Volume Iv Part 46 (2/2)

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

”You can really have no notion how delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!”

But the snail replied, ”Too far, too far!” and gave a look askance-- Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.

”What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.

”There is another sh.o.r.e, you know, upon the other side.

The further off from England the nearer is to France-- Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?”

Lewis Carroll [1832-1898]

THE RECOGNITION After Tennyson

Home they brought her sailor son, Grown a man across the sea, Tall and broad and black of beard, And hoa.r.s.e of voice as man may be.

Hand to shake and mouth to kiss, Both he offered ere he spoke; But she said, ”What man is this Comes to play a sorry joke?”

Then they praised him--called him ”smart,”

”Tightest lad that ever stept;”

But her son she did not know, And she neither smiled nor wept.

Rose, a nurse of ninety years, Set a pigeon-pie in sight; She saw him eat:--”'Tis he! 'tis he!”

She knew him--by his appet.i.te!

Frederick William Sawyer [1810-1875]

THE HIGHER PANTHEISM IN A NUTSh.e.l.l After Tennyson

One, who is not, we see: but one, whom we see not, is; Surely this is not that: but that is a.s.suredly this.

What, and wherefore, and whence? for under is over and under; If thunder could be without lightning, lightning could be without thunder.

Doubt is faith in the main: but faith, on the whole, is doubt; We cannot believe by proof: but could we believe without?

Why, and whither, and how? for barley and rye are not clover; Neither are straight lines curves: yet over is under and over.

Two and two may be four: but four and four are not eight; Fate and G.o.d may be twain: but G.o.d is the same thing as fate.

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