The Chantry Owl and Other Verses (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881. Excerpt: ... II Who doubts my verse his lamp may trim, And read in Humboldt's serious prose Of the grey parrot seen by him Where the grand Orinoco flows: Motionless as sepulchral stone, And mute till in a tongue unknown It plain'd the brave Aturian race Of whom no man could vestige trace. in 'Tu-whit Tu-whoo ' the Owl began, And then his sounds took shape in words, And like a reasonable man He talk'd, as did the clever birds In Chaucer's sylvan Parliament, The day when Valentines were sent; Or those who taught in j35sop's time, Or still instruct us in Gay's rhyme. IV 'Tu-whit Tu-whoo ' the solemn Owl, Preferring poesy to prose, As is the case with every fowl That speaks and the distinction knows, In smooth octo-syllabic verse To me his story did rehearse Repeating over and again 'Tu-whit Tu-whoo ' as his refrain. v 'Tu-whit Tu-whoo Bluff Hal was King, And Wolsey was the Chancellor, And merrily the bells did ring, And Monks grew fatter by the score; Their faces were as platters round, Their lungs were as smith's bellows sound, Whether they caroll'd in the Church, Or did the woods for venison search. VI 'Some few were pale and learned men, Some gentle, loved by rich and poor, Some frowsy as a clucking hen, Some hard and lean as scullion's skewer; But like a turkeycock the Prior Wabbled and puff'd from cell to quire, Yet both could give and take a joke, And when he laugh'd look'd like to choke. VII 'Tu-whit Tu-whoo The horse he rode Was a sleek, punchy, patient hack, Whereon he sat much like a load Of wool stuff d into a large pack; Bobbing and blessing as he went, While folk their knees before him bent; Good-natured as most fat men are, But not disposed to travel far. VIII 'The Sacristan could lift the can, Tu-whit Tu-whoo his nose was blue, His girth no hogshe...