Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-14
The Cat and the EagIe-A Fable.
nv DR. FRANKLIN.

Lord Spencer was a great admirer of DIR.
Franklin, and never missed sending him a
card when entertained quorum of learn
ed ones at his table. The last time that our
philosopher enjoyed this honor was in IT'S,
just before he was driven from England by
Lord North. The conversation taking turn
on fables, Lord Spencer observed that it had
certainly beer very lucky thing. especially
for the young, that this mode of instruction
had ever been hit on. as there was something
in it wonderfully calculated to touch favor
lite string with them, /. E., novelty and sur
prise. They would listen, he said. to a fox,
when they would not to a father. and they
would he more apt to remember anything
good told them by an owl or a crow, than they
would by an uncle or an aunt. But / am
afraid, continued his lordship, that the age of
fables is past Esop and Pheodrus among
the ancients, and Fontaine and Gay among
the moderns have given us so many fine
speeches from the birds and beasts, that | sus-
pect their budgets are pretty nearly exhaus-
ted.
The company conceded with his lordship,
except Franklin. who was silent.
We'll, DOCTOR" said Lord Spencer, ''what is
your opinion on this subjec?"
{ "Why, nv lord" replied Franklin, II cam
not say that have the honor to think with
you in this affair. The birds and beasts have,
indeed. said great many wise things but 1t
is likely they will say great many more yet
before they are done. Nature, am thinking,
j. not quiet so ea~ily exhausted as your lord
ship seems to imagine
Lord Spencer, evidently confused. bur with
that countenance of pleasure which charac-
teriZes great souls when they meet superior
genius, exclaimed "Well. doctor. suppose you
give us fable? | know you are good at an
impromptu." The company all seconded the
motion Franklin thanked them for the COM
I plimsnt but begged to be excused. They
would hear no excuse. They knew. they said.
he could do it, and insisted he should crafty
them. Finding all resistance Intellectual, he
drew his pencil. and after scribbling few
minutes, reached it to Spencer, saying, "WeI,
| my lord, since you will have it SO, here's a
something fresh from the brain, but Pm afraid
you'll not find Esop in it,"
"Read it. Doctor, read it!'' was the cry of
the noble lord and his friends. In a mood
spiteful and pleasant, Franklin thus b IN:
"Once upon time-hem-aS an eagle, III the
full pride of his pinions, scared over an hum
bic farm-yard darling his fiery eyes in search
of a pig, lamb, or some such pretty tit-blt.
what should he behold but a plump young
rabbit, as he thought, squattcd among the
weeds Down at once upon him h. pOunced
like thunder, and bearing him alOfr in his
talOns, thus chuckled to himself with joy,
POUNDS, what lucky dog am; what a nice
rabbit here this morning for my breakfast.
His Joy was but momentary. for the supposed
rabbit happened TO be a stout cat, who spit
ting and raging, instantly struck his nails and
teeth, like any wild cat squalltng with fury,
into the eagles thighs making tho blood and
feathers fly at dreadful rate.
Hold, hold for mercy's sake-hold." cried
the eagle, his wings shivering in the air with
torment.
'Villain!" retorted the cat, with tiger-likc
growl, dare you talk of mercy after treating
me thus, who never injured your
90, bless you, Mr.. Cat, is that your rcioin-
ed the eagle, might cOmplaisant; 'pon honor,
did not intend, sir. thought it was only a
rabbit had got hold of-and you known We
are all fond of rabbits. Do you suppose, my
dear sir. that if | had but dream't it was you,
| would ever have touched the hair of your
head? No, am not such Il fool as all that
comes to. And now, my dear Mr.. Cat, come,
let's be good friends again, and I'll let you go
with all my heart
Yes you'll let me go, scOundrel, will you
here from the clouds--to break every bone
in my skin! No. villain, carry me back, and
put Inc down exactly where you found me, or
I'll tear the throat out of you in moment"
Without a word of reply, the eagle stopped
OF once from his giddy height, and sailing
humbly down with great cOmplaisance res
tored the cat 10 his simple farmyard, there to
sleep, or hunt his rats and mice at pleasure.
A solemn silence ensued. At length with
a deep prophetic sigh, Lord Spencer thus re-
piled: .'Ah DR.. Franklin see the drift Of your
fable and fears hare already made the application.
God grant that Britain may not prove the
eagl,., and America the cat" This fable,
paraphras, into the Wing papers Of that day,
concludes in this way:
''Thus Britain thought in seventy six
Her talous in a hare To fix;
But in the scuile II found,
The bird received a dangerous wound
Which though pretending OF to hide,
Still ranKes IA ais royal side