“All the fairest years of life “Spent I in Kyffhauser’s cavern, “In the Venusberg, and other “Catacombs of the Romantic. “Have no fear of me, good monkey! “Thee I like, for on thy hairless “Tann’d and shaven hinder-quarters “Thou dost bear my fav’rite colours.”-- Darling colours! Black-red-golden! Yes, these monkey-buttock-colours, Sorrowfully they remind me Of the flag of Barbarossa. VITZLIPUTZLI. 1. On his head he wore the laurel, And upon his boots there glitter’d Golden spurs,--but notwithstanding He was neither knight nor hero. He was but a robber captain, Who within the book of glory Wrote with his own wicked hand His own wicked name of--Cortez. Underneath Columbus’ name he Wrote his own,--yes, close beneath it, And the schoolboy at his lessons Learns by heart both names together. After Christopher Columbus He now names Fernando Cortez, As the second greatest man In the new world’s proud Pantheon. Heroes’ fate’s last stroke of malice! That our name should thus be coupled With the name of a vile scoundrel In the memory of mortals! Were’t not better e’en to perish All unknown, than draggle with it Through eternity’s long ages Such a name in comradeship? Master Christopher Columbus Was a hero,--and his temper, That was pure as e’en the sunlight, Was as gen’rous in addition. Many people much have given, But Columbus to the world Hath a world entire imparted, And ’tis call’d America. He had not the power to free us From our dreary earthly prison, But he managed to enlarge it And our heavy chain to lengthen. Mortals thankfully revere him, Being, not of Europe only, But of Africa and Asia, Equally quite sick and weary. One alone, one hero only Gave us more and gave us better Than Columbus--that one mean I Who a God bestow’d upon us. His old father’s name was Amram, And his mother’s Jochebed, And himself, his name was Moses, And he is my greatest hero. But, my Pegasus, thou’rt loitering Far too long with this Columbus; Know thou that our flight to-day is With the lesser man,--with Cortez. So extend thy colour’d pinions, Wingèd steed! and carry me To the new world’s beauteous country That they Mexico entitle. Carry me to yonder castle, Which the monarch Montezuma Kindly offer’d to his Spanish Guests, to be their habitation. Not mere food and shelter only In extravagant profusion Gave the prince these foreign strollers,-- Presents rich and precious also, Valuable, wrought with cunning, All of massive gold, and jewels, Bear gay witness to the monarch’s Generosity and favour.