FASCINATION!
"APOLLONIUS, by some probable conjectures, found her out to be a serpent, a Lamia; and that all her furniture was, like Tantalus's gold described by HOMER, no substance, but mere illusion."—Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.]
A LAMIA, this? Nay, obvious coil, and hiss most unequivocal, betray the Snake;
As fell ophidian as in fierce meridian of Afric ever lurked in swamp or brake;
And yet Corinthian LYCIUS never doted on the white-throated charmer of his soul
With blinder passion than our fools of Fashion
Feel for this gruesome ghoul.
Poor LYCIUS had excuse. Who might refuse worship to Lamia, "now a lady bright"?
But foul-fanged here, fierce-eyed, a shape of fear, the serpent stands,
revealed to general sight,
A loathly thing, close knotted ring on ring, of guise unlovely, and infectious breath;
And yet strong witchery draws to those wide jaws
Whose touch is shameful death.
See how the flattering things on painted wings, foolish as gnat-swarms near the shrivelling blaze,
Flock nearer, nearer! Forms, too, quainter, queerer, frog-dupes of folly, rabbit-thralls of craze,
Butterfly triflers, gay-plumed would-be riflers of golden chalices, of poisoned flowers,
Flitter and flutter in delirium utter,
As drawn by wizard powers.
Oh, "Painted Lady," Summer coverts shady, the greenwood home, the sweep of sunny fields,
A butterfly befit; but where's the wit that mire-befouled to the swamp-demon yields?
Oh, birds of Iris-glitter, black and bitter will be the wakening when those gaudy plumes
Fall crushed and leaden, as your senses deaden
In poisonous Python fumes!
Ye gobemouche creatures of batrachian features, who "go a-wooing" such a fate as this,
Have ye no vision of that doom's decision? Have ye no ear for rattle or for hiss?
Salammbô's craving, morbid and enslaving, was sanity compared with your mad love,
As well the swallow the fierce shrike might follow,
Or hawk be chased by dove!
Tantalus' gold is all such Lamias hold; 'tis Devil's dice such Mammon vassals throw;
A sordid fever fires each fool-believer in the gross glitter, the unholy glow.
Vile is your Dagon! Circe's venomed flagon embruted less than doth the Lamia's wine,
Than Comus' cup more perilous to sup—
As snakes are worse than swine.
The poet's snake enchanted, who so flaunted her borrowed robes amidst the daffodils,
Hath piteous touches. She, from Fate's clutches, free some brief space, "escaped from so sore ills,"
Moves our compassion. But this modern fashion of Snake Enchanter looks unlovely all.
Greed's inspiration its sole fascination.
Low selfishness its thrall.
"A Serpent!" So the Sophist murmured low, and "LYCIUS' arms were empty of delight,"
LAMIA had fled! Would that some sage cool head, some modern APOLLONIUS, with the might
Of sense magnanimous, would banish thus the bestial Lamia of our later day,
Whose fascination draws a noble nation
To sordid slow decay!
DANTE NOT "IN IT"!—The Italian language is to be excluded from the Indian Civil Service Examination. "The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian," said Hamlet, and SHAKSPEARE knew that the reference would be intelligible to his audience. But Hamlet "up to date" in this "so-called nineteenth century" would be compelled to give the speech thus, "The original story, I believe, is written in the Italian language, with which none of us here are acquainted." But, after all, the candidates may be inclined to adapt the Gilbert-Sullivan words and music to the occasion, and sing—
"So, in spite of all temptation,
At the next examination
They'll bar I-tal-i-an!"
Though, years hence, it may happen that they'll be sorry they weren't compelled to get up Italian as one of the subjects.
"O WOMAN, IN OUR HOUR OF EASE!"—which line would make a suitable motto for our very useful, chatty, and interesting weekly contemporary entitled Woman. À propos of "headings," the only one in the above-mentioned publication to which objection can possibly be taken "on the face of it" is "Wrinkles." Wouldn't "Whispers" be better? It is quite enough for Woman to appear with lines, but it's too bad that wrinkles should be added while she is yet so young.
"CHARLES OUR FRIEND."—Once again occurs an illustration of the applicability of Dickensian characters to modern instances. In last Thursday's Times, by special Razzle-Dalziel wire, we read of the return of another great Arctic explorer, Mr. WASHBURTON PIKE, after having braved dangers demanding the most dauntless courage. Here, then, are two single gentlemen rolled into one: it is Pike and Pluck combined.
