How _dare_ they, dupes of GLADSTONE'S guile, Poor Party tools, mere flies in amber, To imitate my earlier style, And rave against a Second Chamber? And do they think to corner _me_ By mere _tu quoque_ and quotation? A gift of ready repartee Secures such easy extrication. I worship what I wished to burn?-- The jeer is really most unhandsome! For things have taken quite a turn Since I ran rather wild on Ransom. The House of Lords is our sole hope, Sheet-anchor, lighthouse, ægis, haven; The only power which can cope With the New Rad--that nerveless craven! A Single Chamber means the sway Of the majority--most shocking!-- With no devices of delay, Progress impeding, freedom mocking-- Hold hard! I'm quoting--from myself!-- _Of Commoners_ a mere majority Means rule of party, passion, pelf, Which in the Peers have _no_ authority. Non-representative, but nice, The Peers are patriots, heroes, sages Class-selfishness is not _their_ vice; They haste not, don't get into rages. To a majority of _them_ We safely may entrust our freedom. But mere M.P.'s? With venal phlegm They'd sell it--for the mess of Edom. Mesopotamia--blessèd word!-- Than the word "Peer" is far less blessèd! Mere Commoners are crass, absurd, Foolish as Creon, false as Cressid. To trust to an _elected_ mob Our Glorious Empire, were sheer treason; But dukes and earls may do the job, For a Peer's robe _must_ cover reason. Still an "elective element" Perhaps might bring their "composition" "In touch with popular sentiment," And hush the howlings of sedition. To pick the best and brightest stars From court and college, bench and platform, Might still some poletariat jars.-- Hah! how should I appear in _that_ form? Of course, a robe and coronet Would never make _me_ turn a Tory, Like--well, so many. Now I'll bet King SOLOMON in all his glory Was not arrayed--tut! tut!--no more I'd like them to forget those lilies, These quoted bits are such a bore,-- Unless they're that old "tonguester" WILLY'S! _Experimentum in_--well, no! The context is not very flattering, (How seldom my quotations go! There are some drawbacks in mere smattering.) But if the "elective element" Would Peers improve, as not a few think, I might--some day--who knows?--consent To show them how--well, what do _you_ think? * * * * * LIGHT IN DARKNESS. _Written upon hearing that Mr. Gladstone's enforced rest is lightened by the reading aloud of relays of Devoted Friends._