Thee, Mackintosh, artificer of light, Thee, the lone smoker hails! the student, thee; Thee, oft upon the ungovernable sea, The seaman, conscious of approaching night; Thou, with industrious fingers, hast outright Mastered that art, of other arts the key, That bids thick night before the morning flee, And lingering day retains for mortal sight. O Promethean workman, thee I hail, Thee hallowed, thee unparalleled, thee bold To affront the reign of sleep and darkness old, Thee William, thee AEneas, thee I sing; Thee by the glimmering taper clear and pale, Of light, and light's purveyance, hail, the king. X THE FINE PACIFIC ISLANDS (HEARD IN A PUBLIC-HOUSE AT ROTHERHITHE) The jolly English Yellowboy Is a 'ansome coin when new, The Yankee Double-eagle Is large enough for two. O, these may do for seaport towns, For cities these may do; But the dibbs that takes the Hislands Are the dollars of Peru: O, the fine Pacific Hislands, O, the dollars of Peru! It's there we buy the cocoanuts Mast 'eaded in the blue; It's there we trap the lasses All waiting for the crew; It's there we buy the trader's rum What bores a seaman through.... In the fine Pacific Hislands With the dollars of Peru: In the fine Pacific Hislands With the dollars of Peru! Now, messmates, when my watch is up, And I am quite broached to, I'll give a tip to 'Evving Of the 'ansome thing to do: Let 'em just refit this sailor-man And launch him off anew To cruise among the Hislands With the dollars of Peru: In the fine Pacific Hislands With the dollars of Peru! TAHITI, _August 1888_. XI AULD REEKIE When chitterin' cauld the day sall daw, Loud may your bonny bugles blaw And loud your drums may beat. Hie owre the land at evenfa' Your lamps may glitter raw by raw, Along the gowsty street. I gang nae mair where ance I gaed, By Brunston, Fairmileheid, or Braid; But far frae Kirk and Tron. O still ayont the muckle sea, Still are ye dear, and dear to me, Auld Reekie, still and on! XII THE LESSON OF THE MASTER TO HENRY JAMES Adela, Adela, Adela Chart, What have you done to my elderly heart? Of all the ladies of paper and ink I count you the paragon, call you the pink. The word of your brother depicts you in part: "You raving maniac!" Adela Chart; But in all the asylums that cumber the ground, So delightful a maniac was ne'er to be found. I pore on you, dote on you, clasp you to heart, I laud, love, and laugh at you, Adela Chart, And thank my dear maker the while I admire That I can be neither your husband nor sire. Your husband's, your sire's, were a difficult part; You're a byway to suicide, Adela Chart; But to read of, depicted by exquisite James, O, sure you're the flower and quintessence of dames.