k a ladies' day would be great sport. I'll
write a poem to read on the occasion."

"Then I oppose it with all my heart," said Doctor Johnson. "Why do you
always want to make our entertainments commonplace? Leave occasional
poems to mortals. I never knew an occasional poem yet that was worthy of
an immortal."

"That's precisely why I want to write one occasional poem. I'd make it
worthy," Shakespeare answered. "Like this, for instance:

_Most fair, most sweet, most beauteous of ladies_,
_The greatest charm in all ye realm of Hades_.

Why, my dear Doctor, such an opportunity for rhyming Hades with ladies
should not be lost."

"That just proves what I said," said Johnson. "Any idiot can make ladies
rhyme with Hades. It requires absolute genius to avoid the temptation.
You are great enough to make Hades rhyme with bicycle if you choose to do
it--but no, you succumb to the temptation to be commonplace. Bah! One
of these modern drawing-room poets with three sections to his name
couldn't do worse."

"On general principles," said Raleigh, "Johnson is right. We invite
these people here to see our club-house, not to give them an exhibition
of our metrical powers, and I think all exercises of a formal nature
should be frowned upon."

"Very well," said Shakespeare. "Go ahead. Have your own way about it.
Get out your brow and frown. I'm perfectly willing to save myself the
trouble of writing a poem. Writing real poetry isn't easy, as you
fellows would have discovered for yourselves if you'd ever tried it."

"To pass over the arrogant assumption of the gentleman who has just
spoken, with the silence due to a proper expression of our contempt
therefor," said Dryden, slowly, "I think in case we do have a ladies' day
here we should exercise a most careful supervision over the invitation
list. For instance, wouldn't it be awkward for our good friend Henry the
Eighth to encounter the various Mrs. Henrys here? Would it not likewise
be awkward for them to meet each other?"

"Your point is well taken," said Doctor Johnson. "I don't know whether
the King's matrimonial ventures are on speaking terms with each other or
not, but under any circumstances it would hardly be a pleasing spectacle
for Katharine of Arragon to see Henry running his legs off getting cream
and cakes for Anne Boleyn; nor would Anne like it much if, on the other
hand, Henry chose to behave like a gentleman and a husband to Jane
Seymour or