GARNET.
(An Idyll of the Queen).
GARNET the Brave, GARNET the Fortunate,
GARNET the Victor, made by Ashantee,
Heard once again War's summons to the East,
Heard and rejoiced, and straightway set himself
To strenuous strife, and subtle shift, to toil
All-various, and the crowning of his fame,
For from the sand-flats hard by Nilus' shore
Arose Rebellion's clamant voice, rang out
The cry of slaughtered Britons, echoed soon
By thunderous bellowing of brave BEAUCHAMP'S guns.
Then peaceful GLADSTONE sudden stood and smote
With rounded fist the Council-board, as though
It were the Commons' Table, and his foe,
DIZZY, once more before him, smote and cried,
"By Jingo, this won't do!!!"—lapsing in heat
To passing invocation of a name
Late odious in his ears. Whereon arose
Conflicting chorussings of praise and blame—
This atrabilious, half-ironic that—
From doubting Tories, dubious Liberals,
Much-gibing GREENWOOD, pert, implacable;
And peevish PASSMORE, sourly posing sole
As Abdiel—with the hump.
But GARNET, glad
With a great gladness Sand-boys may not match,
And cheer beyond the chirping cricket's, set
His face toward far Pharaoh-land, where still,
Pyramid-perched, the Forty Centuries
Of the thrasonic Corsican looked down,
Twigging the coming Pocket-Cæsar.
* * * * *
Punch, October 7, 1882.