Old MISTRESS GURTON had a Cat, A Tabby, loveliest of the race, Sleek as a doe, and tame, and fat With velvet paws, and whisker’d face; The Doves of VENUS not so fair, Nor JUNO’s Peacocks half so grand As MISTRESS GURTON’s Tabby rare, The proudest of the purring band; So dignified in all her paces— She seem’d, a pupil of the Graces! There never was a finer creature In all the varying whims of Nature! All liked Grimalkin, passing well! Save MISTRESS GURTON, and, ’tis said, She oft with furious ire would swell, When, through neglect or hunger keen, Puss, with a pilfer’d scrap, was seen, Swearing beneath the pent-house shed: For, like some fav’rites, she was bent On all things, yet with none content; And still, whate’er her place or diet, She could not pick her bone, in quiet. Sometimes, new milk GRIMALKIN stole, And sometimes—over-set the bowl! For over eagerness will prove, Oft times the bane of what we love; And sometimes, to her neighbour’s home, GRIMALKIN, like a thief would roam, Teaching poor Cats, of humbler kind, For high example sways the mind! Sometimes she paced the garden wall, Thick guarded by the shatter’d pane, And lightly treading with disdain, Fear’d not Ambition’s certain fall! Old China broke, or scratch’d her Dame And brought domestic friends to shame! And many a time this Cat was curst, Of squalling, thieving things, the worst! Wish’d Dead! and menanc’d with a string, For Cats of such scant Fame, deserv’d to swing! One day, report, for ever busy, Resolv’d to make Dame Gurton easy; A Neighbour came, with solemn look, And thus, the dismal tidings broke. “Know you, that poor GRIMALKIN died “Last night, upon the pent-house side? “I heard her for assistance call; “I heard her shrill and dying squall! “I heard her, in reproachful tone, “Pour, to the stars, her feeble groan! “Alone, I heard her piercing cries— “_With not a Friend, to close her Eyes!_” “Poor Puss! I vow it grieves me sore, “Never to see thy beauties more! “Never again to hear thee purr, “To stroke thy back, of Zebra fur; “To see thy emral’d eyes—so bright, } “Flashing around their lustrous light } “Amid the solemn shades of night! }