'Twas on a lofty vase's side
| First Line | 'Twas on a lofty vase's side |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Gray |
| Date | 1748 |
| Description | Occasional (Death of a cat) [Animals, pets]. Transcribed from "On the death of a favorite cat, drowned in a tub of goldfishes." London magazine, or, Gentleman's monthly intelligencer, vol. 17, April 1748, p. 183. British Periodicals, [ProQuest document ID] 5223708. |
| Links |
Transcription
'Twas a loft vase's side,
Where China's gayest art had dy'd
The azure flowers, that blow;
The pensive Selima reclin'd,
Demurest of the tabby kind,
Gaz'd on the lake below.
Her conscious tail her joy declar'd,
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of the paws,
The coat that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purr'd applause.
Still had she gaz'd; but 'midst the tide
Two beauteous forms were seen to glide,
The Genii of the stream:
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue
Thro' richest purple to the view
Betray'd a golden gleam.
The hapless nymph with wonder saw
A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretch'd in vain to reach the prize,
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's a foe to fish?
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between,
(Malignant fate sat by and smil'd)
The slipp'ry verge her feet beguil'd,
She tumbled headlong in.
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mew'd to ev'ry watry god,
Some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no Nereid stir'd:
Nor cruel Tom, nor Harry heard,
What fav'rite has a friend!
From hence, ye beauties, undeceiv'd,
Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wand'ring eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all, that glisters, gold.
Beinecke Osborn c157
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 , 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
p. 44
Local title: An ode on a favorite cat called Selima which fell into a china cistern.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn fc185
| Title | Gleanings in prose and verse, selected by Jo [...] |
|---|---|
| Period | 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
pp. 26-27
Local title: Ode to the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes
Attributed author: Gray
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn fc51
| Title | The Parson's Barn A Collection of Poems of v [...] |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
pp. 231–232
Local title: Upon a cat drown in a china basin in which were goldfish.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 39
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Bodleian Library |
p. 213
Local title: Ode On the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Clark MS 1976.014
| Title | Poems on Several Occasions. /By Different Hands. |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 |
| Archive | Clark Library |
pp. 51–53
Local title: Ode on the Death of a fav'rite Cat, Drown'd in a Tub of Gold Fishes.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Clark MS 1984.004
| Title | A common place book. |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Clark Library |
p. 59
Local title: Advice to the Fair Sex.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: Only the last six lines of Gray's poem and under a different title, though Gray's poem is given as the source.
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Clark MS 1987.001
| Title | Pleasing variety for Miss Mary Arnold / Mrs. [...] |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 , 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Clark Library |
f. 1
Local title: On a Favourite Cat call'd Selima that fell into a China Cistern with Gold Fish in it & was drown'd.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Leeds Brotherton Lt 119
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 |
| Archive | Brotherton Library |
pp. 111–112, #48
Local title: On a favourite Cat called Selima that fell into a China Cistern that had Gold Fish in it, and was Drown'd.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
UChicago Library Codex Ms. 557
| Title | Farago |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 , 1761-1790 |
| Archive | University of Chicago Special Collections and Research Center |
Pp. 234-5
Local title: On the Death of a favourite Cat, drowned in a china Vase of Goldfishes
Attributed author: Unattributed.
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a