! it is na fair, 

 First showing us the tempting ware, 

 Bright wines and bonnie lasses rare, 



To put us daft, 

 Syne weave, unseen, thy spider's snare 



O' hell's damned waft." 



The simile of law, solicitors' clerks, "human insects 

 catering for human spiders " " men of law " (Crabbe) : 



" There in his web th' observant spider lies, 

 And peers about for fat intruding flies. 

 Doubtful at first, he hears the distant hum, 

 And feels them fluttering as they nearer come ; 

 They buzz and blink and doubtfully they tread 

 On the strong bird-lime of the utmost thread ; 



