The Lion In Love.

[1]     To Mademoiselle De Svign.[2]      Svign, type of every grace      In female form and face,      In your regardlessness of men,      Can you show favour when      The sportive fable craves your ear,      And see, unmoved by fear,      A lion's haughty heart      Thrust through by Love's audacious dart?      Strange conqueror, Love! And happy he,      And strangely privileged and free,      Who only knows by story      Him and his feats of glory!      If on this subject you are wont      To think the simple truth too blunt,      The fabulous may less affront;      Which now, inspired with gratitude,      Yea, kindled into zeal most fervent,      Doth venture to intrude      Within your maiden solitude,      And kneel, your humble servant. -      In times when animals were speakers,      Among the quadrupedal seekers      Of our alliance      There came the lions.      And wherefore not? for then      They yielded not to men      In point of courage or of sense,      Nor were in looks without pretence.      A high-born lion, on his way      Across a meadow, met one day      A shepherdess, who charm'd him so,      That, as such matters ought to go,      He sought the maiden for his bride.      Her sire, it cannot be denied,      Had much preferr'd a son-in-law      Of less terrific mouth and paw.      It was not easy to decide -      The lion might the gift abuse -      'Twas not quite prudent to refuse.      And if refusal there should be,      Perhaps a marriage one would see,      Some morning, made clandestinely.      For, over and above      The fact that she could bear      With none but males of martial air,      The lady was in love      With him of shaggy hair.      Her sire, much wanting cover      To send away the lover,      Thus spoke: - 'My daughter, sir,      Is delicate. I fear to her      Your fond caressings      Will prove rough blessings.      To banish all alarm      About such sort of harm,      Permit us to remove the cause,      By filing off your teeth and claws.      In such a case, your royal kiss      Will be to her a safer bliss,      And to yourself a sweeter;      Since she will more respond      To those endearments fond      With which you greet her.'      The lion gave consent at once,      By love so great a dunce!      Without a tooth or claw now view him -      A fort with cannon spiked.      The dogs, let loose upon him, slew him,      All biting safely where they liked.      O, tyrant Love! when held by you,      We may to prudence bid adieu.