L. d'A. van Rooten's illuminating notes:
1. The (Lord of the ) island already has horns. This would seem to be a rehash of the old Tristram and Iseult legend; however, it is so fragmentary that positive identification is impossible.
2. "Satiny corneas" for "velvet eyes," obviously a partial description of the lady in the case.
3. Yawns help digest a heavy dinner: A thumbnail sketch of the dull, lethargic husband.
4. He was teased about his clothes. He was not only dull, he was sloppy and inelegant.
5. He looked like a moulting chicken in August.
6. She wore nail polish! An interesting revelation of the antiquity of cosmetics. The Egyptians used enamel-like paints; the Chinese, jeweled guards. The timeless universality of nail decoration, alas, gives us no clue as to the possible date of these verses.
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