THE THREE JOVIAL STATESMEN.
Sir William IIarcourt, at Glasgow, in quoting from The Three Jovial Huntsmen, referred to it as “a delightful illustrated story-book,” which he advised all his hearers to buy. Quite so. Mr. Caldecott’s pictures are simply delicious, and the verses them
selves are quaint and pithy. But “ the bearings of ’em lie in their application.” And here’s their application—much at your service, Sir William
It’s of Three Jovial Statesmen, and a-stumping they did go ;
And they spouted and they flouted, and they blew their horns also. Look ye there!
And one said, “ Mind your eye, Staff, there’s Reaction in the wind, And soon, by hook or crook, we a winning cry shall find.”
Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the first thing they did find.
Was a tattered scare-crow-mummy-thing, which seemed much to their mind. Look ye there !
One said it teas a scare-crow, but another, he said “ Nay
It’s the real farmer’s friend, Fair Trado, and I think this cry will pay-” Look ye there !
They spouted and they ilouted, and the next thing they did find Was a swelling, swaggering Bogey, its arms waving in the wind.
Look ye there !
One said it was a Bogey, but another he said, “ Nay ;
It’s our dear old Jingo Fi-Fo-Fum, not yet quite past away.” Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find Was a Bull who browsed at leisure, and seemed easy in his mind. Look ye there!
One said ’twas brave John Bull himself, another he said, “ Nay ; It’s just a Boer-wbipt Jackass, without even pluck to bray.”
Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find Was a fat pig grunting in a stye, with anger almost blind.
Look ye there!
One said it was a fat pig, but another he said, “ Nay ;
It’s just a worthy Alderman who fears Reform’s black day.” Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find, Was two old Patriots trying to bring Pat to his right mind.
Look ye there!
One said they were two Patriots, but another he said, ‘‘Nay ;
They’re just two ranting Demagogues. We’re sold! let’s come away.” Look ye there !
So they spouted and they flouted, till the setting of the sun ;
And they hadn’t got a cry at last, when their stumping-eoursc was run. Look ye there!
Then each unto the other said, “ This stumping doesn’t pay;
But we’ve pounded up and down a bit, and had a rattling day.”
Look ys there!
THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.
(An old Fable with—we will hope—a New Ending.)
A dog, crossing a bridge over a stream of difficulties, with a Solid Substance in his mouth, saw in the water a dim and distorted phan
tasm, unreal as unattainable, and, fondly deeming it to be a better and brighter Reality, he was impelled by an almost irresistible desire to snatch at the seeming prize.
But—no farther—as yet. The Irish dog is at pause, the solid prize undropped, the shadowy shape—
“ If shape it may be called, that shape hath none—”
has not yet fully persuaded him to drop the Substance for the Shadow. Let him take timely warning, and so avoid the fate of the dog in Aisop’s fable.
Tommy. “I mean to be an Astronomer when I grow up ! ”
Effie. “ What on earth will you do with yourself all Day long ? ”
Sir William IIarcourt, at Glasgow, in quoting from The Three Jovial Huntsmen, referred to it as “a delightful illustrated story-book,” which he advised all his hearers to buy. Quite so. Mr. Caldecott’s pictures are simply delicious, and the verses them
selves are quaint and pithy. But “ the bearings of ’em lie in their application.” And here’s their application—much at your service, Sir William
It’s of Three Jovial Statesmen, and a-stumping they did go ;
And they spouted and they flouted, and they blew their horns also. Look ye there!
And one said, “ Mind your eye, Staff, there’s Reaction in the wind, And soon, by hook or crook, we a winning cry shall find.”
Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the first thing they did find.
Was a tattered scare-crow-mummy-thing, which seemed much to their mind. Look ye there !
One said it teas a scare-crow, but another, he said “ Nay
It’s the real farmer’s friend, Fair Trado, and I think this cry will pay-” Look ye there !
They spouted and they ilouted, and the next thing they did find Was a swelling, swaggering Bogey, its arms waving in the wind.
Look ye there !
One said it was a Bogey, but another he said, “ Nay ;
It’s our dear old Jingo Fi-Fo-Fum, not yet quite past away.” Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find Was a Bull who browsed at leisure, and seemed easy in his mind. Look ye there!
One said ’twas brave John Bull himself, another he said, “ Nay ; It’s just a Boer-wbipt Jackass, without even pluck to bray.”
Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find Was a fat pig grunting in a stye, with anger almost blind.
Look ye there!
One said it was a fat pig, but another he said, “ Nay ;
It’s just a worthy Alderman who fears Reform’s black day.” Look ye there!
They spouted and they flouted, and the next thing they did find, Was two old Patriots trying to bring Pat to his right mind.
Look ye there!
One said they were two Patriots, but another he said, ‘‘Nay ;
They’re just two ranting Demagogues. We’re sold! let’s come away.” Look ye there !
So they spouted and they flouted, till the setting of the sun ;
And they hadn’t got a cry at last, when their stumping-eoursc was run. Look ye there!
Then each unto the other said, “ This stumping doesn’t pay;
But we’ve pounded up and down a bit, and had a rattling day.”
Look ys there!
THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.
(An old Fable with—we will hope—a New Ending.)
A dog, crossing a bridge over a stream of difficulties, with a Solid Substance in his mouth, saw in the water a dim and distorted phan
tasm, unreal as unattainable, and, fondly deeming it to be a better and brighter Reality, he was impelled by an almost irresistible desire to snatch at the seeming prize.
But—no farther—as yet. The Irish dog is at pause, the solid prize undropped, the shadowy shape—
“ If shape it may be called, that shape hath none—”
has not yet fully persuaded him to drop the Substance for the Shadow. Let him take timely warning, and so avoid the fate of the dog in Aisop’s fable.
UNHAPPY THOUGHT.
Tommy. “I mean to be an Astronomer when I grow up ! ”
Effie. “ What on earth will you do with yourself all Day long ? ”