Between the form of Life and Life 1
The difference is as big
As Liquor at the Lip between
And Liquor in the Jug
The latter－excellent to keep－5
But for ecstatic need
The corkless is superior－
I know for I have tried
The difference is as big
As Liquor at the Lip between
And Liquor in the Jug
The latter－excellent to keep－5
But for ecstatic need
The corkless is superior－
I know for I have tried
(F.1123/J.1101)
[1] form of Life:: the form of a life-buoy, life-belt. Life:: a human's life.
[3] Liquor at the lip:: about to drown.
[4] liquor in the jug:: alcoholic drink in a jug.
[5] latter:: alcohol, and one's life (are better to keep).
[6] extatic:: ecstatic, rapturous, due to the alcohol and feeling about to drown.
[7] corkless:: a life-buoy without cork, a less functional life-buoy. There were inflated and cork life-buoy at that time. Inflated life-buoy is more comfortable but unstable.
The defects of all inflated air-belts are, their liability to puncture, . . . But the insufficient strength of all belts of this class, and the difficulty of inflating them in cold weather, made it evident that an efficient life-belt was a desideratum yet unattained. Up to that time (1854) there was no cork belt having sufficient buoyancy, or flexibility, or strength. ─ The Life-boat (1865)