For John Martin Oltinger the German A shepherd ’ s pipe .
This is that day , on which Christ the God in human flesh , free from every sin , a baby boy still in his first eight days of life , cleansed the sinful world with the blood of his boyhood . What better gift , what better New Year present could be given ? Or more from the heart than is one ’ s own blood ? Of course better than a gift from Augustus , whatever present it was , and at any time . I reckon that the popular custom of sending golden presents wholly sprang from this . Will you not put it down to the credit of the Boy-God more than to any Emperor ? O , my Muse Melpomene , dear to me , bring me an excellent gift . For whom should I pour out wine and song ? For MARTIN Oltinger . Celebrate him with songs , celebrate him with wine . With what sort of song ? A sweet-sounding one . But with what wine ? With ‘ cos ’ wine .
PARIS 1 st JAN .
TEG
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