That Jabberwock was passing bad―― That Jabberwock was wrong. And with this verdict, I conclude One portion of my song. I contend that there is a great deal of natural beauty in the poem of which this extract forms part. Some people say there isn’t a scrap. A man, I am aware, mixed up something of the sort in a book called “Alice through the Looking Glass.” ――――:o:―――― JABBERWOCKY. Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, And the mome raths outgrabe. “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!” He took his vorpal sword in hand Long time the manxome foe he sought―― So rested he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, ame whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came. One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! He chortled in his joy. ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, And the mome raths outgrabe. LEWIS CARROLL (_Through the Looking Glass_). ―――― WAGGAWOCKY. (_On the Tichborne Trial_) “Merely interpolating the note that the word ‘wabe’ is explained by the Poet to mean ‘a grassplot round a sundial,’ but that it also means a Court of Justice, being derived from the Saxon _waube_, a wig-shop, we proceed to dress the prophetic ode in plain English:―― ’Twas May time, and the lawyer coves Did jibe and jabber in the wabe, All menaced were the Tichborne groves, And their true lord, the Babe. “Beware the Waggawock, my son, The eyelid twitch, the knees’ incline, Beware the Baigent network, spun For gallant Ballantine.” He took his ton-weight brief in hand, Long time the hidden clue he sought, Then rested he by the Hawkins tree, And sat awhile in thought. And as in toughish thought he rocks, The Waggawock, _sans_ truth or shame Came lumbering to the witness box, And perjured out his Claim. “Untrue! untrue!” Then, through and through The weary weeks he worked the rack; But March had youth, ere with the Truth He dealt the final whack.