Of Jacob Böhme largely spoke, And German mysticism, With hints on Madame Guyon’s life, And Gallic Quietism; And notions about Swedenborg, And Swedenborgianism; He showed that Truth, the Light, must pass Through Error as its prism. “Old man, you must be dry,” exclaimed The adolescent here; “And there’s a look about your eyes That makes me think you’re queer; Suppose we send a little boy To fetch a pint of beer?” “I drink not beer,” the sage replied, “Gin, brandy, wine, nor rum: The only liquor that I touch, It is the laudanum; So send the little boy unto The chemist’s shop for some!” He drew a phial from his pouch, And drained it at a draught. “Hold, madman, hold!” the youth exclaimed, “I thought you only chaffed!” The aged man, regarding him, Satirically laughed. Big drops of perspiration gleamed About his fine old nose; “The laudanum stirs my brain,” he said, “My conversation flows; I drink an awful quantity, As Mr. Gillman knows! “All thoughts, all passions, all delights”―― To wander he began; He talked of Abyssinian maids, And then of Kubla Khan; The youth observed, “He is a most Remarkable old man! “I only wish that he would talk To some one else,” said he “I cannot stand him any more, I will arise and flee!” He was the first that ever burst From the never silent C.! Mr. William Jeffery Prowse was born at Torquay on May 6, 1836, and died of consumption at Nice, on Easter Sunday, 1870. He was a journalist by profession, being more particularly connected with _The Daily Telegraph_ as a leader writer, and with _Fun_. He had a great fund of humour, and a singular faculty of imitation, witness his “Prize Essays,” and a series of papers he contributed to _The Porcupine_, in which he adopted the modes of thought and expression of eminent writers of the day, without descending to mere parody of subject or language. In this he rivalled the success achieved by the brothers Smith in _Rejected Addresses_. The “Nicholas Notes” in _Fun_ were also from his pen. They cleverly burlesque the prophets of the sporting papers, whose ambiguous utterances can be always afterwards explained to be in perfect accordance with what has come to pass. _Nicholas_ is addicted to the bottle, is always impecunious, and is always just about to bring out a history of _Knurr and Spell_. _The Rime of the Ancient Waggonere_, in four parts. This parody first appeared in _Blackwood’s Magazine_, February, 1819, it was republished in vol. 2 of J. S. Moore’s _Pictorial Book of Ballad Poetry_ (London, 1849), and again in William Maginn’s _Miscellanies_ (London, 1885.) _The Cockney Mariner_, in seven parts, by Gilbert Abbott à Beckett. This appeared in _The Almanack of the Month_. Vol. 1, 1846. It is a Cockney Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three; “By thy dreadnought coat, button’d up to the throat, Now what do you want with me?”