ALL ABROAD.
Before I know where we are, so to speak, we have left London, and are at Lisbon. On the voyage Captain G. WILLIAMS suggests these lines, to which I append my own translation. BALFOUR rather behind me in Latin at Eton (I hear by private wire that he admitted as much in his recent speech at the fourth centenary celebration), and so, perhaps, couldn't give the translation as easily as I do. Here is the Captain's reminiscence, and my translation when he isn't looking:—
"Ille terrarum mihi præter omnes
Angulus ridet, ubi non Hymetto
Melle decedunt, viridique certat
Bacca Venafro.
"Vir ubi longum tepidusque præbet
Jupiter brumas, et amicus Aulon,
Fertili Baccho nimium Falernis
Invidet uvis."
Which translated means:—
He, the Englishman (Angulus), beside me (that is, "sitting on deck by my side") laughs at all people on shore when he is quite certain (certat) that he can't get good tobacco from VENAFER'S (a local tobacconist). (This) man prefers the long clay pipe, which gets so soon hot, for, by Jove, you'll burn yourself (brumas), and being a friend of AULON'S ("all on," local joke), he envies those who can smoke the green tobacco, and doesn't wonder that they go in for Falernian (classic metaphor for Cape wine).
I think that's pretty good for an old Etonian who could give BALFOUR (the "Four" of the Fourth Party, a four-oar without a steerer) a mile over any course of VIRGIL or OVID, and beat him easily.