all those who are interested in the spread of human culture among the lower animals (and their name is legion) should make a point of not missing the really marvellous exhibition of cynanthropy given by the famous old irish red wolfdog setter formerly known by the sobriquet of garryowen and recently rechristened by his large circle of friends and acquaintances owen garry. the exhibition, which is the result of years of training by kindness and a carefully thoughtout dietary system, comprises, among other achievements, the recitation of verse. our greatest living phonetic expert (wild horses shall not drag it from us!) has left no stone unturned in his efforts to delucidate and compare the verse recited and has found it bears a striking resemblance (the italics are ours) to the ranns of ancient celtic bards. we are not speaking so much of those delightful lovesongs with which the writer who conceals his identity under the graceful pseudonym of the little sweet branch has familiarised the bookloving world but rather (as a contributor d. o. c. points out in an interesting communication published by an evening contemporary) of the harsher and more personal note which is found in the satirical effusions of the famous raftery and of donald macconsidine to say nothing of a more modern lyrist at present very much in the public eye. we subjoin a specimen which has been rendered into english by an eminent scholar whose name for the moment we are not at liberty to disclose though we believe our readers will find the topical allusion rather more than an indication. the metrical system of the canine original, which recalls the intricate alliterative and isosyllabic rules of the welsh englyn, is infinitely more complicated but we believe our readers will agree that the spirit has been well caught. perhaps it should be added that the effect is greatly increased if owen's verse be spoken somewhat slowly and indistinctly in a tone suggestive of suppressed rancour.
第105章（1 / 3）