TRILOGIA HARVARDINI.

[This poem, from an old collection in the Library, supposed to be of the Augustan age, has been sent to the Magenta, as one more proof of our great resemblance to the ancients in our pleasures as well as in our severer traits, - EDS.]

I.

HARVARDINUS, amicis quibusdam in cubiculum arcessitis, aliquot calices, sina ampulasque, in mensam point, et hilariter canit: -

Potate sodales, ne parcite vino,

Bibite dulcius nectar divino.

Fundite lncidum flente de sino,

Flente videndo fundentem.

Nos pueri scimus unum aut duo;

Merita vino, O nunquam abnuo!

Quisquis abstinuit corde se suo

Putat per vitam amentem.

Poculum tollo sub lampade clara.

Facite idem, videte avara

Vina manandi per labia cara.

Bibamus liquorem ardentem.

II.

Perpotus, velut socii omnes, tumultuose cantat: -

Quid sunt nobis professores?

Quid Diabolo tutores?

Ediscenda non discemus,

Nullas curas nos habemus

Nisi vinum et amores.

Scimus atque ut jucundum

Est videre vultum mundum.

Via in Aquilonali

Nuper puellam spectavi,

Quae amorem fert profundum.

Mihi oculos injecit

Illa, atque signum fecit

Humi umbellam mittendo

Ut alloquerer reddendo,

Feci, velut semper decet.

Gratias surridens egit,

"Quam urbanitas placebit!"

Ego: "Dulcis dominella,

Et pulcherima puella,

Me venustas jam redegit."

Manum brachio infixit

I. Prooemium. Harvardinus; the member of a gens of considerable local reputation; nearly allied to the Bavii; at enmity with Antonius Collis. Cf. Rat. Y I. C. I small print ff.

Sets forth his store of good things various,

And lifts his voice in song hilarious." - DRYDEN.

5. We find this expression strangely coincident with our own cant phrase, "know a thing or two." Also of. CARLYLE, passim.

II. Prooemium. "Blind-drunk."

13-42. These lines are expurgated in the school editions. Cf.

OVID'S Ars Amoris.

20. "On North Av."

23. "To be taken freely," says the Scholiast, and adds, "like beer."

This last is thought by some grammarians to be an interpolation.

25. "Parasol" v. Freund.

Meo, suaviterque dixit,

"Quam jucundum ambulare!"

Brachium insinuare

Circum mediam incipit.

Eam domum sic secutum

Totum amore imbutum

Me visuram se speravit,

Osculis quidem donavit

Consternatione mutum.

III.

Mox Harvardinus, cum amici fessum et somno gravem in lectulum posuissent, et luminibus remotis abiissent, se e stragulis repente projiciens, impositis altera in capite altera in ventri manibus, dolorose exclamat: -

O stomachum cruciatum!

Caput, O aegrotum!

O et vinum exsecratum,

Et damnatum potum!

Tam columna titubat

Quam funes palaestrae.

Vagum solum fit. Ub' at

Ubi sunt fenestrae?

Eheu! hei mi misero!

Poenam et non seram!

Situlam non visero

Si per noctem quaeram.

Igitur ejiciam

Super omne solum.

Forsan sic reficiam

Mei ventris dolum.

(Huc eructat.)O quam horribilia

Sunt quae factitavi.

Lectum et sedilia

Vestemque foedavi.

Quantum ego vomui

Turpe est videre.

Scilicet et domui

Posse non sorbere.

Cum solerem esse nil

Dixerunt sodales.

Didici prodesse nil

Istos sequi tales.

Pervicaces et mendaces

Qui me ebriarent.

Nihil biberem (fallaces!)

Si in Orco starent.

37.

"To steal his arm he doth commence

Around her waist's circumference."

DANTE-ROSETTI (suppressed edition).III. Prooemium.

"Had put him in his little bed."

TENNYSON.

47, 48. "Then the bed-post shakes like ropes in the gymnasium." Cf. "twinkling of a bed-post." - GEORGE COLMAN the younger.

58. An ancient Roman custom.

67. "Said it was nothing after you got used to it."

74. Vulgate, passim.