The "wakeful Palinurus" of old song
Drowsed at the last, and floods his corpse did whelm;
But thou hast ever been alert as strong,
Pilot who never slumbered at the helm.
Impetuous youth aspires to rear a realm,
And the State-bark to steer
In other fashion. Is it faith or fear
Fills the old Pilot's spirit as he moves
Slow from the post he loves?

No "branch in Lethe dipped by Morpheus" slacks
This Pilot's sight, or vanquishes his force.
The ship he leaves may steer on other tacks;
Will the new Palinurus hold her course
With hand as firm and skill of such resource?
He who, AEneas-like,
Now takes the helm himself, perchance may strike
On sunken shoals, or wish, on the wild main,
The old Pilot back again.

These things are on the knees of the great gods;
But, hap what hap, that slow-descending form,
Which oft hath stood with winds and waves at odds,
And almost single-handed braved the storm,
Shows an heroic shape; and high hearts warm
To that stout grim-faced bulk
Of manhood looming large against the hulk
Of the great Ship, whose course, at fate's commands,
He leaves to lesser hands!

* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday, March 17._--St. Patrick's Day in the evening.
Every Irish Member carries in buttonhole bit of withered grass; at least
looks like withered grass. DICK POWER says it's shamrock. Anyhow it
leads to dining-out, and business to fore being nothing more important
than voting a few millions sterling for the Navy, House almost empty.

"So much the better for me," says GEORGIE HAMILTON, in charge of Navy
Estimates; "the fewer Members the more Votes."

So it proved. Whilst GEORGIE descanting on excellence of Naval
Administration, House so empty that Count moved. A little hard this on a
Minister in charge of most important department of State; but, after
all, Votes were the thing, and Votes were taken hand-over-hand.
GEORGIE'S oration being cut short by attempt to Count he sat down, and
as quick as Chairman could put question L3,312,500 of our hard-earned
money was voted. Hadn't been in the House five minutes when bang went
another million. Only half-a-dozen of us present, including WILSON of
Hull, who sat on edge of Bench, with hat in hand, staring at COURTNEY,
as he ticked off million after million. For myse