The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
By Raspe

Illustration by Peter Newell
Cover of Mr. Munchausen
(J. K. Bangs, 1901)

Ode.

  Ye bulls and crickets, and Gog, Magog,
  And trump’ts high chiming anthrophog,
  Come sing blithe choral all in og,
  Caralog, basilog, fog, and bog!

  Great and superb appears thy cap sublime,
    Admired and worshipp’d as the rising sun;
  Solemn, majestic, wise, like hoary Time,
    And fam’d alike for virtue, sense, and fun.

  Then swell the noble strain with song,
    And elegance divine,
  While goddesses around shall throng,
    And all the muses nine.

  And bulls, and crickets, and Gog, Magog,
  And trumpets chiming anthrophog,
  Shall sing blithe choral all in og,
  Caralog, basilog, fog, and bog!

This piece of poetry was much applauded, admired, and encored in every public assembly, celebrated as an astonishing effort of genius; and the music, composed by Minheer Gastrashbark Gkrghhbarwskhk, was thought equal to the sense!–Never was there anything so universally admired, the summit of the most exquisite wit, the keenest praise, the most excellent music.

“Upon my honour, and the faith I owe my love,” said I, “music may be talked of in England, but to possess the very soul of harmony the world should come to the performance of this ode.” Lady Fragrantia was at that moment drumming with her fingers on the edge of her fan, lost in a reverie, thinking she was playing upon–– Was it a forte piano?

“No, my dear Fragrantia,” said I, tenderly taking her in my arms while she melted into tears; “never, never, will I play upon any other––!”

Oh! ’twas divine, to see her like a summer’s morning, all blushing and full of dew!

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This eBook of “The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen” (by Rudolph Erich Raspe, published in 1895) belongs to the public domain. Complete book.
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