Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 368, June 1846Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 368, June 1846
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
We have not the heart to criticise this last and greatest effort of the
reproducer. Its slang speaks for itself, and certainly carries along
with it an undeniable "certificate of origin".
A good translation of any thing is perhaps an impossibility. But it must
be confessed, that the attempt of the German foreigner is highly
creditable to him, and, with a little amendment, would probably afford
our countrymen as fair an idea of the original as they are ever likely
to see. Certain it is, that Mr Naylor has not improved upon it.
If our readers think, that in the samples we have given of Mr Naylor's
beauties, we have not sufficiently brought forward some of the more
striking peculiarities of the Cockney school, we shall meet this
complaint by presenting them with the subjoined anthology, the fragrance
of which we think will satisfy their highest anticipations.
"The first in consequence at _court_,
As foremost in the public _thought_."
"Your cap and gloves you've left in _pawn_,
Thus adding ribaldry to _scorn_."
"What visitors had been? they _tell her_
How Reynard call'd, and said, 'nice _fellow_.'"
"Malkin should fall! and now the _fork_
By Martin turn'd to toma_hawk_."
"No sooner had the foe with_drawn_
To howl around the priest for_lorn_."
"Besides, he must have more than _thought once_
Upon the very vast _importance_."
"Of solemn asses half-a-_score_,
Who kick, when tickled with a _straw_!"
"I left him trapp'd, and then made _sheer off_:
His sufferings you can't form _idea of_."
"From underneath the frame I _draw_
The pin that propp'd it: with a _roar_."
"Their eggs upon a heap of _straw_,
Then loitering hindermost, the _more_."
"When it was bruited round the _court_
How Reynard was by greybeard _brought_."
"Grimalkin there one eye had _lost_,
His scalp from Bruin's head been _forced_."
"With any thing, in short, to _fasten_
Guilt on him--burglary--e'en _arson_!"
"Than at the words the Queen, _alarm'd_,
Nigh swoon'd before her fears were _calm'd_."
"The son dishonour'd: not a _straw_
It weigh'd with him, to think how _sore_."
"There dwelt my father; him they _sought_,
And plotted, whilst they soak'd his _port_."
"To practise after my pa_pa_--
Through life my light and exem_plar_!"
"Another life to lead he's _sworn_:
And will to-morrow at the _dawn_."
"Then, turning to the Queen, _besought_
Her majesty in merry _sport_."
"Quoth Reynard, as with sudden _thought_
Before the portal stopping _short_."
"We have so many a sally-_port_,
And _cul-de-sac_, we can't be _caught_."
"Send far and near the heralds _forth_,
By blast of trump to tell my _wrath_."
"At Rome, I on our banker _draw_,
And when that's gone, I send for _more_."
"That none dared venture! This he _saw_
And felt his pluck return once _more_."
"But I've no _claws_
And therefore am not fit for _wars_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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