Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/289
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AN OLD TIME PUNSTER.
273
Thus ruminating on his seat
Ambitious thoughts at length prevailed;
The bard determined to complete
The part wherein the prophet failed.
He sat a while and stroked his muse,[1]
Then taking up his tuneful pen,
Wrote a few stanzas for the use
Of his sea-faring brethren.
The task performed, the bard content,
Well chosen was each flowing word,
On a short voyage him self he went
To hear it read and sung on board.
Our modern parson, having pray'd,
Unless loud fame our faith beguiles,
Sat down, took out his book, and said:—
"Let's sing a psalm of Mather Byles."
At first when he began to read
Their heads the assembly downward hung,
But he with boldness did proceed.
And thus he read and thus they sung:
Ambitious thoughts at length prevailed;
The bard determined to complete
The part wherein the prophet failed.
He sat a while and stroked his muse,[1]
Then taking up his tuneful pen,
Wrote a few stanzas for the use
Of his sea-faring brethren.
The task performed, the bard content,
Well chosen was each flowing word,
On a short voyage him self he went
To hear it read and sung on board.
Our modern parson, having pray'd,
Unless loud fame our faith beguiles,
Sat down, took out his book, and said:—
"Let's sing a psalm of Mather Byles."
At first when he began to read
Their heads the assembly downward hung,
But he with boldness did proceed.
And thus he read and thus they sung:
"With vast amazement we survey
The wonders of the deep,
Where Mackerel swim and Porpoise play.
And Crabs and Lobsters creep.
Fish of all kinds inhabit there
And throng the dark abode;
There Haddock, Hake and Flounders are,
And Eels, and Perch, and Cod.
From raging winds and tempests free,
So smoothly do we pass,
The shining surface seems to be
A piece of Bristol glass.
But when the winds and tempests rise
And foaming billows swell,
The vessel mounts above the skies
And lower sinks than hell.
The wonders of the deep,
Where Mackerel swim and Porpoise play.
And Crabs and Lobsters creep.
Fish of all kinds inhabit there
And throng the dark abode;
There Haddock, Hake and Flounders are,
And Eels, and Perch, and Cod.
From raging winds and tempests free,
So smoothly do we pass,
The shining surface seems to be
A piece of Bristol glass.
But when the winds and tempests rise
And foaming billows swell,
The vessel mounts above the skies
And lower sinks than hell.
- ↑ The reference is to a favorite cat which the Doctor facetiously called his muse ("mews ").