The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-11-05
POETRY.
NTTI'ttDIl IUI SllC OCNfE ''"'
The Spider.
ny T.. RUDuLpH.

!" mugs phi"Seo' iho'HhDs ANA, 80
Whilst was sitting in my room one day,
About the middle of the month Of May,
A little hunchbacked thing saw
That seemed all legs and arms and nav,
Come crawling from crack.
To learn lesson of philosophy,
| watched the creature now attentvely,
And soon discovered that it carried,
AS carefully as if't had married
Some queer thing, OH its back.
III.
From day to day spent an hour,
Determined if'twcre III my power,
To note the movements of this creature,
To find, if possible, some leading feature
OF Natures grand and cunning workmanship.
Thus whilst quietly looked on
lis curious operations,
1t spun and wove a web of lawn,
by dint of its gyrations,
Quite fit for Queen Ticioriss ladyship.
Ill.
Close by the centre of the wool,
II formed door for exit;
BY means of which to keep aloof,
lfanything should vex it.
Its slender threads vcrged to corner,
Where she could safely run,
And served tlom time TO time TO warn her,
All rude attacks TO shun.
Or il, pcrchanCe, SOME teebler insect
Should dare her citadel to inspect
Or tempt her courage to maintain in fight,
10 this her home indlsputablc right,
This round and central aperture
Might serve as a snlIy ,%p sure
While thus from time to time | eyed her,
| learned instruction from Il spider:---
For, first, the bag she carried on her back.
Served to remind me of Il pcdlar's pack.
Well filled with eggs saw it was,
And knew by natures rigid laws
Taught by Natures Great First Cause,y
She thus brought forth her young.
Her web,-thGt pointed out, in part,
The shuttle, and the weaver's art.
Her iortress,-it reminded me
OF dPys Of tcudal chvalry,
When noble lord and gallant knight,
For lady-lovc and love of fight,
Built castles, and in conscious might,
Forth their proud banners flung.
V.
But most ofall, and best, seemed to see
In this tral creatures humble house and ways
Patterns OF patience and of industry,
That forced upon my sluggish mind the praise
Due 10 the worlds GREAT ARcmrIcr.
vs. Pi"'hl III Lilc I'iucT ) ways saw,
That III. who gave to Nature, form and law
Who walks on earth, in air, with silent tread,
Is HE WHO weavcs the spider s'tiny thread,-
Is HE who in the roaring earthquake Speaks
Or, whispers to the suppant who seeks
Ills willing kindness, to protect.
vi.
Abstemious in her appetite,
A meal day will serve her quite:
And regulating all her passions,
She cares not tor the change Of fashions.
And 1t by flies her web be torn,
She sits not down TO fret and mourn,
But goes to work to mend it,
Against another fly shall rend it.
nhe ever keeps at home, nor gads about
10 TO plays and balls end fashionable route.
Iialnly attlrcd, she needs no maid to dress her;
Frugal and calm, no household cares distress her
Tier friends sincere, no hearcss calls Cypress her
Thou dread'st no calls but broom calls,
because from these tiny doom falls
VII.
Yet thou art free as tn air to roam,-
Thou finds. in prncely halls home,
Or on the cottage WALL
Or IN the camp, the grove, the field
Eacii spot to thee home will yield;
Alike at home in all.
sighed, alas! thou enviablc creature,
Thou art to man a philosophic teacher
Devoid of care,
Thou list'st not where
Thou und thy infant brood NAV cuddlc:
Contented IN some nook to huddle,-
II enthral fly
Eat, sleep, and--die!