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'Twas on a
lofty vase's side,
Where China's gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow,
Demurest of the tabby
kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the
lake below.
Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of
her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and
purred applause.
Still had she gazed; but 'midst
the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The
genii of the stream:
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betrayed a golden
gleam.
The hapless nymph with wonder saw:
A
whisker first, and then a claw,
With many an ardent
wish,
She stretched, in vain, to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse
to fish?
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretched, again she bent,
Nor knew the
gulf between:
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled)
The slippery verge her feet beguiled,
She tumbled
headlong in.
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mewed to ev'ry wat'ry god
Some speedy aid to
send.
No dolphin came, no nereid stirred;
Nor
cruel Tom, nor Susan heard.
A fav'rite has no friend!
From hence, ye beauties undeceived,
Know, one
false step is ne'er retrieved,
And be with caution
bold.
Not all that tempts your wand'ring eyes
And
heedless hearts is lawful prize;
Nor all that
glisters, gold.
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