<blockquote>John Argentine, magician, is doctor to dead princes,
Trained, like the best, in Padua, his fine Italian hand
Kept in a silver box, it writes in delicate italics
Copying his magic texts and shaking on the sand.</blockquote>
➤ author's note:
<blockquote>(If I say it's all true, you won't believe me. But -- well, I was reading Frank Klaasen's The Transformation of Magic, and John Argentine was discussed, and there was a summary of his career -- Padua, Princes in Tower, Prince Arthur, Provost of King's College Cambridge -- and then in the next paragraph it said he had a fine Italian hand. It's more than anyone could bear not to write a poem about a fine Italian hand!)</blockquote>
