Punch (100.1891)

60 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [January 31, 1891.

THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.

Engl and to Athens:—

0 Queen of Cities, with a crown of woe,

Scarred by the ruin of two thousand years,
By fraud and by barbarian force laid low,

Buried in dust, and watered with the tears
Of unregarded bondmen, toiling on,
Crushed in the shadow of their Parthenon ;

hand ; New Peer shakes it, procession reformed, walks out behind Bar. A few
minutes later, another comes in, all the business done over again. Impressive,
but a little monotonous, and as soon as possible after its conclusion Noble
Lords go home.

Business done.—In Commons, Private Bill Legislation Bill read a Second Time.
Friday —■'Wir, O'Beien, standing with tear-stained face on pier at Boulogne
waving wet handkerchief across the main, has drawn away Justin McCabthy,
who can't be back till Monday. Pabnell was to have come down to-day, and,

making believe to be still Leader of United
Irishmen, asked Old Moeality to set aside
day for discussion of his Motion on operation
of Crimes Act. Beee Fox accordingly looked
in shortly after Speaeeb took the Chair.

"Seen Beee Rabbit anywhere about,
Tobx ? " he asked.

So I [up and told him about McCaethy's
new journey to Boulogne.

" Oh, indeed," said Beee Fox ; " if that's
the case, I think I won't trouble House to-
night. Got an engagement elsewhere ; think
I '11 go and keep it. Not used to hanging
about here, as you know ; awful bore to me ;
but as long as Beee Babbit comes here, I
must be on spot to vindicate my position.
So I '11 say ta-ta. No—never mind ringing
for fire-escape ; can walk down the steps to-
day."

Thus there being no Irish Leader on the
premises, and hardly any Irish Members,
had a rare chance for attending to British !
business. Channlng brought on question of \

working Overtime on the Railways ; moved Mother of heroes, Athens, nought availed
Dr. Charming in the Pulpit. Resolution invoking interference of Board of The Macedonian's triumph, or the chain

Trade. Question a little awkward for Government. Couldn't afford to offend | Of Rome ; the conquering Osmanli failed,
Railway Directors, yet wouldn't do to flout numerous body of working-men,
chiefly voters. Proposed to shelve business by appointment of Select Committee.
Opposition not going to let them off so easily. Debate kept up all night, wind-
ing up with critical Division ; Government majority only 17. „, , . , , ,, . , ,

"And this," said Old Moeality, with injured look, "after Pldneet's Then didst thou rise, and, shattenng thy bands,
brilliant oration on the time-tables of the London and North-Western Railway
Company! If he'd only illustrated it with magic-lantern, things would have
gone differently. But he was obstinate; said there would be difficulty in
arranging the slides, and so rejected proposal

His myriad hosts have trampled thee in vain.
They for thy deathless body raised the pyre,
And held the torch, but Heaven forbade the fire.

Burst in war's thunder on the Muslim horde,
Who shrank appalled before thee, while thy hands

Wielded again the imperishable sword,
The sword that smote the Persian when he came,

Business <W-Channing's Resolution about Overtime on Railways negatived Countless as sand, thy virgin might to tame.

by 111 Votes against 124.

HOMAGE TO SIR JAMES HA.NNEN.

Mother of freemen, Athens, thou art free,
Free as the spirits of thy mighty dead;
And Freedom's northern daughter calls to thee,
" How shall I help thee, sister ? Raise thy head,

Sib—As the^ recognised organ of the legal profession will you permit me j q Athens, say what can I'give thee now,
to address you ? It is common knowledge that within the last few days the : j who am f to deck th marble brow p »
Right Honourable Sir J ames Hannen has been raised to a dignity greater than
that he has been able to claim for the last eighteen years, when he has sat as
President of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court
of Justice. On leaving the Court in which so many of us were known to him,
he was kind enough to say, " Those eighteen years had been eighteen years of
happiness to him, chiefly arising from the advantage he had had in having
before him habitually practising in that Court Barristers who had felt that
their part was just as important as his in the administration of Justice, and
who had assisted him enormously. Without their assistance, his task would
have been an arduous one, whereas it had been, as he had said, an agreeable
one." As I personally have had the honour of appearing before his Lordship
for many years, I think that it is only right that I should make some acknow-
ledgment of this kind recognition of my services.

It is quite true that I have felt, as Sir James Hannen suggests, that my
part (humble as it may have been) has been just as important as his in the
administration of Justice. But it is gratifying tome beyond measure to learn
that my invariable custom of bowing to his Lordship on the commencement
and conclusion of each day's forensic duties—which has been the limit of my
" habitual practice " in the Probate Division—should " have assisted him enor-
mously." I can only say that, thanks to his unvarying kindness and courtesy,
my daily recognition of his greetings from the Bench, instead of being an
arduous task, has ever been an agreeable one. I have the honour to remain, Sir,
your very obedient servant, (Signed) A. Bbiefless, Jlniob.

Pump-Handle Court, January 24, 1891.

" Pbo-digiotts ! " — In last Sunday's Observer we read that at St. Peters-
burg Madame Melba, as Juliette, "was recalled thirty-one times before the
proscenium.^ The italics are ours, rather! If this sort of thing is to be
repeated during the Opera season here, and each gifted singer is recalled in
proportion to his or her merits, the audience will not get away till the following
morning, Juliette must have said, on the above-mentioned occasion, "Parting
is such sweet sorrow, That I could say 'good-night' until to-morrow." And
the usual chorus of operatic habitues will be, " We won't go heme till morning.
Till daylight doth appear!" with refrain, "For—she (or he) 's a jolly good
singer," &c, ad infinitum, or " ad infi-next-nighhmiP

# * * * *

Athexs bet-lies :—

Shot-dinted, but defiant of decay,

Stand my gaunt columns in a tragic line,
The shattered relics of a glorious day,

Mute guardians of the lost Athena's shrine.
The flame of hope, that faded to despair
Ere Hellas burst her chains, is imaged there.

Yet one there was who came to her for gain,
Ere yet the years of her despair were run ;
And with harsh zeal defaced the ruined fane

Full in the blazing light of Hellas' sun.
Spoiling my home with sacrilegious hand,
He bore his captives to a foreign land.

Ilissus mourns his tutelary god,

Theseus in some far city doth recline :
Lost is the Horse of Night that erstwhile trod

My hall; the god-like shapes that once were mine
Call to me, " Mother save us ere we die,
Far from thy arms beneath a sunless sky."

How shall I answer ? for my arms are fain

To clasp them fast upon the rock-bound steep,
Their ancient home. Shall Athens yearn in vain,

And all in vain must woful Hellas weep ?
Must the indignant shade of Phidias mourn
For his dear city, free but how forlorn ?

How shall I answer ? Nay, I turn to thee,
England, and pray thee, from thy northern throne

Step down and hearken, give them back to me,
0 generous sister, give me back mine own.

Thy jewelled forehead needs no alien gem

Torn from a hapless sister's diadem.

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