Thou lovely, short-lived sylph, farewell!
Translation of W. Taylor. Johann Gottfried v. Herder, 1744–1803.
TO AN INSECT.
I love to hear thine earnest voice,
Wherever thou art hid,
Thou testy, little dogmatist,
Thou pretty Katydid!
Thou mindest me of gentlefolks—
Old gentlefolks are they;
Thou say’st an undisputed thing