THE CRYSTAL PALACE
So sublime! Like some
Immense crustacean's gannoid skeleton,
Unearthed, and cleansed, and polished ! Were it so
Our paleontological respect
Would shield it from derision ; but when a shed,
Intended for a palace, looks as like
The fossil of a giant myriapod ! . . .
'Twas Isabey — sarcastic wretch ! — who told
A young aspirant, studying tandem art
And medicine, that he certainly was born
To be a surgeon : " When you try ", he said,
*' To paint a boat you paint a tumour ".
An excerpt by John Davidson
