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And many another that came at call；
It would take too long to count them all。
All black；one could hardly tell which was which；
But every cat knew his own old witch；
And she knew hers as hers knew her；
Ah； did n't they curl their tails and purr！
No sooner the withered hags were free
Than out they swarmed for a midnight spree；
I could n't tell all they did in rhymes；
But the Essex people had dreadful times。
The Swampscott fishermen still relate
How a strange sea…monster stole thair bait；
How their nets were tangled in loops and knots；
And they found dead crabs in their lobster…pots。
Poor Danvers grieved for her blasted crops；
And Wilmington mourned over mildewed hops。
A blight played havoc with Beverly beans；
It was all the work of those hateful queans！
A dreadful panic began at 〃Pride's；〃
Where the witches stopped in their midnight rides；
And there rose strange rumors and vague alarms
'Mid the peaceful dwellers at Beverly Farms。
Now when the Boss of the Beldams found
That without his leave they were ramping round；
He called；they could hear him twenty miles；
》From Chelsea beach to the Misery Isles；
The deafest old granny knew his tone
Without the trick of the telephone。
〃Come here； you witches！ Come here！〃 says he；
〃At your games of old； without asking me
I'll give you a little job to do
That will keep you stirring； you godless crew！〃
They came； of course； at their master's call；
The witches； the broomsticks； the cats； and all；
He led the hags to a railway train
The horses were trying to drag in vain。
〃Now； then；〃 says he； 〃you've had your fun；
And here are the cars you've got to run。
The driver may just unhitch his team；
We don't want horses； we don't want steam；
You may keep your old black cats to hug；
But the loaded train you've got to lug。〃
Since then on many a car you'll see
A broomstick plain as plain can be；
On every stick there's a witch astride；
The string you see to her leg is tied。
She will do a mischief if she can；
But the string is held by a careful man；
And whenever the evil…minded witch
Would cut come caper； he gives a twitch。
As for the hag； you can't see her；
But hark！ you can hear her black cat's purr；
And now and then； as a car goes by；
You may catch a gleam from her wicked eye。
Often you've looked on a rushing train；
But just what moved it was not so plain。
It couldn't be those wires above；
For they could neither pull nor shove；
Where was the motor that made it go
You couldn't guess； but now you know。
Remember my rhymes when you ride again
On the rattling rail by the broomstick train！
X
In my last report of our talks over the teacups I had something to
say of the fondness of our people for titles。 Where did the anti…
republican； anti…democratic passion for swelling names come from； and
how long has it been naturalized among us？
A striking instance of it occurred at about the end of the last
century。 It was at that time there appeared among us one of the most
original and singular personages to whom America has given birth。
Many of our company；many of my readers；all well acquainted with
his name； and not wholly ignorant of his history。 They will not
object to my giving some particulars relating to him； which； if not
new to them； will be new to others into whose hands these pages may
fall。
Timothy Dexter； the first claimant of a title of nobility among the
people of the United States of America； was born in the town of
Malden； near Boston。 He served an apprenticeship as a leather…
dresser； saved some money； got some more with his wife； began trading
and speculating； and became at last rich； for those days。 His most
famous business enterprise was that of sending an invoice of warming…
pans to the West Indies。 A few tons of ice would have seemed to
promise a better return； but in point of fact； he tells us； the
warming…pans were found useful in the manufacture of sugar； and
brought him in a handsome profit。 His ambition rose with his
fortune。 He purchased a large and stately house in Newburyport； and
proceeded to embellish and furnish it according to the dictates of
his taste and fancy。 In the grounds about his house； he caused to be
erected between forty and fifty wooden statues of great men and
allegorical figures； together with four lions and one lamb。 Among
these images were two statues of Dexter himself； one of which held a
label with a characteristic inscription。 His house was ornamented
with minarets； adorned with golden balls； and surmounted by a large
gilt eagle。 He equipped it with costly furniture； with paintings；
and a library。 He went so far as to procure the services of a poet
laureate； whose business it seems to have been to sing his praises。
Surrounded with splendors like these； the plain title of 〃Mr。〃 Dexter
would have been infinitely too mean and common。 He therefore boldly
took the step of self…ennobling； and gave himself forthas he said；
obeying 〃the voice of the people at large〃as 〃Lord Timothy Dexter；〃
by which appellation he has ever since been known to the American
public。
If to be the pioneer in the introduction of Old World titles into
republican America can confer a claim to be remembered by posterity；
Lord Timothy Dexter has a right to historic immortality。 If the true
American spirit shows itself most clearly in boundless self …
assertion； Timothy Dexter is the great original American egotist。 If
to throw off the shackles of Old World pedantry； and defy the paltry
rules and examples of grammarians and rhetoricians； is the special
province and the chartered privilege of the American writer； Timothy
Dexter is the founder of a new school； which tramples under foot the
conventionalities that hampered and subjugated the faculties of the
poets； the dramatists； the historians； essayists； story…tellers；
orators； of the worn…out races which have preceded the great American
people。
The material traces of the first American nobleman's existence have
nearly disappeared。 The house is still standing； but the statues；
the minarets； the arches； and the memory of the great Lord Timothy
Dexter live chiefly in tradition； and in the work which be bequeathed
to posterity； and of which I shall say a few words。 It is
unquestionably a thoroughly original production； and I fear that some
readers may think I am trifling with them when I am quoting it
literally。 I am going to make a strong claim for Lord Timothy as
against other candidates for a certain elevated position。
Thomas Jefferson is commonly recognized as the first to proclaim
before the world the political independence of America。 It is not so
generally agreed upon as to who was the first to announce the
literary emancipation of our country。
One of Mr。 Emerson's biographers has claimed that his Phi Beta Kappa
Oration was our Declaration of Literary Independence。 But Mr。
Emerson did not cut himself loose from all the traditions of Old
World scholarship。 He spelled his words correctly； he constructed
his sentences grammatically。 He adhered to the slavish rules of
propriety； and observed the reticences which a traditional delicacy
has considered inviolable in decent society； European and Oriental
alike。 When he wrote poetry； he commonly selected subjects which
seemed adapted to poetical treatment；apparently thinking that all
things were not equally calculated to inspire the true poet's genius。
Once； indeed； he ventured to refer to 〃the meal in the firkin； the
milk in the pan；〃 but he chiefly restricted himself to subjects such
as a fastidious conventionalism would approve as having a certain
fitness for poetical treatment。 He was not always so careful as he
might have been in the rhythm and rhyme of his verse； but in the main
he recognized the old established laws which have been accepted as
regulating both。 In short； with all his originality； he worked in
Old World harness； and cannot be considered as the creator of a truly
American； self…governed； self…centred； absolutely independent style
of thinking and writing； knowing no law but its own sovereign will
and pleasure。
A stronger claim might be urged for Mr。 Whitman。 He takes into his
hospitable vocabulary words which no English dictionary recognizes as
belonging to the language；words which will be looked for in vain
outside of his own pages。 He accepts as poetical subjects all things
alike； common and unclean； without discrimination； miscellaneous as
the contents of the great sheet which Peter saw let down from heaven。
He carries the principle of republicanism through the whole world of
created objects。 He will 〃thread a thread through ＇his＇ poems；〃 he
tells us； 〃that no one thing in the universe is inferior to another
thing。〃 No man has ever asserted the surpassing dignity and
importance of the American citizen so boldly and freely