MIRANDA and the RED-BREAST. A FABLE FOR THE LADIES. Isabella Kelly (née Fordyce) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T122123 Kelly, Isabella, 1759-1857. Collection of Poems and Fables on Several Occasions. London W. Richardson 1794 pp. 8-11. 72p.

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MIRANDA and the RED-BREAST . A FABLE FOR THE LADIES . THE vain Miranda long had shone , In fashion's brilliant scene ; Each heart confest her passing fair , And hail'd her beauty's queen . Unrival'd long Miranda liv'd , Of British maids the toast , And with tyrannic sway she reign'd , A celebrated toast ; Till brighter Emeline appear'd , Fair as the opening morn , Then Myra only swell'd the groupe Sweet Emma did adorn . The haughty maid , that ne'er could brook Ev'n one neglecting eye , With bursting pride beheld her charms Unnotic'd now past by . Conflicting passions tear her breast ; To distant scenes she flies , To seek in solitude that calm Reflection ne'er denies ; But ah ! in vain , the venom'd dart Within her bosom lay , And pride represt can ne'er bestow , Of peace the faintest ray . One silent eve she reach'd a grove , There to lament her fate , Where modest Robin pensive sung , And chear'd his little mate : With scorn she heard the plaintive lay , And , with disdainful look , " Presuming feeble wretch , " she cried ; The little redbreast shook : " Chirp not , thou vain , thou sorry thing , " Hark Philomela's strain ; Unworthy thou to share her haunts , " The meanest of her train : " Be ever dumb , assuming bird , " Dar'st thou e'er hope to please , " When larks salute the early morn , " And thrushes sing from trees ? " Ambitious thing , I say give o'er ; " The blackbird's warbling song " In just contempt will sink thy notes ; " For ever stop thy tongue . " Meek Robin , in the sweetest strain , With softest accents spoke , Shelt'ring his partner with his wings , Thus , trembling , silence broke : " Pardon , bright fair ! I know not pride , " Foe to ambition I ; " Humbly poor Robin owns he ne'er " With thrush or lark can vie : " Indeed I try to imitate " Sweet Philomela's lay , " And to the warbling blackbird's song " Sincerest homage pay ; " And when that wintry storms descend , " Each vernal beauty seize , " When they retire till milder hours , " Poor Robin tries to please ; " 'Tis then with timid hope I strive " To soothe the listening ear , " My bright reward , a little food , " These hours of want to chear : " Then hear , ye sweetest birds of air , " The humblest : of your throng ; " 'Tis when ye will not deign to chear , " Poor Robin gives his song : " Hence learn , Miranda , bright and fair , " Let meekness pride disarm ; " Vouchsafe to learn from little me , " Heaven gives to each a charm . " To hear a moral from a bird , Abash'd Miranda stood , Return'd to town , sought Emeline , Was happy , kind , and good .