men
Who lived, unmarked by the Poetic Pen,
Before great AGAMEMNON. Ah, my HORACE,
Britons are a Boeotian, heavy, slow race!
As for the "Statesman" who treats bards so shabbily,
'Twill serve him right if thine "_illacrimabile_"
Applies to him. A Premier, but no Poet?
England, you are dishonoured, and don't know it.
Void of a _Sacer Vates_ to enshrine
In gorgeous trope and long-resounding line,
Thy Victories, and Weddings, Shows and Valour?
Parnassus shakes, the Muses pine in pallor.
When foreign princelings mate our sweet princesses,
When Rads of fleets and armies made sad messes,
And stand in need of verbal calcitration;
When--let's say ASHMEAD-BARTLETT--saves the nation
In the great name of glorious Saint Jingo;
When BULL gives toko or delivers stingo.
To Fuzzy-Wuzzy, or such foolish savages;
When our great guns commit most gallant ravages
Among the huts of some unhappy village,
Where naughty "niggers" have gone in for pillage;
When SOMEONE condescends to be high-born,
Or deigns to die, who now shall toot the horn,
Or twang the lyre, emitting verse divine,
For Fame and--say, about a pound per line?
I must submit. I have not been "submitted,"
But poetless JOHN BULL is to be pitied.
Of course self-praise is no "recommendation,"
(In GLADSTONE'S sense) or else, unhappy nation,
I, even I, could spare you natural worry at,
Your non-possession of a Poet-Laureate!

* * * * *

IN A PICKWICKIAN SENSE.--When "a nate Irishman" (as the song has it) "meets
with a friend," he incontinently "for love knocks him down," whether with a
"sprig of shillelagh" or a "flower of speech," depends upon circumstances.
In either case he "means no harm," or at any rate far less harm than the
phlegmatic and matter-of-fact Saxon is apt to fancy. Probably, therefore,
an "Irish Phrase Book," giving the real "meaning" of Hibernian rhetorical
epithets, would prove a great peacemaker, in Parliament and out. Colonel
SAUNDERSON, when he had recovered his temper, and with it his wit, "toned
down" the provocative "murderous ruffian," into the inoffensive "excited
politician." But what a pity it is that "excited politicians" so often
string themselves up to (verbal) "ruffianism."

* * * * *

THE LAST LIGHT.

[Illustration]

It scarce can be thou art the last
To fade before my watchful gaze;
So short the part th