The Whole of it came not at once－1
'Twas Murder by degrees－
A Thrust－and then for Life a chance－
The Bliss to cauterize－
The Cat reprieves the Mouse 5
She eases from her teeth
Just long enough for Hope to tease－
Then mashes it to death－
'Tis Life's award－to die－9
Contenteder if once－
Than dying half－then rallying
For consciouser Eclipse－
'Twas Murder by degrees－
A Thrust－and then for Life a chance－
The Bliss to cauterize－
The Cat reprieves the Mouse 5
She eases from her teeth
Just long enough for Hope to tease－
Then mashes it to death－
'Tis Life's award－to die－9
Contenteder if once－
Than dying half－then rallying
For consciouser Eclipse－
(F.485/J.762)
[3] Thrust:: stroke, apoplexy.
[4] cauterize:: to disable the feelings, paralyze, a result of stroke.
[11] rallying:: recovering from the stroke.
[12] Eclipse:: a slow death.
To burning with hot irons, &c. An allusion to cauterizing, sometimes recommended in cases of apoplexy. ─ Hudibras: A Poem (1822)
