ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.
427
With the rest of his crew,—it's no matter how;
While old Polyphemus, until he was dead,—
Which was n't till many years after, 't is said,—
Had a grief in his heart and a hole in his head!
While old Polyphemus, until he was dead,—
Which was n't till many years after, 't is said,—
Had a grief in his heart and a hole in his head!
MORAL.
Don't use strong drink,—pray let me advise,—
It 's bad for the stomach, and ruins the eyes;
Don't impose upon sailors with land-lubber tricks,
Or you 'll catch it some day like a thousand of bricks!
It 's bad for the stomach, and ruins the eyes;
Don't impose upon sailors with land-lubber tricks,
Or you 'll catch it some day like a thousand of bricks!
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.
Sir Orpheus, whom the poets have sung
In every metre and every tongue,
Was, you may remember, a famous musician,—
At least for a youth in his pagan condition,—
For historians tell he played on his shell
From morning till night, so remarkably well
That his music created a regular spell
On trees and stones in forest and dell!
What sort of an instrument his could be
Is really more than is known to me,—
For none of the books have told, d' ye see!
It's very certain those heathen "swells"
Knew nothing at all of oyster-shells,
And it's clear Sir Orpheus never could own a
Shell like those they make in Cremona;
But whatever it was, to "move the stones"
It must have shelled out some powerful tones,
And entitled the player to rank in my rhyme
As the very Vieuxtemps of the very old time!
In every metre and every tongue,
Was, you may remember, a famous musician,—
At least for a youth in his pagan condition,—
For historians tell he played on his shell
From morning till night, so remarkably well
That his music created a regular spell
On trees and stones in forest and dell!
What sort of an instrument his could be
Is really more than is known to me,—
For none of the books have told, d' ye see!
It's very certain those heathen "swells"
Knew nothing at all of oyster-shells,
And it's clear Sir Orpheus never could own a
Shell like those they make in Cremona;
But whatever it was, to "move the stones"
It must have shelled out some powerful tones,
And entitled the player to rank in my rhyme
As the very Vieuxtemps of the very old time!
