The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-06-16

day. May q, at st. Marys SCHOOL,
If today, with our wide knowledge
Of the worlds history. if today 'twere
possible for us to turn backward the
wheels Of time and choose one age
N only one in which to live, which
age. of all the glorious ages Of the
past. which age would We choose?
Would the glory that was Greece"
lure us with its magic spell to choose
those golden days or the grandeur
that was Rome summon us as with
the invincible trumpet-note of a Gaze
sar to choose with him his victories
and triumphs? No, it would not be
these ages, glorious as they are, but
the age which we would choose with
one accord would be-ah. would it
not?-the Elizabethan Age, that roll
licking, daring, romantic, tragic, his
tory-making age of Shakespeare!
Despair not then, if this age you
would choose, if you would HE to
Merrie Englande in the days of good
Queen Bess," for by a most simple way
time may be outwitted and we may
yet live in that renowned z and
meet face to face, as they appeared
in real life, some of the most wonder
full characters of that most wonderful
age. And this way so easy-what is
it? Merely this: read Tales Of the
Mermaid Tavern" by Alfred NoyeS.
This book of poems, so imaginative
and idealistic throughout and inter
spersed with most melodiouS lyrics,
splendidly embodies the genius and
romance Of the Elizabethan Age, the
whole soul, in fact, of Shakesperian
England finding in it the most ardent
and vigorous expression. From boys
ferrous humor to keenest pathoS and,
very often, bitterest tragedy range the
stories told at the Mermaid Tavern
that famous gathering place of
Shakespeare, Marlowe, Ben Johnson,
Beaumont, Fletcher, Raleigh. and
other great EliZabethan figures, that
center of good fellowship. wit. ad-
venture, inspiration, and sometimes
tragedy.
Tales Over Pipes and Wine.
How thoroughly we enjoy these tales
told here at the old Mermaid" over
the pipes and wine-enjoy them fol
the story told and appreciate the mel
ody and color of the simple, ringing
dramatic verse with which it is told
Indeed, who could fail to enjoy tn
humor of BLACK Bits Honeymoon
Black Bill. that bold, hard-headet
sailor who. To satisfy his sweet tootl
and TO prove his point that Il bea
had no sense, became ~entangled in
most remarkable Honeymoon
who could help being moved. eve t
the point of tears, over the bitin
tragedy of the death of Marlowe-
Marlowe. hat great God-blinde
eagle-soul." the rinse wine O
WIloSt a was pill III al
brawl, was poured out tor a taffet
gown.
Yet, wonderful o. they are in stor
and III poetry, it is not the tales them
selves which impress us most pro
foundly, but the picture they so vividl
present of the life of the age, ant
more than anything else, the Ease
mating glimpse they give of those "a
nous celebrities which makes us fe'
that they were after all only mel
with all the faults and ~failings of tn
race. very human indeed, but vel
loyable.
AS we read on, so vivid are the d,
scriptions. it seems as if we ourselv'
lived centuries ago and knew thes
great men personally and saw the
in their everyday life as it centere
in the Mermaid Tavern" And tt
Mermaid Tavern" itself! How we
we can see it. that ancient inn
mullioned panes and crazy beams al
o~ver-hanging caves" that inn with i
worn green paint upon the doors al
shutters, that inn before whose do
n gaudily painted siren of the s.
curls her n-silvered tail amor
the rocks. enticing the weary travel
TO the refreShment and gaiety With
And now we see them come, FIJI
there is one who seems familiar.
figure like foot-feathered Mercury, t;
and splendid as n sunset cloud. cl;
in a crimson doublet n trunk-ho:
q rapier at his side" Who can it b
Over his arm he swings a gorgeo
cloak of cyprus velvet. cakcd a,
smeared with mud as on the day VIII
Faith, It's he! iTiS Walter Raleig
Joyfully we recognize him and wi
him enter into the old inn-parl
where, from out the maze of fac
swimming in a mist of blue. up-cu
ing smoke from the long Winches'
pipes, there is one whose "beardet
oval face. young, with deep eye
gleams-"like some rare old pict,
I'm a dream recalled"-pale against
old black, oaken wainscot. one quie
listening. laughing. watching figl
whom Raleigh halls as Will"
From Out The smoky Haze.
The next face to become distii
from out the smoky haze is that
ben, rare Il'n. brick-layer Ben" w
with his bulldog jaws and or
pock-pitted face, with the T FOR
burn branded IN his thumb. seems