New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-13

Thus while you pay these honors as my duo;
owe my values larger part to you'
And in the tribute of the hour | see
Not what am but what ought TO be-
Friends of the Muse, to you ofright belong
The first stlid footsteps Of my square-toed Sonsi
Eull well know the strong heroic line
Has lost its fashion since made 1t mine
R,t t,ere are tricks old singers will not learn,
And tbjs grave measure still must serve nv turn.
40 the OLD b ri resumes the sefsame note
His first young summer wakened In bis throat;
The selfsame tune the old canary sings,
And all uucha ged the bobolinHs carol rings
When the tired songsters OF the day arc stil
The thrush repeats his long -remem0ered trihi
Age alters not the crows persistent oaw'
The Yankees "Haow," the sammering Drton's
"Haw";
And so the hand that takes tho yrc for you
Plays the old tune strings that once were new
Nor LET the rhymester OF the hour derlde
The strajcht-backe measure with its stately stride;
II gave the mighty voice ofDryden scope;
II sbeathed the steel-bright epigrams Oh Pope;
In oldsmith's verse it learned sweoter strain;
Byron and Campbell wore its clanSing cham;
smile TO listen while the critics scorn
Flouts the proud purple kings have nooy "orni
Bid each new rbymer try his dainty skill
And mould his frozen phrases as he Will
We thank he artist for his neat devioe
The shape is pleasing, though the stunts loe'
Fashions will change-the costume allures'
Unfadng still the better type endures;
While the slashed doubet o. the cavalier
Gave the old knight the pomp OF chaliicleer,
Our last-hatched dandy with his glass and SICK
Rec alls the scmblance Of a newborn chick;
TO match the model he 10 aiming at
He ought TO wear eggshell for hatl
Which of these objects would painter choose,
And which veasquez or Van Dyke refuse
When your kind summons reached my calm rctreaS
Who are the friends, questioned, shall mectf
Some in young manhood shiverlng with desire
To feel the genial warmth OF fortunes fire.
Each with his bellows ready in his hand
To puff the fame just waiting TO be famed;
Some heads halfsilverel, with snow-whte hair
A crown ungarnshed gslening here and there
The mimic moonlight cleaning on the scilps
Az evenings Empress lights the shining Alps,
But count the crowds throng your estal scenes
How few that knew the century in Its teensI
Save for the lingering handful fate befrlends.
LIES busy day the Sabbath decade ends;
When that is over, how with what remains
OF pature's outfit, muscle, nerve and brainsi
Were this pulpit would doubtless preach.
Were this a platform / should grayely teach,
But to no solemn duties pretend
Tn nv vocation at the tables end,
So as my answer let me tell instead
What Landlord POrier-rest his soul !-onc, said
A
CAMBRIDGE and ConcOrds dengods were there
| q" And who were they ~ You know as we'll aiI
The stars long glittering in our Eastern tkT,-
The names that blazOn our provincial scrol
Ring round the world VITA Britan's drumoeat rolll
Good was the dinner. better was the talk;
Some whispered, devious was the honeward walk;
The story came from some reporting spy
They lie those fellows-O. how they lie
Not ours those fcot-tracks in the newallen snow
Poets and sages never zg-zagsed so
Now Landlord Porter. grave, concise, severe.
Master nay MOn1rch in his proper sphere,
Though to belleslettre. he pretended not,
Lived close TO Harvard 50 knew what was what,
And having bards, philosophers and snch,
To eat his dinner, put tho finest touc1
His art could teach, those learned mouths 10 MI
With the best proofs of gustatory skill
And finding wisdom plenty at his board,
Wit science learning. all his guests had stored,
BY way of contrast. ventured to produce
TO please their palates, an inviting goose
Better II were the company should starve
Than hands unskiled that goose attempt to carve;
None but the master artist shall assail
The bird that turns the mightest surgeon pale.
One voice arises from the banquet hail.
The landlord answers to the pleading call;
OF stature tai, sublime Of port he stands
His blade and trident cleaning in his hands;
peneath bis glance the strong knit joints relax
As the weak knees before the headsmans axe.
And Landlord Porter lifts his gltterng knife
AS some stout warrior armed for bloody strife;
ALI eyes are on him some in whispers ask
What man is he who darcs this dangerous taski
When loi the triumph OF consummate art,
with scarce a touch the creature drops apart
As when the baby IA his nurses lap
Spills on the carpet a dssectod map.
Then the calm sage, the monarch OF the Tyre,
Ima If apip admire.
And one whose wisdom will not impeach,
Lively, not churlish, somewhat tree OF speech
Speaks thus: "Say, master, what OF worth Is left
Ia birds like this, OF breast ana legs berctW
And Landlord Porter, with upifted eyes,
Smiles on the simple querist, and replies:
"When from goose you've taken legs and breast
Wipe lips thank God and leave the poor tho restl"
Kind friends, sweet friends. hold it hardly fair
with that same bird your minstrel 10 compare
Yet in a certain likeness we agree,
No wrong to him and 10 offence 10 me;
take him for the moral be has lent,
My parEner,-to limited extent
When the stern landlord whom we all oboy
Has carved from life It's seventh great slice away,
Is the poor fragment left in blank collapse
pauper remnant Of unVslued scrapsi
care not much what Solomon has said,
Before his time TO nobler pleasures dead;
Poor man he needed half hundred lives
with such babbliug wilderness Of wives
But ia there nothing that may well employ
LIES winter months,--no sunny hour ofiny'