52
THE ELEPHANT
Threw Casting-nets, with equal Cunning at her
To catch her with, and pull her out o'th' Water.
But when at last, they had unscrew'd the Glass,
520 To find out where the fly Impostor was,
And saw 'twas but a Mouse, that by mishap
Had catch'd himself, and them, in th' optick Trap,[1]
Amaz'd, with Shame confounded, and afflicted
To find themselves so openly convicted,
525 Immediately made haste to get them gone,
With none, but this Discovery alone:
To catch her with, and pull her out o'th' Water.
But when at last, they had unscrew'd the Glass,
520 To find out where the fly Impostor was,
And saw 'twas but a Mouse, that by mishap
Had catch'd himself, and them, in th' optick Trap,[1]
Amaz'd, with Shame confounded, and afflicted
To find themselves so openly convicted,
525 Immediately made haste to get them gone,
With none, but this Discovery alone:
- ↑ And saw 'twas but a Mouse, that by mishap—Had catch'd himself, and them, in th' optic Trap.] It is worth the Reader's Observation, how great an Addition is made to the Wit by a very small Variation in these two Lines from the shorter ones.
Butler, to compliment his Mouse for affording him an Opportunity of indulging his satyrical Turn, and displaying his Wit upon this Occasion, has to the End of this Poem subjoined the following Epigrammatical Note.A Mouse, whose martial Valour has so long
Ago been try'd, and by old Homer sung,
And purchas'd him more everlasting Glory
Than all his Grecian, and his Trojan Story;
Though he appears unequal matcht, I grant,
In Bulk and Stature by the Elephant,
Yet frequently has been observ'd in Battle
To have reduc'd the proud and haughty Cattle,
When having boldly entered the Redoubt,
And storm'd the dreadful Outwork of his Snout,
The
