PREFACE
TO
THE BATTLE OF THE FROGS AND MICE.
Whoever be the author of this little poem, it is replete with legitimate humour, and evinces no ordinary taste for parody. I cannot give a better sketch of its contents than in the words of Coleridge, whose analysis is as follows:
"A mouse, Psicharphax (Crumb-Filcher), exhausted with flying from a weasel, came to a pool to drink; a wanton frog Physignathus (Puff-Cheeks), having apparently never seen such a wild-fowl before, enters into conversation with him, the result of which is that the mouse mounts upon frog's back, and goes to sea. It should seem that frog meant to be honest, but a water-snake lifting up his head at no great distance, he is so frightened, that, forgetful of his poor landsman, down he dives to the bottom. Crumb-Filcher struggles, sputters, makes a speech denouncing his perfidious betrayer to the vengeance of every feeling mouse, and then sinks amongst the bulrushes. The deceased was son and heir of the king of the mice, (a weasel and a gin had bereaved him of two brothers,) and his father, by his influence, induces every mouse in the field to take arms and avenge him of the injurious frog. The frogs perceive the bustle; and, arming themselves, are foolish enough to leave their more proper element, and meet their assailants on dry land. Meantime Jupiter
