Page:Anacreontics.djvu/85

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ANACREONTICS.

Our country's bird, our glory and pride,
Renowned and honored far and wide.
(I don't mean the eagle, so often stuck
Into useless verse, but the canvas-back duck.)

He speaks to the rest of joy and gladness;
He speaks to me of beauty and madness,[1]
Checquered thoughts he brings to me,
That fervent wine of Sicily.

"When the wine is in the wit is out."
The ancient saying is true no doubt.
(Not in the sense that those would read,
Perverted by aquarian creed;)
For if a man has any wit,

  1. Countess Gerace was a beautiful woman. Her cousin, the Duke of Terranova, took to politics late in life and went mad.

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