86 Bevieivs — Leland's Translation of the Gaudeamus. 



tlie Pre -historic colonies of sea-birds gradually building up the 

 masses which form the Chincha Islands — 



Ever pondering pious questions, And the children pursue more enlightened 



They labour right faithfully, What their fathers in silence begun. 



For blessed are their digestions. To a mountain it rises and whitened 



And flowing like poetry. By rays of a tropical sun. 



For the birds are all ' Philosophen' In the rosiest light these sages 



To the principal precept inclined ; Look down at the future and say, 



If the body be properly open, In the course of historical ages 



Then all will go well with the mind. We shall fill up the ocean some day. (p. 24) 



The other is named "Asphaltum," and describes the desolate 

 region of the ' dead Dead Sea,' where a Dervish is keeping tryst 

 ' with a maiden from Galilee.' But this must be read to be properly 

 appreciated, 



"■ The Tazzleworm " is another capital student's song ; but how 

 shall we choose among such an embarras de riches ? Let us take 

 " Granite."— 

 In his lair subterranean, grumbling With flashing and crashing and bellow. 



Old Granite said : ' One thing is sure, As though the world's end were to dread, 

 That slopping and slippery tumbling Even Greywack, that decent old fellow. 



Up yonder, no more I'll endure. In terror stood up on his head. 



So wearily wallows the icater 



Sis billows of brine o'er the land, Also Stonecoal and Limestone and Trias 



'Stead of prouder and fairer and better Fast vanished, internally mined. 



All is turning to slime and to sand. Loud wailed in the Jura, the Lias. 



That thewildfire had scorched him behind. 

 That would be nice limestony cover, And Limestone, the marl-plot of chalkers, 



A siveet geological swash. Said later, in deep earnest chimes. 



If the coat of the wide world all over ' Was there no one to stop, 'mong you talkers, 



Were one sedimentary wash. This wild revolution betimes ? ' 



Ey and by 'twill be myth and no true thing 



Whatwerehills-whatwashighorwaslow, But upwards through strata and fountains 

 The deuce take their drifting and smoothing ; Passed the conquering hero with heat, 



Hurrah ! for eruption I go !' Until from the sunniest mountains 



He gazed on the world at his feet. 

 So he spoke, and to aid him, pro rata, Then he shouted with yelling and singing, 



The brave- hearted Porphyry flew, ^Hurrah ! ' Twas courageously done. 



The weak-minded crystalline strata Even we can be doing and bringing 



He scornfully shattered in two. What it only needs pluck to be won.' 



We cannot close this notice without thanking Mr. Leland for 

 making us acquainted with this most amusing collection of ballads, 

 and wishing it may be as well received as his former publications, 

 " Hans Breitmann " and other ballads.^ It may interest our readers 

 to learn that "the geological songs owe their origin to a course of 

 lectures on Geology which Pastor Schmezer delivered at the time.'^ 

 Scheffel regularly attended these lectures of his friend, and the 

 latter was certain to find as regularly on the following morning of 

 his lecture a poetical resume of it on his desk, in the form of a 

 humorous poem."^ 



^ Mr. Leland's list of works includes " Confucius and other Poems." " France, 

 Alsace, and Lorraine." " Heine's Pictures of Travel," " Heine's Book of Songs," 

 "Meister Karl's Sketch-Book." "The Poetry and Mystery of Dreams," "The 

 Breitmann Ballads." This last-named series has attained the highest popularity 

 both here and in America. 



^ In Heidelberg. 



3 Introductory Memoir of Joseph Victor Scheffel, by the Translator. 



