Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn edited by Dr. Shelton Mackenzie |
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THE SPERMACETI CANDLE. |
Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn | ||
184
THE SPERMACETI CANDLE.
“The sovereignest thing on earth,
Is 'parmacity ------”
Shakespeare.
Is 'parmacity ------”
Shakespeare.
Ye gods immortal! in all time
By heavenly zephyrs fanned well,
Inspire my bosom while I climb
Th' Eolian mount, with steps sublime—
The matchless subject of my rhyme
A Spermaceti Candle.
By heavenly zephyrs fanned well,
Inspire my bosom while I climb
Th' Eolian mount, with steps sublime—
The matchless subject of my rhyme
A Spermaceti Candle.
Dim was each light in days of old,
'Mong Saxon, Goth, and Vandal,
Compared with that which now is sold,
(Better than tallow, dip, or mould),
Whose flame is brighter far than gold—
A Spermaceti Candle.
'Mong Saxon, Goth, and Vandal,
Compared with that which now is sold,
(Better than tallow, dip, or mould),
Whose flame is brighter far than gold—
A Spermaceti Candle.
Place every kind of light in view,
And when you 've quietly scanned all,
I'll bet a pipe of wine that you
Will give the preference unto
A Spermaceti Candle.
And when you 've quietly scanned all,
I'll bet a pipe of wine that you
Will give the preference unto
A Spermaceti Candle.
If tallow, therefore, you eschew,
And are averse to handle,
The very best thing you can do
Is in its place to substitu-
Te a Spermaceti Candle.
And are averse to handle,
The very best thing you can do
Is in its place to substitu-
Te a Spermaceti Candle.
Its color is as pure as snow,
Or floors strewed with white sand all;
It burneth with a peerless glow—
A proof that there is nought below
Like a Spermaceti Candle.
Or floors strewed with white sand all;
It burneth with a peerless glow—
A proof that there is nought below
Like a Spermaceti Candle.
185
It needs no snuffing, for the wick,
So beautiful and grand all,
Becomes not cabbaged, faint, or sick—
With tallow lights a common trick—
But never with that shining stick,
A Spermaceti Candle.
So beautiful and grand all,
Becomes not cabbaged, faint, or sick—
With tallow lights a common trick—
But never with that shining stick,
A Spermaceti Candle.
Tall Etna from his flaming peak,
With fiery arches spanned all,
Exhibits but a lustre weak,
Compared with that bright steady streak,
Which cometh unobscured by reek,
From a Spermaceti Candle.
With fiery arches spanned all,
Exhibits but a lustre weak,
Compared with that bright steady streak,
Which cometh unobscured by reek,
From a Spermaceti Candle.
Our old theatric records say,
That Covent Garden band all
Once on a time refused to play
March, hornpipe, dirge, or roundelay,
Save by the pure transparent ray
(Allowed to each musician gay)
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
That Covent Garden band all
Once on a time refused to play
March, hornpipe, dirge, or roundelay,
Save by the pure transparent ray
(Allowed to each musician gay)
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
That Hanoverian genius rare,
The organ-loving Handel,
Could not a single stave prepare,
Unless when on his easy-chair
He sat, surrounded by the glare
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
The organ-loving Handel,
Could not a single stave prepare,
Unless when on his easy-chair
He sat, surrounded by the glare
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
Great Hannibal, Hamilcar's lad,
Who armies could command well,
(Some say much better than his dad,)
Once saved himself from rout most sad
By means of cows and bullocks mad,
Each monster's horns with flames yclad
From a Spermaceti Candle.
Who armies could command well,
(Some say much better than his dad,)
Once saved himself from rout most sad
By means of cows and bullocks mad,
Each monster's horns with flames yclad
From a Spermaceti Candle.
Some praise the sun, and some the moon,
In eloquence quite grand all:
A fig for both! I'll beat them soon—
The last in May, the first in June—
By that incomparable boon,
A Spermaceti Candle.
In eloquence quite grand all:
A fig for both! I'll beat them soon—
The last in May, the first in June—
By that incomparable boon,
A Spermaceti Candle.
186
I've travelled east, I've travelled west,
I've been in Coromandel,
And I can say, without a jest,
That both in hall and peasant's nest,
'Tis of its race avowed the best—
The Spermaceti Candle.
I've been in Coromandel,
And I can say, without a jest,
That both in hall and peasant's nest,
'Tis of its race avowed the best—
The Spermaceti Candle.
In Abyssinia, where the heat
Each native's phiz hath tanned well,
They deem their happiness complete
If any friend whom they may meet
Will have the goodness them to treat
To a Spermaceti Candle.
Each native's phiz hath tanned well,
They deem their happiness complete
If any friend whom they may meet
Will have the goodness them to treat
To a Spermaceti Candle.
There 's nothing in the world so bright,
As you must understand well;
Suppose you lose your way at night,
What think you on with all your might?
Why, to be sure, upon a light-
Ed Spermaceti Candle.
As you must understand well;
Suppose you lose your way at night,
What think you on with all your might?
Why, to be sure, upon a light-
Ed Spermaceti Candle.
'Tis strange that those who love to sing
The deeds of Cribb and Randall—
Those potent heroes of the ring—
Should never yet have touched the string
In praise of that most useful thing,
A Spermaceti Candle.
The deeds of Cribb and Randall—
Those potent heroes of the ring—
Should never yet have touched the string
In praise of that most useful thing,
A Spermaceti Candle.
A cock-boat by the lightning smit,
A seventy-four that 's manned ill,
Are bad enough, but not a whit,
More to be pitied than the cit,
Who has not in his house a bit
Of Spermaceti Candle.
A seventy-four that 's manned ill,
Are bad enough, but not a whit,
More to be pitied than the cit,
Who has not in his house a bit
Of Spermaceti Candle.
The Grecian maids, so fair and sweet,
Wore on each leg a sandal;
But all their skill was incomplete
To show at night their lovely feet
Without that accessory neat,
A Spermaceti Candle.
Wore on each leg a sandal;
But all their skill was incomplete
To show at night their lovely feet
Without that accessory neat,
A Spermaceti Candle.
187
Live where he may, or far or near,
He ought to be trepanned well,
And made to suffer stripes severe,
Imprisonment in cell most drear,
Without tobacco, gin, or beer,
Who has the heartlessness to sneer
At a Spermaceti Candle.
He ought to be trepanned well,
And made to suffer stripes severe,
Imprisonment in cell most drear,
Without tobacco, gin, or beer,
Who has the heartlessness to sneer
At a Spermaceti Candle.
May honest men, where'er they be,
With indignation brand all
Who sip their toddy, or their tea,
In wintery nights, by land or sea,
Without the cheerful lustre free
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
With indignation brand all
Who sip their toddy, or their tea,
In wintery nights, by land or sea,
Without the cheerful lustre free
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
Behold yon taper, shining bright
In lamp that is japanned well,
Although it gives a pleasant light,
'T would really seem as dark as night,
If but contrasted with the might
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
In lamp that is japanned well,
Although it gives a pleasant light,
'T would really seem as dark as night,
If but contrasted with the might
Of a Spermaceti Candle.
If you desire to be renowned
At cards, and play your hand well,
A clearer help can not be found,
(Whether the game be square or round,)
Than a Spermaceti Candle.
At cards, and play your hand well,
A clearer help can not be found,
(Whether the game be square or round,)
Than a Spermaceti Candle.
If e'er by chance you sail upon
The Straits of Babelmandel,
Where gas-lights are but little known,
You 'll ne'er be dull, nor feel alone,
If you have for compan-i-ón
A Spermaceti Candle.
The Straits of Babelmandel,
Where gas-lights are but little known,
You 'll ne'er be dull, nor feel alone,
If you have for compan-i-ón
A Spermaceti Candle.
To place beside it, oil or gas,
Would be a kind of scandal,
Which none would think of but an ass
(Of whom there are a few, alas!)
Who vainly hopes thus to surpass
The Spermaceti candle.
Would be a kind of scandal,
Which none would think of but an ass
(Of whom there are a few, alas!)
Who vainly hopes thus to surpass
The Spermaceti candle.
188
In short, this luminary bright,
Like baby you might dandle,
For cleanliness and giving light,
And aspect of a snowy white,
There 's nought—especially at night—
Like a Spermaceti Candle.
Like baby you might dandle,
For cleanliness and giving light,
And aspect of a snowy white,
There 's nought—especially at night—
Like a Spermaceti Candle.
Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn | ||