قراءة كتاب The Peacock 'At Home' AND The Butterfly's Ball AND The Fancy Fair
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اللغة: English
The Peacock 'At Home' AND The Butterfly's Ball AND The Fancy Fair
الصفحة رقم: 2
abode came the Pheasant, to meet
Two kindred, arrived by the last India fleet:
The one, like a Nabob, in habit most splendid,
Where Gold with each hue of the rainbow was blended;
In silver and black, like a fair pensive Maid
Who mourns for her love, was the other array’d.
The Chough9 came from Cornwall, and brought up his Wife;
The Grouse travell’d south, from his Lairdship in Fife;
And the Widow-Bird10 came, though she still wore her weeds:
Sir John Heron, of the Lakes, strutted in a grand pas.
But no card had been sent to the pilfering Daw,
As the Peacock kept up his progenitor’s quarrel,
Which Æsop relates, about cast-off apparel;
For Birds are like Men in their contests together,
And, in questions of right, can dispute for a feather.
The Peacock, Imperial, the pride of his race,
Received all his guests with an infinite grace,
Waved high his blue neck, and his train he display’d,
Embroider’d with gold, and with emeralds inlaid;
Then with all the gay troop to the shrubbery repair’d,
Where the musical birds had a concert prepared.
A holly-bush form’d the Orchestra, and in it
Sat the Black-bird, the Thrush, the Lark, and the Linnet;
A Bullfinch, a captive almost from the nest!
Now escaped from his cage, and with liberty blest,
In a sweet mellow tone, join’d the lessons of art
With the accents of nature, which flow’d from his heart.
The Canary, a much-admired foreign musician,
Condescended to sing to the Fowls of condition;
While the Nightingale warbled and quaver’d so fine,
That they all clapp’d their wings and declared it divine!
And Chanticleer crow’d, and the Yaffil11 laugh’d loud.
The dancing began when the singing was over:
A Dotterel first open’d the ball with the Plover;
Baron Stork in a waltz was allow’d to excel,
With his beautiful partner, the fair Demoiselle;12
A minuet swam with the spruce Mr. Teal.
A London-bred Sparrow—a pert forward Cit!
Danced a reel with Miss Wagtail and little Tom Tit.
And the Sieur Guillemot13 next perform’d a pas seul,
While the elderly bipeds were playing a pool.
The Dowager Lady Toucan14 first cut in,
With old Doctor Buzzard and Admiral Penguin;
And Counsellor Cross-bill15 sat by to advise.
Some birds past their prime, o’er whose heads it was fated
Should pass many St. Valentines—yet be unmated,
Were quite overlook’d in this frivolous age,
When birds, scarce pen-feather’d, were brought to a rout,
Forward Chits! from the egg-shell but newly come out.
In their youthful days, they ne’er witness’d such frisking;
And how wrong in the Greenfinch to flirt with the Siskin!16
So thought Lady Mackaw, and her friend Cockatoo;
And the Raven foretold that no good could ensue!
They censured the Bantam, for strutting and crowing
In those vile pantaloons, which he fancied look’d knowing:
And a want of decorum caused many demurs
Against the Game Chicken, for coming in spurs.
Old Alderman Cormorant, for supper impatient,
At the Eating-room door for an hour had been station’d,
Gave the signal, long-wish’d for, of clamoring and pouncing:
At the well-furnish’d board all were eager to perch,
But the little Miss Creepers were left in the lurch.
