The Entail

In a fair summer's radiant morn
A Butterfly, divinely born,
Whose lineage dated from the mud
Of Noah's or Deucalion's flood.
Long hovering round a perfumed lawn,
By various gusts of odour drawn,
At last establish'd his repose
On the rich bosom of a Rose.
The palace pleased the lordly guest;
What insect owned a prouder nest?
The dewy leaves luxurious shed
Their balmy odours o'er his head,
And with their silken tap'stry fold
His limbs enthroned on central gold,
He thinks the thorns embattled round
To guard his lovely castle's mound.
And all the bushes' wide domain
Subservient to his fancied reign.
Such ample blessings swell'd the Fly,
Yet in his mind's capacious eye,
He roll'd the change of mortal things;
The common fate of Flies and Kings.
With grief he saw how lands and honours
Are apt to slide to various owners;
Where Mowbrays dwelt, now grocers dwell,
And how Cits buy what Barons sell.
Great Phœbus, Patriarch of my line,
Avert such shame from sons of thine!
To them confirm these roofs," he said;
And then he swore an oath so dread,
The stoutest wasp that wears a sword
Had trembled to have heard the word!
If Law can rivet down Entails,
These manors ne'er sliall pass to Snails,
"I swear"—and then he smote his ermine—
"These towers were never built for vermin."
A Caterpillar grovell'd near,
A subtle slow Conveyancer,
Who, summoned, waddles with his quill
To draw the haughty Insect's will.
None but his heirs must own the spot,
Begotten, or to be begot;
Each leaf he binds, each bud he ties
To eggs of eggs of Butterflies.
When lo! how Fortune loves to tease
Those who would dictate her decrees!
A wanton boy was passing by;
The wanton child beheld the Fly,
And eager ran to seize the prey—
But, too impetuous in his play,
Crush'd the proud tenant of an hour,
And swept away the Mansion-flower.