To tell their master now they fear'd,
Lest at The Token he should jest,
Not long, however, ere he heard,-
What secret bides in any breast?

And, now, if strange mysterious knock
Should be the theme of fire-side chat,
He ventures to dispel the shock,
And tells the Tale of Tom the Cat.

The BIBLE warns Prepare to die,'
And, if that voice we do not heed,

The ear is deaf to ev'ry cry,

Tho' one should warn us from the dead *.

* Luke xvi. 31.

FABLE XCV.

THE HINDU AND THE MICROSCOPE.

THE Hindus do not think it good

An animal to slay for food:

And, so, on vegetables feed,

That neither bird nor beast should bleed.

A Briton to an ag'd Hindu
A Microscope expos'd to view,
And in its crystal full display'd

The smaller wonders God hath made;
The fly, the mite, the louse, the flea;
Sections of many a curious tree;
The salts, as they in crystals shoot;
The down of birds, the hair of brute.
With admiration all he saw,
Express'd his wonder and his awe,
And, offering its utmost price,
Was the possessor in a trice.

Within its focus straight was plac'd
A peach he was about to taste;
But, scarce had held it to his eyes,
Than-back he started with surprise,
And dashing it against the ground,
The broken fragments flew around.
Astonish'd at so strange a sight,
The Briton ask'd-as well he might–
What motive could have urg'd him thus
To serve an instrument of use?
The Hindu, then, the Briton eyed,
And, fill'd with horror, thus replied:

That ne'er my eyes may more behold That herd of creatures, young, and old, Such monsters, both in size and shape,

More hideous e'en than sloth or ape,

Than, bison, or the fiery horse,

Than tiger, or rhinoceros.

Is it, alas! without a heed,

That, thus, on life we Hindus feed ? non artf 'If, thus, we ev'ry mouthful try, sra.boA "We must abjure all food and die. a H — samf

I've seen them once, and ne'er again

I'll brave the sight of such a train.

Blest in my ignorance, I'll live,

Nor like offence to others give.'

You smile, my friend :-and in your mind, Condemn at once the wilful blind.

I

But,
final sentence pass,
ere you
Consider well how stands the case.
A Microscope there is of ours,
Of wond'rous magnifying powers,
Which, if, with care, we will apply,
With that rare grace, a single eyé,
Against the naked human heart;'
Most fearful truth will it impart;
It will exhibit, with much ease,
A train more hideous far than these ;
Not hydras and chimeras dire,'

But sins which set the world on fire.
SCRIPTURE'S the MICROSCOPE I mean,
Disclosing such a fearful scene

་པ་

To many, who the truth have found, f
Dash'd it indignant on the ground, gold sur
And on the instrument liave dealt,
The anger a gall'd conscience felt; svod //
And, when Truth loudly cries · Abstain,g
Avert their eyes and sin again.e drenge mere

The Hindu was indeed convinc'd, His conscience saw,-but only wine'd: And, ere his conduct thou shalt blame, Pause-HAST NOT THOU TOO DONE THE SAME

FABLE XCVI.

THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS IN COUNCIL.

THE kingly ruler of the plain,

Just ent❜ring on his savage reign,

To grace his coronation feast,

Sent and invited ev'ry beast;

And soon the royal cave beheld

With all his various subjects fill'd: vel told For leagues of peace were lately made,

And none of other was afraid.

And now a sumptuous table spread,

Friendly they altogether fed;

And, having din'd, sit still and prate mocvat

Familiarly of this and that:

"Till, with a kind, yet serious look,

The King, desiring audience, spoke:

My friends, and loving subjects all, s 'Who've kindly thus obey'd my call,

f

'I give you thanks, and now I craved fr 'Your farther kindness to receive:

6

6

6

6

'I'm seated on the throne you see In peaceable tranquillity;

6

No cares of war disturb my breast;
With taxes you are not opprest;
This life I'll therefore spend in joy;
'None shall be happier than I.

. But, lest I should pursue false bliss,
'What I would ask of you is this,
'To tell me-What true pleasure is?'

}

The beasts seem'd pleas'd with this request;

Each thought he could advise him best,
And, striving who should silence break,

They all at once rose up to speak:
"Till, by his Majesty's command,

Their forward zeal was soon restrain'd;
Who calmly bid them all sit down,
And let him hear them one by one;
Th' impatient Monkey thus begun :
'Pleasure, my liege, is free from strife,
To lead a thoughtless easy life;

Airy and wild, and brisk, and gay,

To sing, and dance, and laugh, and play ;
Now following this, now that, and that,

And, so 'tis new, no matter what;

Free from all rules of just and fit,

• Do mischief first, then laugh at it:
This is diversion, pleasure, wit.'
The Ass was here provok'd to rise,
And gravely thus bray'd his advice :