Who hath, like thee, our wits beguil’d,

To dull and sober manhood grown,

With strange recoil our hearts disown.

Even so, poor Kit! must thou endure,

When thou becom’st a cat demure,

Full many a cuff and angry word,

Chid roughly from the tempting board.

And yet, for that thou hast, I ween,

So oft our favour’d playmate been,

Soft be the change which thou shalt prove