Eight times emerging from the Thames, He call’d his messmates by their names, Some speedy aid to send: No Phipps, no Long, no Premier heard, (Because he slept), nor Mulgrave stirr’d―― A fav’rite has no friend. From hence, ye placemen, undeceiv’d, Know, one false step is ne’er retriev’d; Be warn’d by this sad hour; Not all that tempts your wand’ring eyes And hearts corrupt, is lawful prize, Nor all within your pow’r. From _The Spirit of the Public Journals_. 1805. James Ridgway. London. ―――― PARODY OF GRAY’S ODE. _On a Cat drowned in a tub of Gold Fishes._ ’Twas on the pavement of a lane, Where a hard shower of soaking rain Had made a pretty mess; A buck advanc’d with careful strut, For fear a sprinkle from the rut Should soil his lily dress. His powder’d head, his silken hose, The dashing buckles on his toes, Seem’d suited for a court; The muslin round a pudding roll’d In which he kept his chin from cold, Was of the finest sort. He trod on slow; but ’midst the tide A brewer’s dray was seen to glide―― Unmindful of the mud; Before which stalked, with steps quite bold, Two high-fed steeds of beauteous mould―― The pride of Whitbread’s stud. The splashing made on every side The lane, which was not over wide, Quite terrified the elf: He saw the careless steeds come on, But dar’d not stand, nor dar’d to run―― Lest he should splash himself. At length, poor youth! he made a stop, And would have got into a shop―― But, ah! the door was shut! When lo! th’ advanc’d procession greets The hapless beau with all the sweets Collected in the rut! He swore, and call’d the drayman wight Untaught, unlearn’d, and unpolite, And said he’d thrash the blade; But he did not――good reason why; Alas, no Hercules was nigh, To give Narcissus aid! Then, all ye bucks who walk the street, So spruce, so buxom, and so neat, Learn this sad tale by reading, To keep at home on rainy days Lest you should meet with any drays―― For draymen have no breeding! _The Morning Chronicle._ 1800. A parody, entitled “Ode on the amputation of a Cat’s Tail,” was published by B. Flower, Cambridge, 1795, in a pamphlet entitled “_Scraps and Essays_, by a Cantab.” There is no merit in the parody to atone for the choice of such a disgusting theme for an ode. Another political imitation of this ode appeared in _The St. James’s Chronicle_ relating to John, Earl of Bute, the Prime Minister in 1762, who was so bitterly attacked by Junius, and John Wilkes. This nobleman, who had been tutor to George III., was nicknamed “Jack Boot,” and in the popular caricatures of the day was represented as a large jack boot surmounted by his head. The parody possesses little interest, it commences thus:――