Mrs. Turner

“ Should you like to be fed at the will of a master,
And die of neglect or some cruel-disaster?
You cannot believe it more happy to be,
A parrot encaged, than a cat and quite free.
The cat was convinced that this reasoning was true,
And, ashamed of her envy, in silence withdrew. ”

“ XXII. Look at your Copy.
'|When Frances goes to school, to write,
I find, with great concern,
She never takes the least delight
To really strive to learn.
Some lines she makes are much too short,
And some she makes too long;
The copy's seldom where it ought,
Which makes her write quite wrong.
Such negligence I always see
With very great concern;
And think what pleasure there would be
To see her daily learn!
Original
XXIII. Envy, a Fable. A Parrot that liv'd at a gentleman's house,
Could chatter and sometimes lie still as a
mouse. ”

“ When the Cat, thro' mere envy, was thus heard
to say,
Pray, sir, do you live on these excellent things,
Because you're a bird, and have feathers and wings?
If a Cat is in want of a dinner that's nice,
She must hunt in the garret or cellar for mice. ”