Lewis Carroll
The Hunting of the Snark
1876
He had bought a large map representing the sea,
Without the least vestige of land:
And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be
A map they could all understand.
“What’s the good of Mercator’s North Poles and Equators
Tropics, Zones, and Meridian Lines?”
So the Bellman would cry: and the crew would reply
“They are merely conventional signs!”
“Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!
But we’ve got our brave Captain to thank”
(So the crew would protest) “that he’s bought its the best —
A perfect and absolute blank!”
This was charming, no doubt: but they shortly found out
That the Captain they trusted so well
Had only one notion for crossing the ocean,
And that was to tingle his bell.

Collection: Macmillan Publishers
Text: Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark, 1876
Publié: Octobre 2015
Catégorie: Illustration
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