Punch: Punch (101.1891)

38

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[July 25, 1891.

THE METROPOLITAN MINOTAUR;

Or, the London Labyrinth and the County Council Theseus.

[" Certainly, if some members of the London County Council have their way, it will soon have plenty to oecupy it without being called upon to form

a scheme of water-supply for the Metropolis."—The Times.']

L. C. C. loquitur :—

Bless me ! Things combine so a hero to humlle ! Forbid it, great Frogress ! Your votary 1, Ma'am,

I fancied that Bull-headed Minotaur—Bumble, But in this Big Maze it seems small use to try, Ma'am

Would fall to my hand like Fasiphae's monster
To Theseus. But oh ! every step that I on stir
Bemuddles me more. I did think myself clever,
But fear from the Centre I'm farther than ever,
Oh, this is a Labyrinth ! Worse than the Cretan !
Yet shall the new Theseus admit himself beaten ?

Mere roundaboutation's not Progress. Get forward '?
Why eastward, and westward and southward, and nor'ward,
Big barriers stop me ! Eh ? Centralisation ?
Demolish that monster, Maladministration,
Whose menaces fright the fair tower-crowned Maiden.
Most willingly, Madam; but look how I'm laden,