AN IRISH HOMER.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3359, 30 November 1871, Page 3

AN IRISH HOMER.

o ■ About thirty-five yenrs ago a tall blind man used to stand at the corner of Essex Bridge, Dublin, singing and reciting ballads which, if not very remarkable for wit, were moro or less attractive to his audience on account of their singularity. One of his most striking and efiective readings was that of a romantic version of the story of Moses in the bulrushes. This he always prefaced by inquiring, " Is there a crowd aVout me now ? Is there any blackguard heretic listening to me?" Having been satisfied on these points, Zozimus is reported to have delivered a series of stanzas, of wliich the following may serve as a specimen ; — In Egypt's land, upon the banks of Nilo, King Phuroah's daughter went to bath in stylo; Sho tuk her dip, then walked unto the land, And to dry her royal pelt, she ran along tho etrand. A bulrush tripped her, whereupon she saw A smiling baby in a wad o' straw • She tuk it up, and soid with accents mild, " Tare-an-agea, girls, which ay yesoivnsthe child ?" The poet, living in the O'Connell era, was a great admirer of the agitator, and celebrated O'Connell's election to the mayoralty with much enthusiasm. Zozimus died on Friday, April 3, 1840. A priest who went to visit him found the bard in a miserable room, lying on a straw pallet and surrounded by a horde of ballad-singers, to whom it seems he was teaching the doggrel that was no longer of much use to him. " How arc you, Mike ! " said the priest. "I'm dictatin'," was the characteristic reply of the minstrel. He had a grand wake, and a funeral which no doubt Zozimus would havo enjoyed but for the inactive part; he was compelled to take in it.— "Pall Mull Gazette."