2 1 2 The Poets and Nature. 



cently unwary. Yet it should be noted, as Butler notes it, 

 that 



' ' Spiders never seek the fly, 

 But leave him of himself to apply." 



Herein the justice of Dryden's wit, " obvious to vagrant flies." 

 In metaphor they are usurers, attorneys, murderers, and 

 Jews. But, for myself, greatly as they mar my pleasure in 

 the country by constantly intruding upon pleasant scenes 

 the evidences of strife and suffering, I have somehow as kind 

 a liking for spiders as for flies, and, as Scott says, feel as 

 tenderly for spiders "as if I were a kinsman of King Robert 

 of happy memory." Nor would any notice of the poets' 

 spider be complete without quotation of Spenser's admirable 

 stanzas : 



" In this gardin, where young Clarion 

 was wont to solace him, a wicked wight, 

 the foe of fayre things, th' author of Confusion 

 the shame of Nature, the bondslave of Spight 

 had lately built his hateful mansion 

 and, lurking closely, in awaite now lay 

 how he might any in his trap betray. 



And weaving straight a net with manie a fold 

 about the Cave, in which he lurking dwelt, 

 with fine small cords about it stretched wide 

 So finely sponne that scarce they could be spide. 



Not anie damzell, which her vaunteth most 



in skillfull knitting of soft silken twyne, 



nor anie weaver, which his worke doth boast 



in diaper, in damaske, or in lyne, 



nor anie skil'd in workmanship emboss'd 



might in their diverse cunning ever dare 



with this so curious networke to compare. 



Eftsoones her white streight legs were altered 

 to crooked crawling shankes, of marrowe empted ; 

 and her fair face to foule and loathsome hane 

 and her fine corpes to a hag of venim graine. 



Eftsoones that damzell, by her heavenly might 

 she turned into a wicked butterflie, 

 in the wide aire to make her wand'ring flight ; 

 and all those flowres with which so plenteouslie 



