SERIO-COMIC VERSE. 615 



Angular in form and feature, 

 Unlike any earthly creature, 

 She had properties to meet your 



Eye whatever you might view. 

 Hair of pens and skin of paper ; 

 Breath, not breath but chemic vapour ; 

 Dress, such dress as College Draper 



Fashions with precision due. 



Eyes of glass, with optic axes 

 Twisting rays of light as flax is 

 Twisted, while the Parallax is 



Made to show the real size. 

 Primary and secondary 

 Focal lines in planes contrary, 

 Sum up all that's known to vary 



In those dull, unmeaning eyes. 



Such the eyes, through which all Nature 



Seems reduced to meaner stature. 



If you had them you would hate your 



Symbolising sense of sight. 

 Seeing planets in their courses 

 Thick beset with arrowy " forces," 

 While the common eye no more sees 



Than their mild and quiet light. 



" Son," she said (what could be queerer 

 Than thus tete-a-tete to hear her 

 Talk, in tones approaching nearer 



To a saw's than aught beside ? 

 For the voice the spectre spoke in 

 Might be known by many a token 

 To proceed from metal, broken 



When acoustic tricks were tried. 



Little pleased to hear the Siren 

 " Own " me thus with voice of iron, 

 I had thoughts of just retiring 



From a mother such a fright). 



