  BEING MR. VERDANT'S ACCOUNT OF HIS LAST AERIAL VOYAGE, edited BY THOMAS HAYNES BAYLY. Without apology, I'll trace Our airy flight across the sea, Because at once we raised ourselves And public curiosity. And well might those who saw us off, Our many perils long discuss, Because, ere we were out of sight, 'Twas certainly "all up with us!" There might be danger, sure enough, On high, from thirst and hunger blending; But men are told they should bear up Against the danger that's impending. So we bore up into the clouds, Of creature comforts ample store; And really coffee ne'er was known To rise so speedily before. Our tongues, though salted, never halted; Our game fresh-kill'd was very high; And, though all nicely truss'd and roasted, We saw our fowls and turkeys fly! Our solid food rose like a puff, Hard biscuit seem'd a trifle, too; And our champagne was so much up, That e'en our empty bottles flew! Our spirits rose; in fact we were, When not a dozen miles from Dover, Quite in a state of elevation, Indisputably "half seas over." How like conspirators were we, So snug we kept our hour of rising; And when our movement once was made, All London cried, "Oh! how surprising!" If, when we soar'd above the great, They trembled, 'twas without occasion: Our thoughts were turned to France; in truth We meditated an invasion! But over earth and over sea We went without one hostile notion; Our war on earth, a civil war; The Channel,—our Pacific Ocean. When passing over Chatham town We were just finishing a chicken; A soldier and a maiden fair I saw whilst I the bones was picking. I threw a drumstick at the youth, Who all around the culprit sought; And whilst the maiden laughed aloud, I struck her with a merry thought. In darkness we the Channel cross'd, And left our fragile car to chance; And, scorning customary rules, Without a passport enter'd France! But on we went, and our descent Bewilder'd many a German gaper; Until, to prove from whence we came, We show'd the last day's London paper! We're told no good that is substantial Results from all we nobly dare; What then?—We took a clever MASON To build us castles in the air. We're not like certain rising men, Puff'd up with vain presumptuous thoughts; We nothing boast of what we've done, And deem ourselves mere airy-noughts! T. H. B |
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