536 



NOTES FROM S7\ FEREOL DE PONSONBY. 



revived and encouraged by its refreshing laxity, the erst- 

 while harassed florist would buoyantly take up life's 

 weary burthen with renewed vigor, and as his roving 

 eye caught another orthodox motto, ' ' Substitution is No 

 Robbery," he would, with a serene and peaceful con- 

 science, go on, as of yore, tranquilly tying Mabel Mor- 

 rison labels to vigorous specimens of Coquette des 

 Blanches (or any other rose of easy propagation); occas- 

 ionally varying the placid monotony of his task by paus- 

 ing to put up a few packets of intensely nondescript 

 pansy seed, which, with an absent-minded air, he would 

 inadvertently label " Bugnot's Choicest Selected," the 

 meanwhile lightening his labor and storing up moral 

 strength for future conflicts with punctilious customersi 

 by casting grateful glances at the approving legends, 

 which had been his faithful support and mainstay in a 

 trying hour. 



I dare say it may seem invidious and hypercritical to 

 insinuate that these maxims could, under any circum- 

 stances, be improved ; nevertheless, I cannot resist sug- 

 gesting that a poetic garb would add a graceful charm 

 to their sterling worth, and that a melodious metrical 

 version would at once place them beyond the most artful 

 attacks of hostile critics, something like this, for exam- 

 ple ; 



" When'er you're deceived by accounts 

 Of flowers you never have seen, 

 Why, the case just to tliis then amounts, 



That you're very decidedly green ; 

 And it's luminously plain to be seen 

 That the fault's not the florist's (1 ween)." 



It must be quite obvious to any impartial critic that 

 this stanza is neatly, even elegantly turned. The fact is 

 so very transparent that it would be sheer affectation to 

 deny it. I therefore acknowledge with cheerful alacrity 

 that it is indeed very cleverly done, and at the same 

 time call attention to the admirable manner in which 

 the dominant idea of the original maxim {i. e., the irre- 

 sponsibility of the florists) is scrupulously maintained ; it 

 shines through the pellucid verse "like a bee embedded 

 in amber," as the genial Goldsmith was wont to say. 

 This point is worthy of serious consideration, for an 

 ordinary, slip-shod sort of a poet, destitute of moral 

 rectitude, would have been so selfishly intent on mere 

 technical finish that the florists might have been sacri- 

 ficed to the exigencies of the metre. I have carefully 

 avoided this peril, and faithful to the spirit of the origi- 

 nal, I have, without the slightest ambiguity or remorse, 

 placed the customers in fault ; and Mr. Kweerkus is 

 hereby assured that should he at any time feel inclined 

 to favor me with a few more maxims, they shall receive 

 the same impartial treatment at my hands, for my feel- 

 ings as an amateur shall ever rest subordinate to my 

 duties as a gifted, but conscientious poet. 



I readily grant that the attempt to embalm this motto 

 in dulcet poesy was an ambitious undertaking, which 

 nothing but the most faultless execution could justify ; 

 hence, I feel free (with due diffidence) to warmly con- 

 gratulate myself on having, with such marked ability, 

 performed a delicate and difficult task. I wish it to be 



clearly understood, however, that I modestly submit the 

 stanza simply to illustrate the suggestion I presented to 

 Mr. Kweerkus, and not from any crafty, ambitious hope 

 that it may be definitely adopted by the (irregular) trade. 

 Should the members of that select body, from motives 

 of economy, prefer to engage the services of Mr. Aldrich, 

 Mr. Stedman, Whitcomb Riley or any other rival poet, 

 I shall not take offense, but will simply remark that 

 quality, not price, should be kept in view. 



As to the maxims, it goes without saying that the ex- 

 cessive mental efforts which give them birth must neces- 

 sarily entail an exhaustive intellectual strain, for which 

 reason it would be barbarous and inhuman to exact fre- 

 quent installments. Figuratively speaking, we shouldn't 

 "kill the goose that lays the golden egg" (reference to 

 the goose implies nothing personal ; the allusion is to be 

 accepted in a strictly metaphorical sense). Now that 

 we have had such striking proof of his ability to impart 

 instruction in a popular and entertaining form, it is to be 

 hoped that Mr. K. will occasionally employ a few of his 

 leisure moments in elaborating fresh maxims ; and should 

 he find it inconvenient to forward them direct to me, let 

 him, if he be in the floral line, give them publicity 

 through the medium of his annual catalogue. 



In conclusion, I deem it my duty to say that, having 

 with becoming reticence recorded my success, perfect 

 candor demands that I should now show the reverse of 

 the medal. This course involves the humiliating con- 

 fession that I have signally failed in handling one of 

 Mr. K.'s maxims, to wit, " Substitution is No Robbery." 

 Its extreme originality of thought and rugged virility of 

 form offered serious obstacles, and after persistent ef- 

 forts, the only presentable rendering was this ; 



" Substitution is no robbery — 

 Not half as bad as political jobbery." 



On the principle that we cannot have too much of a 

 good thing, I am keenly aware that the brevity of this 

 specimen is very disappointing — a defect entirely due to 

 the dearth in the English language of rhyming equiva- 

 lents to the final word of the original maxim, and not to 

 any lack of skill or good will on the part of the poet. 



This effort has been submitted to an eminent critic, 

 who frankly admits that, regarded as mere poetry, the 

 thing is quite irreproachable, but he strongly objects to 

 the sentiment of the closing line, on the ground that it 

 is an oblique attack of the domestic policy of the federal 

 government, an injurious slur on the central government 

 of every sovereign state of the Union, and a flagrant in- 

 sult to the municipal authorities of every leading Amer- 

 ican city, not even excepting that of New York. More- 

 over, it distinctly contains a malicious and unmerited 

 reproach on the noble philanthropy, the matchless 

 economy and the rare diplomatic tact with which our 

 Indian affairs have been managed for the last couple of 

 years or so. The latter aspersion, he insists, is alone 

 quite sufficient to stamp my production with opprobrium, 

 and he would advise Mr. K. to reflect seriously before 

 consenting to accept a dangerous version, entailing such 

 grave responsibility. 



