As well might, insect organs see Th' harmonious structure rais'd by thee, FABLE XCVIII. THE CATERPILLAR AND THE BUTTERFLY. THE morning blush'd with vivid red, And look'd around, and chanc'd to 'spy From where he lay he crawl'd, and found 'O! turn, advent'rous as thou art, Nor hence, deceiv'd by hope, depart; "What tho' the leaf that tempts thee shews A • More tasteful food, more soft repose, 'What tho', with brighter spangles gay, 'Its dew reflects an earlier ray, WO! think what dangers guard the prize; 'O! think what dangers, and be wise! The pass from leaf to leaf forbear; 'Behold how high they wave in air! And, should'st thou fall, tremendous thought! • What ruin would avenge thy fault! Thy mangled carcase, writh'd with pain, • Shall mark with blood the dusty plain: 'Then death, the dread of all below, Thy wish-will surely end thy woe; Untimely death, for now to die, 'Is ne'er to rise a butterfly.' A Butterfly!' th' Advent'rer cried, What's that?' A bird,' his friend replied, To which this reptile form shall rise, 'And gorgeous mount the lofty skies; The joyful season Time shall bring, He bears it on his rapid wing. An age there is when all our kind Disdain the ground, and mount the wind: And should my friend this age attain-' With haste the worm replied again, give, and A Say what assurance can'st thou give, That I with birds a bird shall live? 'For, could I trust thy pleasing tale, 'No wanton wish should e'er prevail; For what, that worms obtain, can vie . With bliss of birds that wing the sky?" Believe my words,' th' Adviser said, Since not of private int'rest bred; Not on thy life or death depend My pleasure, or my pain-attend! Like thee to all the future blind, 'I knew not wings for worms design'd, "Till yon last sun's ascending light 'Remov'd the dusky shades of night. 'Soon as his rays, from heav'n sublime, 'Shone on that leaf you wish to climb; That leaf, which shades, in earliest hours, This less conspicuous spot of ours: Surpriz'd, a lovely form I saw, 'That touch'd me with delight and awe; Ah! mock me not,' said I, 'nor seek A worthless triumph o'er the weak; *Can'st thou, thy form with down o'erspread, By nature crown'd thy regal head, 'Can'st thou my reptile shape have worn? 'More bright than drops of orient dew, 'Hast thou, an abject worm, like me, 'Crawl'd prone on earth? it cannot be.' 'O! cease these doubts,' the stranger cried, 'To faith thy happiness allied 'Not thrice the morn these eyes have view'd, Since genial spring my life renew'd; 'From death-like slumbers wak'd, I found A guardian shell invest me round; The circling shield I broke, nor knew 'How long my safety hence I drew, 'But soon perceiv'd, and knew the spot, 'Where, once, a worm, I fix'd my lot; The past with wonder touch'd my breast, • More wonder still the now imprest, With pleasure mixt-the pleasure grew, 'At ev'ry thought, at ev'ry view; • Transform'd, my unknown pow'r I try, 'I wave my wings, I rise, I fly! Enraptur'd with the blissful change, 'Now glide along the daisied ground, • Each moment brings me new delights; 'He said, and, raptur'd with the thought, New charms his bright'ning plumage caught, 'He clapp'd his wings, his rapid flight 'I trac'd with fond desiring sight, And beauty, plumes, and wings are thine.' He ceas'd,―th' Advent'rer thus replied: By thee the fancied change be tried, 'The now is mine, the now alone, All lovely, loving, all divine! To joy she courts, she points the way, 'And chides this cold this dull delay. |