Punch (102.1892)

March 12, 1892.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

131

DREAMS.

[Mr. John Morley having said that he would
be sorry for the country whose young men ceased
to dream dreams, Lord Kandolfh Churchill
twitted him with having described the Progressive
party as young men who dream dreams, and added,
"They are words which I will never let die."]

Dreams, my dear Lord ? "Well, there are

dreams and dreams,
Are those of Burns much worse than those

of Wemyss ? [mature
Are Westminster's vain visions, though
The dreamer, less absurd or more obscure
Than those of some "young man" who dares

to hope m [cope ?

That he with crowded London's ills can
" Behold this dreamer cometh! " So of old
The sons of Jacob, envious, scornful, cold,
And fearful for their privilege of birth
And of possession, in derisive mirth,
Cried at young Joseph's coming. A "young

man,"

0 reverend oracle ! Yet his wit outran,
His wisdom far outsoared, for all their boast,
The nous collective of the elder host;
And Pharaoh, when his " wise men"

vainly schemed, [dreamed.
Found statesmanship in a young man who
You will not let them die ? Well, as you list!
The words, Sir, with a Machiavellian twist,
Tickle the ears of those smart word-fence

blinds,

And garbled catch-words win unwary minds,
And, maybe, witless votes. Poor London
dreams

Of—many things most horrible to Wemyss !
The nightmare-incubus of old abuse
Propertied privilege, expense profuse
Of many lives for one, the dead-hand's grip
On the slow generations, the sharp whip
Of a compulsory poverty, the gloom
Of that high-rated den, miscalled a Home !
All these it knows, and many miseries more,
And dreams of—Betterment! You '11'' never
let die.

John Morley'swords?" You cannot, though
you try. [scream,
In vain 'gainst dreaming youth you feign to
Because you 're yet a Young Man—and you
Dream!

ESSENCE OE PARLIAMENT.

Extracted from the Diary of Toby, M.P.

House of Commons, Monday, February 29.
—Mr. 0. looked in to-night
from the Riviera ; greeted
with rousing cheer from Op-
position; didn't expect to
see him to-day ; just arrived
from Mediterranean via
Paris ; most men in such cir-
cumstances would
have gone straight
home, read their
letters, had quiet
dinner,
" and so to
bed," as the
late Mr.
Pepys oc-
casionally
remarked.

"That's
all very
well for
you elderly
fellows,
Toby," said
Mr. Gh,
beaming
with health
and smiles.
" Armit-

stead, for LordElc

v < .9)

VERY LITERAL.

The Major. "No doubt you're veby fond of Antiques, Miss Eugenia?
Miss Eugenia. "Oh yes, indeed!—and I'm devoted to Grandmamma!''

example, went straight off home. I was I that used to flash forth a hundred-candlelight
careful to see about that: he's a fine fellow, | strong, now flickered down to a score. Oppo-
and I humoured him by letting him suppose j sition growing jubilant and aggressive ; Irish
he was looking after me as far as Biarritz, | Members, long quiescent, waking up as of
and on to Pau. In no other way could I have | yore. To-night Prince Arthur, stung to
got him to make a holiday. Think I rather quick by remarks from John Dillon, made
wore him out at St. Raphael. When a man rattling speech defending his Irish policy;
gets over sixty he doesn't care about his ten : poured contumely and scorn on heads of Irish
or fifteen mile walk before luncheon. How- Members.

ever, I brought Armitstead back all right, "You," he said, with gesture of passionate
and, packing him off home at Charing Cross, scorn, "see no source of regeneration for

just popped inhere to see how you are getting

on."

In respect of business, not getting on at all,
Things going awry, Ministerialists won't come

up to scratch in Division Lobby; Majority I looked grave.

Ireland but in refusal of tenants to pay their
rent."

Lord Elcho and other young bloods on
Ministerial Bench cheered ; old stagers