The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Council of Dogs, by William Roscoe

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Title: The Council of Dogs

Author: William Roscoe

Release Date: March 9, 2010 [eBook #31466]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

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_FRONTISPIECE._

[Illustration: _The Council._]

THE
COUNCIL OF DOGS.

ILLUSTRATED WITH SUITABLE ENGRAVINGS.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. HARRIS, SUCCESSOR TO E. NEWBERY, AT THE
ORIGINAL JUVENILE LIBRARY, THE CORNER OF
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.

1808.

H. Bryer, Printer,
Bridge-Street, Blackfriars.

THE
COUNCIL OF DOGS.

Why a COUNCIL of DOGS was convened on the Plain,
The PRESIDENT SHEEP DOG thus rose to explain.--
"This meeting I call, to complain of misusage
From the poets, who now a days have a strange usage
Of leading up Insects and Birds to Parnassus,
While, without rhyme or reason, unnotic'd they pass us.--
Declare then those talents by which we may claim
Some pretensions, I hope, to poetical fame.--
_I_ boast of whole legions, my voice who obey;
Without me the Sheep, e'en the Shepherd, might stray--
But no more of myself--Let each Dog of spirit
Stand forward and modestly state his own merit.
But I charge you be gentle, let's hear of no growling,
No grinning, no snarling, no snapping, no howling."
The GREYHOUND first rose, with a spring from his seat,
Scarcely bending the grass, that grew under his feet;
His figure was airy, and placid his mien;
Yet to flash in his eye indignation was seen.--
"Brave companions," said he, "shall _we_ noble beasts
Hear of _Butterflies Balls_ and _Grasshoppers Feasts_?
Hear dinned in our ears, wherever we roam,
The _Mask seeing Lion_ and _Peacock at Home_?