The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Quadrupeds' Pic-Nic, by F. B. C.

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Quadrupeds' Pic-Nic

Author: F. B. C.

Release Date: June 2, 2008 [EBook #25681]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE QUADRUPEDS' PIC-NIC ***

Produced by David Wilson and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

THE QUADRUPEDS' PIC-NIC

LONDON
WILLIAM PICKERING
1840

C. Whittingham, Tooks Court,
Chancery Lane.

ADVERTISEMENT

The "Quadrupeds' Pic-Nic" is a very humble imitation of Mrs. Dorset's
"Peacock at Home." Even in my imitation I find I am not original. The
Quadrupeds, it appears, have already had an "Elephants' Ball," and a
"Lions' Masquerade."

F. B. C.

THE QUADRUPEDS' PIC-NIC.

No doubt you have heard how the grasshoppers' feasts
"Excited the spleen of the birds and the beasts;"
How the peacock and turkey "flew into a passion,"
On finding that insects "pretended to fashion."
Now, I often have thought it exceedingly hard,
That nought should be said of the beasts by the bard;
Who, by some strange neglect, has omitted to state
That the quadrupeds gave a magnificent fete;
So, out of sheer justice I take up my pen,
To tell you the how, and the where, and the when.

The place which they chose was a wild chestnut ground,
(And many such spots in the new world are found,)
Where the evergreen oak and the cucumber trees
Rear aloft their tall branches, and wave in the breeze;
Where the hickory, cypress, and cabbage-tree grow,
And shade the sweet flowers that blossom below;
And the creepers and vines form a beautiful sight,
As they climb the tall shaft, and hang down from a height;
Or they mix with the long pendant moss which is found
Growing high on the branches, yet touching the ground:
From amidst the dark foliage the mocking-birds sing,
Or mimic the hum of the honey-bees' wing,
As they whirl round a flower enjoying the feast,
So unsparingly spread for bird, insect, or beast.
From afar