Ah, the dearest of voices delightfully sings
Through the wind intertwining of Cigarette Rings!
How sweet was her song in the bright summer-time,
When winds whispered low 'neath the tremulous lime!
How sweet, too, that bunch of forget-me-nots blue--
The love he thought lasting, the words he thought true!
_Ah, the words of a woman concerning such things_
_Are weak and unstable as Cigarette Rings!_
J. ASHBY-STERRY.
SMOKING SPIRITUALIZED.
The following old poem was long ascribed, on apparently
sufficient grounds, to the Rev. Ralph Erskine, or, as he
designated himself, "Ralph Erskine, V.D.M." The peasantry
throughout the North of England always called it "Erskine
Song;" and not only is his name given as the author in
numerous chap-books, but in his own volume of "Gospel
Sonnets," from an early copy of which this version is
transcribed. The discovery, however, by Mr. Collier of the
First Part in a MSS. temp. James I., with the initials "G.W."
affixed to it, has disposed of Erskine's claim to the honor of
the entire authorship. G.W. is supposed to be George
Wither; but this is purely conjectural, and it is not at
all improbable that G.
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