German composition

Section 190 The Favourite Hares. — IV

Bess, who died soon after he was full grown⁠1, and whose death was occasioned by his being turned (S. 161, N. 21, and S. 87, N. 6) into his box, which had been washed, while it was yet damp⁠2, was a hare of great humour and drollery⁠3. Puss was tamed by gentle usage; Tiny was not to be tamed at all; and Bess had a⁠4 courage and confidence that made him tame from the beginning⁠5. I always admitted them into the parlour after supper, when (S. 131, N. 4), the⁠6 carpet affording their feet a firm hold, they would frisk, and bound, and play a thousand gambols, in⁠7 which Bess, being remarkably strong and fearless, was always superior to the rest. One evening, the cat being in the room, it had the hardiness to pat Bess upon the cheek, an indignity which⁠8 he resented by drumming upon her (S. 43, N. 9, B) back with such violence that the cat was happy to escape from under his paws, and⁠9 hide herself.

I describe the animals as having had each a character of his own⁠10. Such they were in fact⁠11, and their countenances were so expressive of that character, that, when I looked only on the face of either, I immediately knew which it was⁠12.—William Cowper, “The Gentleman’s Magazine, 1784.”

Notes

1 völlig ausgewachsen sein.

2 which — damp = which after having been washed (nach der Reinigung) was yet damp.

3 = was a very facetious and droll hare.

4 = so much.

5 = that he became tame from the very (gleich im) beginning.

6 Place the clause ‘the — hold’ after ‘they — gambols’: To play gambols, possierliche Luftsprünge machen.

7 in which = in (bei) which games.

8 an indignity which = which offence.

9 Say ‘and to be able to hide herself’.

10 as — own = as if each of the same had had (Pluperf. Subj.) his own character.

11 = That was however (aber auch) really the case.

12 that — was = that from (aus) the face of each I could at once distinguish (erkennen) who it (= he) was.