SIMILE AGIT IN SIMILE.

Psittace, ait Thais, fingitque sonantia molle
Basia, quæ docilis molle refingit avis.
Jam captat, jam dimidiat tyrunculus; et jam
Integrat auditos articulatque sonos.

Psittace mi pulcher pulchelle, hera dicit alumno ;
Psittace mi pulcher, reddit alumnus heræ.
Jamque canit, ridet, deciesque ægrotat in hora,
Et vocat ancillas nomine quamque suo.
Multaque scurratur mendax, et multa jocatur,
Et lepido populum detinet augurio.

127

Nunc tremulum illudit fratrem, qui suspicit, et pol!
Carnalis, quisquis te docet, inquit, homo est;
Argutæ nunc stridet anus argutulus instar ;
Respicit et nebulo es, quisquis es, inquit anus.
Quando fuit melior tyro, meliorve magistra !
Quando duo ingeniis tam coiere pares !
Ardua discenti nulla est, res nulla docenti
Ardua; cum doceat fœmina, discat avis.

THE PARROT.

TRANSLATED BY COWPER.

IN painted plumes superbly drest,
A native of the gorgeous east,
By many a billow tost;

Poll gains at length the British shore,
Part of the captain's precious store,
A present to his toast.

Belinda's maids are soon preferr'd
To teach him now and then a word,
As Poll can master it;

But 'tis her own important charge

To qualify him more at large,
And make him quite a wit.

Sweet Poll! his doating mistress cries,
Sweet Poll! the mimic bird replies,
And calls aloud for sack,

She next instructs him in the kiss,

'Tis now a little one like miss,

And now a hearty smack.

THE PARROT.

At first he aims at what he hears

And listening close with both his ears,
Just catches at the sound;
But soon articulates aloud,
Much to th' amusement of the crowd,
And stuns the neighbours round.

A querulous old woman's voice
His humorous talent next employs,
He scolds and gives the lie;
And now he sings, and now is sick,
Here Sally, Susan, come, come quick,
Poor Poll is like to die.

Belinda and her bird! 'tis rare

To meet with such a well match'd pair,

The language and the tone,

Each character in every part

Sustain'd with so much grace and art,,

And both in unison.

When children first begin to spell

And stammer out a syllable,

We think them tedious creatures;

But difficulties soon abate,

When birds are to be taught to prate,
And women are the teachers..

129

AGENS ET PATIENS SUNT SIMUL.

DUXIT Acon Leonillam haud una atque altera

luna

Interiit, male cum se nova nupta tulit : Os pallet, languent oculi, stomachoque fit ista Nausea, quæ gravidas denotat esse nurus. Esto fides dictis; eadem quoque nausea Aconti est, Pallidus est pariter vultus, ocellus hebes. Nutrix, sedula anus, fomenta utrique ministrat, Cardiacum uxori, cardiacumque viro.

Quis novus hic, nutrix, morbus? socii unde dolores? Quave sumus gravidi conditione viri?

Nutrix, callida anus, fuit, inquit, utrique voluptas ; Equa satis lex est, ut sit utrique dolor.

ITER PER TAMISIN.

URBEM

cum volui crassumque relinquere fumum, Plaustrorumque vagos strepitus currusque crepantes; Nunc vocem stridentis anus, nunc murmura rauca Audire invitus fusæ per compita turbæ, (

Quam miser emittit vates et sordida musa;
Ad littus descendi et amœni Tamisis undas
Ut possem recreare animum, placidoque recessu
Et virides campos et dulcia visere rura.
At nautæ venientem ubi me videre sagaces,
Sese disponunt, omnes clamare parati.
Et jam protensis manibus diversa loquuntur,
Jamque vices rediisse suas, cinguntque tacentem.
Nutu signa dedi; accepto decurrere signo
Festinat quidam, et cymbam velociter infert
Præcipiti prora, reliquasque hinc inde jacentes
Proturbans, aperit cursus aditumque patentem.
Interea dives pingui cum conjuge civis,
Visendi pariter captus dulcedine ruris,
Advenit, et puppim mecum conscendit eandem.
Portitor, ut mulier navem conscendit, amicam

L