432 



Art. LI. — Entomological Sapphics. By Rusticus, 

 of Godalming. 



[Note. — The MS. alluded to by our correspondent in the 

 preceding article is headed " Log, l3th May, 1801." We 

 intended on receiving the " Log" to have published it as it 

 stood, making such few alterations as might appear absolutely 

 necessary ; but we find it will be more convenient to arrange 

 the matter a little, and dele some occasional detail which might 

 not be thought altogether adapted to our pages ; we must 

 therefore give editorial headings and notes occasionally, and 

 omit those of the author : such editorial additions will be en- 

 closed in brackets. The dates of the following Sapphics 

 are very various, extending from 1812 to 1832. — Ed.] 



[No. I. — The Butterfly. Translated from the Persian.'] 



Late as I wandered o'er a verdant meadow, 

 Hairy and loathsome creatures were devouring 

 Every leaf that tempted with its greenness, 

 Or by its fragrance. 



Great was their toiling, earnest their contention. 

 Piercing their hunger, savage their dissension, 

 Selfish their striving, hideous their bearing, 

 Noisome their figure. 



Next day* I wandered to the verdant meadow, 

 Each worm was spinning for himself a mantle, 

 It was his grave-shroud, and I watched him closely 

 Wrap it around him. 



Once more I wandered by the verdant meadow. 

 Each worm was bursting from his long confinement. 

 Each one was spreading to the sun's bright beaming 

 Quivering pinions. 



Hued like a rainbow, sparkling as a dew-drop, 

 Glitt'ring as gold, and lively as a swallow. 

 Each left his grave-shroud, and in rapture winged him 

 Up to the heavens. 



Oh then shall man, on earth condemned to trouble. 

 Toilsome existence, warfare with his kindred, 

 Build for himself his last cold habitation, 



Doomed to remain there ? 



» " On the morrow" in the Persian, — it would not Sapphicise. 



