6 But not performing what he meant, Away went Gilpin, and away The postboy's horse right glad to miss Six gentlemen upon the road With postboy scampering in the rear, Stop thief! stop thief! a highwayman!' And all and each that passed that way— And now the turnpike gates again And so he did, and won it too, Nor stopp'd till where he had got up, Now let us sing, long live the king, And, when he next doth ride abroad, Cowper (1731-1800). a'-the-ist, one who does not believe | u-ni-ver'-sal, common to all in God a-miss', wrong com-plain'-ing, finding fault sur-vey', to look at cas'-u-al, made by chance cav'-il-ler, one who is always finding fault des-cry', to notice spray, the end of a branch 'Methinks the world seems oddly made, 6 A dull complaining Atheist said, As stretched he lay beneath the shade, 6 Behold,' quoth he, that mighty thing, Is held but by a little string, Which upwards cannot make it spring, While on this oak an acorn small, Its ill contrivance knows. My better judgment would have hung No more the caviller could say, The wounded part with tears ran o'er, Fool! if that bough a pumpkin bore, Thy whimsies would have worked no more, Nor skull have kept them in. Cowper. Their history, as the keeper related it, was this: It was customary for all who were unable or unwilling to pay their sixpence, to bring a dog or cat as an oblation to the beasts, in lieu of money to the keeper. Among others a fellow had caught up this pretty black spaniel in the streets, and he was accordingly thrown into the cage of the great lion. Immediately the little animal trembled, and shivered, and crouched, and threw itself on its back, and put forth its tongue, and held up its paws in supplicatory attitudes, as an acknowledgement of superior power, and praying for mercy. In the meantime, the lordly brute, instead of devouring it, beheld it with an eye of philosophic inspection. He turned it over with one paw, and then turned it with the other; and smelled to it, and seemed desirous of courting a further acquaintance. The keeper, on seeing this, brought a large mess of his own family dinner; but the lion kept aloof, and refused to eat, keeping his eye on the dog, and inviting him as it were to be his taster. At length, the little animal's fears being somewhat abated, and his appetite being quickened by the smell of the victuals, he approached slowly, and, with trembling, ventured to eat. The lion then advanced gently and began to partake, and they finished their meal very lovingly together. From this day the strictest friendship commenced between them—a friendship consisting of all possible affection and tenderness on the part of the lion, and of the utmost confidence and boldness on the part of the dog; insomuch that he would lay himself down to sleep within the fangs, and under the jaws, of his terrible patron. A gentleman who had lost the spaniel, and had advertised a reward of two guineas to the finder, at length heard of the adventure, and went to reclaim his dog. You see, Sir,' said the keeper, it would be a great pity to part such loving friends; however, if you insist upon your property, you must even be pleased to take him yourself; it is a task that I would not engage in for five hundred guineas.' The gentleman rose in great wrath, but finally chose to acquiesce, rather than have a personal dispute with the lion. As Mr. Felton had a curiosity to see the two friends eat together, he sent for twenty pounds of beef, which was accordingly cut in pieces, and put into the cage; when immediately, the little brute, whose appetite happened to be eager at the time, was desirous of making a monopoly of the whole, and putting his paws upon the meat, and grumbling and barking, he audaciously flew in the face of the lion. But the generous creature, instead of being offended with his impotent companion, started back, and seemed terrified at the fury of his attack, nor did he attempt to eat a bit, till his favourite had given permission. When they were both gorged, the lion stretched and turned himself, and lay down in an evident posture for repose, but this his sportive companion |