Classic Poem

In a fair summer's radiant morn
A BUTTERFLY , divinely born,
Whose lineage dated from the mud
Of Noah's or Deucalion's flood,
Long hov'ring round a perfum'd lawn,
By various gusts of odour drawn,
At last establish'd his repose
On the rich bosom of a rose.
The palace pleas'd the lordly guest:
What insect own'd a prouder nest?
The dewy leaves luxurious shed
Their balmy essence o'er his head,
And with their silken tap'stry fold
His limbs enthron'd on central gold.
He thinks the thorns embattled round
To guard his castle's lovely mound,
And all the bush's wide domain
Subservient to his fancied reign.

Such ample blessings swell'd the FLY !
Yet in his mind's capacious eye
He roll'd the change of mortal things,
The common fate of flies and kings.
With grief he saw how lands and honours
Are apt to slide to various owners;
Where Mowbrays dwelt how grocers dwell,
And how cits buy what barons sell.
“Great Phœbus, patriarch of my line,
“Avert such shame from sons of thine!
“To them confirm these roofs,” he said;
And then he swore an oath so dread,
The stoutest wasp that wears a sword,
Had trembled to have heard the word!
“If law can rivet down entails,
“These manours ne'er shall pass to snails.
“I swear”—and then he smote his ermine—
“These tow'rs were never built for vermine.”

A CATERPILLAR grovel'd near,
A subtle slow conveyancer,
Who summon'd, waddles with his quill
To draw the haughty insect's will.
None but his heirs must own the spot,
Begotten, or to be begot:
Each leaf he binds, each bud he ties
To eggs of eggs of BUTTERFLIES .

When lo! how Fortune loves to teaze
Those who would dictate her decrees!
A wanton BOY was passing by;
The wanton child beheld the FLY ,
And eager ran to seize the prey;
But too impetuous in his play,
Crush'd the proud tenant of an hour,
And swept away the MANSION-FLOW'R .