Epigrams by John G. Saxe. On a Recent Classic Controversy
Nay, marvel not to see these scholars fight,
In brave disdain of certain scath and scar;
’Tis but the genuine, old, Hellenic spite,—
“When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war!”
Another
Quoth David to Daniel—“Why is it these scholars
Abuse one another whenever they speak?”
Quoth Daniel to David—“it nat’rally follers
Folks come to hard words if they meddle with Greek!”
On an Ill-Read Lawyer
An idle attorney besought a brother
For “something to read—some novel or other,
That was really fresh and new.”
“Take Chitty!” replied his legal friend,
“There isn’t a book that I could lend
Would prove more ‘novel’ to you!”
On an Ugly Person Sitting for a Daguerreotype
Here Nature in her glass—the wanton elf—
Sits gravely making faces at herself;
And while she scans each clumsy feature o’er,
Repeats the blunders that she made before!
Woman’s Will
Men dying make their wills—but wives
Escape a work so sad;
Why should they make what all their lives
The gentle dames have had?
Family Quarrels
“A fool,” said Jeanette, “is a creature I hate!”
“But hating,” quoth John, “is immoral;
Besides, my dear girl, it’s a terrible fate
To be found in a family quarrel!”