Beatior Cicadâ, Quæ te referre formâ, Quæ voce te videtur; Et saltitans per herbas, Unius, haud secundæ,
statis est chorista:
Tu carmen integratum Reponis ad Decembrem, Lætus per universum Incontinenter annum.
Te nulla lux relinquit, Te nulla nox revisit, Non musicæ vacantem, Curisve non solutum : Quin amplies canendo, Quin amplies fruendo, Ætatulam, vel omni, Quam nos homunciones Absumimus querendo,
Ætate longiorem.
TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.
LITTLE inmate, full of mirth, Chirping on my kitchen hearth, Wheresoe'er be thine abode, Always harbinger of good, Pay me for thy warm retreat With a song more soft and sweet; In return thou shalt receive
Such a strain as I can give.
Thus thy praise shall be express'd,
Inoffensive, welcome guest!
While the rat is on the scout,
And the mouse with curious snout, With what vermin else infest Ev'ry dish, and spoil the best; Frisking thus before the fire, Thou hast all thine heart's desire.
Though in voice and shape they be Form'd as if akin to thee, Thou surpassest, happier far, Happiest grasshoppers that are; Theirs is but a summer's song, Thine endures the winter long, Unimpair'd, and shrill, and clear, Melody throughout the year. IV.
Neither night, nor dawn of day, Puts a period to thy play:
Sing then-and extend thy span Far beyond the date of man. Wretched man, whose years are spent In repining discontent,
Lives not, aged though he be,
Half a span, compar'd with thee.
CRISTATUS, pictisque ad Thaida Psittacus alis,
Missus ab Eoo munus amante venit. Ancillis mandat primam formare loquelam, Archididascaliæ dat sibi Thais opus. 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 horâ, Et vocat ancillas nomine quamque suo. Multaque scurratur mendax, et multa jocatur, Et lepido populum detinet augurio.
Nunc tremulum illudet fratrem, qui suspicit, et Pol' Carnalis, quisquis te docet, inquit, homo est; Argutæ nunc stridet anûs argutulus instar ; Respicit, et nebulo es, quisquis es, inquit anus. Quando fuit melior tyro, meliorve magistra ! Quando duo ingeniis tam coiêre pares! Ardua discenti nulla est, res nulla docenti
Ardua; cum doceat fæmina, discat avis.
TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.
In painted plumes superbly dress'd, A native of the gorgeous east, By many a billow toss'd;
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. III.
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.
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