1807, October 29th 1807
the Quadrupeds envied the Bipeds’ grand feast
and said they would have such another at least
so the Lion declared he would send his cards out
To all the wild beasts that should come to his rout
The Tiger was sulky and sent his excuse
but the Leopard he came all so spotted and spruce.
from Zembla’s cold shores came old Bruin the Bear
Who had for his nosegay a Juniper rare.
A Rein Deer from Lapland then shot forth his way
from Tornea’s Lake he came all in one Day.
The furious Polecat did not travel a mile
for she happened to live by by the neighbouring stile.
The Camel from Africa’s dry Deserts came
by coming so far she was dreadfully lame.
The Hyena so cunning, so artful, so false,
Propos’d to the Camel to strike up a walze
As they journey’d along the time to beguile
Before they arriv’d at the fair English Isle
the Buffalo travelled from India’s scorched plains
And the sharp eyed Lynx from Sahara’s domains.
The Camelopardalis monstrously high
Stalk’d forth from Caffraria not very nigh.
The Elephant noble, majestic and big,
Sent word for the feast he did not care a fig,
At home he had Palm trees on which he could munch
For dinner, for Supper, for breakfast or nunch. <1>
The Rhinoceros mighty with huge horrid tusks
The wild Boar continually chewing of husks
The Jackall, the Monkey, the Panther, and Hare,
Hippopotamus, Ibex, and Zebra came there,
And the little white rabbit with coquelicot eyes
Who got up in the morning just at sunrise
The slender legg’d stag with fine branching horns
Which sometimes indeed got entangled in thorns
My dear Aunt
I will send the rest when I have made it –
I am your affte nephew
William Henry Fox Talbot
1807
* born Feb 1800 <2>
Notes:
1. A light midday meal. The word was superceded in the nineteenth century by ‘luncheon’ or ‘lunch’.
2. Written in another hand.