A POET'S INDIGNATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 36, 17 October 1868, Page 5

A POET'S INDIGNATION.

| (from punch.) i Dear Sir, — You have been down upon me a good many times, but I know you love justice, and I confidently ask your aid. Sir, it has been reported that I am the author of the words of the song sung (and excellently, I hear, by Mr. Cum- j mings) at the Crystal Palace on the day the Duke of Edinburgh was there. Sir, Mr. Punch, it is not true. I had nothing to do with it. I allow, sir, that the style of the so-called poet is based upon mine, and that the mistake is not unnatural. But when you come to look at the verses that were sung, you will see that I, the Poet Close, could never have written such nonsense. Look here, sir : — " Of Nelson, Hood, and Collingwood Oar grandsires used' to sing : Our fathers had a toast as good, They gave the ' Sailor King !' Now Royal Alfred treads the deck, His courage to evince ; He braves the storm, nor fears the wreck ; God bless our Sailor Prince !" Treads the deck to' evince his courage ! Mr. Punch, would I thus libel my Prince ? He treads tho deck for no such unseamanlike and idiotic purpose. He treads the deck because it is his duty to do so, and at the right time goes below for the same reason. But worse stuff follows :—: — " Young, brave and true, he wears the blue, His courage to evince, - The pride, ' the darling of his crew j' God blesß our Sailor Prince !" Wears the blue to evince his courage ! One would think that it was a proscribed colour, and that, like wearing of the green in Ireland, the feat was one of danger. Isn*fc it sad that thousands of folk should have to hear such bosh ? But there is worse still:— . *• When o'er the land a flash of pain Shot through th' electric wire, • That England's darling son was slain, High rose the people's ire ; Now let him know, the coward blow Our fealty doth evince, And blend our prayers, that God who spares May save our Sailor Prince." What does the so-called poet mean by saying that a .flash of pain shot through the electric wire I Did it hurt the wire ? And how does the coward blow (which wasn't a blow) evince our fealty 1 The fact is, sir, that the barren-brained bard wanted to rhyme to "Prince," and could think of no rhyme but " evince." I, sir, could have given him many rhymes much better; as — " Our noble Prinoe Did never wince, But ever since When eating mince, - Has wished for quince, His mouth to rinse, And thus convince That he is every inch a Prinoe." , Sir, as the Lady Florence Pepple, the sister of the young King of Bonny, successor to him of whom I was proud to be Laureate, is coming over, and I shall have to address her in song, it might do me injury in my business if I were supposed capable of writing such verses as those I have quoted. By giving publication to the facts, you will oblige your obedient servant, . i , July, 1963, TbuPqetCwsb,