You cosmopolitans without a country,
Who go aloof on philosophic quests,
Sucking the fruit of knowledge from the Hun-tree
And spiritual milk from alien breasts;

False to that Brotherhood, who for the splendour
Of a great cause, with gallant hearts and gay,
Of youth and youth's high promise made surrender,
Because their courage knew the nobler way;

I envy not your chance on their returning;
When, scarred with war, they come from overseas,
There should be trouble in those Seats of Learning
Where you sat tight and took your pedants' ease.

Short shrift you'll get for your convenient scruples;
Conducted thither where the wet stream winds
You shall receive as elementary pupils
An object-lesson good for little minds.

Somewhere about the Guts of Cam and Isis,
May I be well in front to see you then
Taught by immersion what the local price is
To pay for being prigs instead of men.

O. S.

* * * * *

PHILOGAMUS.

(_A Socratic Fragment_.)

"... It is plain, therefore," said Socrates, "that the man whose soul is
afflicted with illness will desire above all things to have it cured as
quickly as possible, and for this purpose he will submit himself to one
who understands the curing of souls. So far, I think, we are agreed, are
we not?"

"Yes, indeed," said Agathon, "that would appear to be the wisest
course."

"Then why," said Socrates, "do we find that men who are generally eager
to be cured of an ague are indisposed to take care of their soul when it
is manifestly suffering? You yourself have declared that your soul is
sick within you, yet you consult nobody and take no steps."

"Nay, nay, Socrates, I cannot allow you to catch me like this. Perhaps I
spoke thoughtlessly when I mentioned my soul just now. Certainly I had
not intended that you should tie me up with your questions and draw
conclusions which it was impossible for me to foresee."

"Then I suppose the fault must be mine, for in truth I had not designed
to catch anyone, least of all yourself, my dear Agathon. But we will
defer the consideration of the matter to a more favourable time, for I
see Philogamus approaching and, if we may judge by the outward signs, he
seems to be, as one might say, in a terrible state."

Hereupon we turned to observe Philogamus, to whom indeed something
painful and calamitous must have happened, for his garments were
disarrayed