Transcribed from the 1911 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org
PHANTASMAGORIA
AND OTHER POEMS
* * * * *
BY
LEWIS CARROLL
* * * * *
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_
BY
ARTHUR B. FROST
* * * * *
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON
1911
* * * * *
RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, LIMITED
BRUNSWICK STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E.,
AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
_First published in_ 1869.
* * * * *
Inscribed to a dear Child:
in memory of golden summer hours
and whispers of a summer sea.
* * * * *
Girt with a boyish garb for boyish task,
Eager she wields her spade: yet loves as well
Rest on the friendly knee, intent to ask
The tale one loves to tell.
Rude scoffer of the seething outer strife,
Unmeet to read her pure and simple spright,
Deem, if thou wilt, such hours a waste of life,
Empty of all delight!
Chat on, sweet Maid, and rescue from annoy
Hearts that by wiser talk are unbeguilded.
Ah, happy he who owns the tenderest joy,
The heart-love of a child!
Away, fond thoughts, and vex my soul no more!
Work claims my wakeful nights, my busy days,
Albeit bright memories of the sunlit shore
Yet haunt my dreaming gaze.
CONTENTS
PAGE
PHANTASMAGORIA, in Seven Cantos:—
I. The Trystyng 1
II. Hys Fyve Rules 10
III. Scarmoges 18
IV. Hys Nouryture 26
V. Byckerment 34
VI. Dyscomfyture 44
VII. Sad Souvenaunce 53
ECHOES 58
A SEA DIRGE 59
YE CARPETTE KNYGHTE 64
HIAWATHA’S PHOTOGRAPHING 66
MELANCHOLETTA 78
A VALENTINE 84
THE THREE VOICES:—
The First Voice 87
The Second Voice 98
The Third Voice 109
TÈMA CON VARIAZIÒNI 118
A GAME OF FIVES 120
POETA FIT, NON NASCITUR 123
SIZE AND TEARS 131
ATALANTA IN CAMDEN-TOWN 136
THE LANG COORTIN’ 140
FOUR RIDDLES 152
FAME’S PENNY-TRUMPET 163
PHANTASMAGORIA
CANTO I
The Trystyng
ONE winter night, at half-past nine,
Cold, tired, and cross, and muddy,
I had come home, too late to dine,
And supper, with cigars and wine,
Was waiting in the study.
There was a strangeness in the room,
And Something white and wavy
Was standing near me in the gloom—
_I_ took it for the carpet-broom
Left by that careless slavey.
But presently the Thing began
To shiver and to sneeze:
On which I said “Come, come, my man!
That’s a most inconsiderate plan.
Less noise there, if you please!”
[Picture: The Thing standing by chair]
“I’ve caught a cold,” the Thing replies,
“Out there upon the landing.”
I turned to look in some surprise,
And there, before my very eyes,
A little Ghost was standing!
He trembled when he caught my eye,
And got behind a chair.
“How came you here,” I said, “and why?
I never saw a thing so shy.
Come out! Don’t shiver there!”
He said “I’d gladly tell you how,
And also tell you why;
But” (here he gave a little bow)
“You’re in so bad a temper now,
You’d think it all a lie.
“And as to being in a fright,
Allow me to remark
That Ghosts have just as good a right
In every way, to fear the light,
As Men to fear the dark.”
“No plea,” said I, “can well excuse
Such cowardice in you:
For Ghosts can visit when they choose,
Whereas we Humans ca’n’t refuse
To grant the interview.”
He said “A flutter of alarm
Is not unnatural, is it?
I really feared you meant some harm:
But, now I see that you are calm,
Let me explain my visit.
“Houses are classed, I beg to state,
According to the number
Of Ghosts that they accommodate:
(The Tenant merely counts as _weight_,
With Coals and other lumber).
“This is a ‘one-ghost’ house, and you
When you arrived last summer,
May have remarked a Spectre who
Was doing all that Ghosts can do
To welcome the new-comer.
“In Villas this is always done—
However cheaply rented:
For, though of course there’s less of fun
When there is only room for one,
Ghosts have to be contented.
“That Spectre left you on the Third—
Since then you’ve not been haunted:
For, as he never sent us word,
’Twas quite by accident we heard
That any one was wanted.
“A Spectre has first choice, by right,
In filling up a vacancy;
Then Phantom, Goblin, Elf, and Sprite—
If all these fail them, they invite
The nicest Ghoul that they can see.
“The Spectres said the place was low,
And that you kept bad wine:
So, as a Phantom had to go,
And I was first, of course, you know,
I couldn’t well decline.”
“No doubt,” said I, “they settled who
Was fittest to be sent
Yet still to choose a brat like you,
To haunt a man of forty-two,
Was no great compliment!”
“I’m not so young, Sir,” he replied,
“As you might think. The fact is,
In caverns by the water-side,
And other places that I’ve tried,
I’ve had a lot of practice:
“But I have never taken yet
A strict domestic part,
And in my flurry I forget
The Five Good Rules of Etiquette
We have to know by heart.”
My sympathies were warming fast
Towards the little fellow:
He was so utterly aghast
At having found a Man at last,
And looked so scared and yellow.
[Picture: In caverns by the water-side]
“At least,” I said, “I’m glad to find
A Ghost is not a _dumb_ thing!
But pray sit down: you’ll feel inclined
(If, like myself, you have not dined)
To take a snack of something:
“Though, certainly, you don’t appear
A thing to offer _food_ to!
And then I shall be glad to hear—
If you will say them loud and clear—
The Rules that you allude to.”
“Thanks! You shall hear them by and by.
This _is_ a piece of luck!”
“What may I offer you?” said I.
“Well, since you _are_ so kind, I’ll try
A little bit of duck.
“_One_ slice! And may I ask you for
Another drop of gravy?”
I sat and looked at him in awe,
For certainly I never saw
A thing so white and wavy.
And still he seemed to grow more white,
More vapoury, and wavier—
Seen in the dim and flickering light,
As he proceeded to recite
His “Maxims of Behaviour.”
[Picture: The Phantom dines]