WHY SHOULD LONDON WAIT?
OR, THE SLIGHTED METROPOLIS AND THE DISAPPOINTED MEDICAL STUDENT.
[Sir RICHARD QUAIN (seconding the proposal of Lord HERSCHELL "that the draft Supplemental Charter for the University of London be approved") said that with respect to Medical Degrees, those who were not in the profession could not realise the grievance which the Medical Students of London felt themselves to be sustaining by not being able to obtain their Degrees in the Metropolis. Hundreds of capable men were driven to seek in Scotland, at Newcastle, and elsewhere the Medical Degrees which they ought to have obtained in London.]
AIR—"The University of Gottingen." London, loquitur:—
I.
Whene'er with longing eyes you view
Degrees, I feel I'm undone, Sir,
And so do the companions true
Who studied with you at the U-
-niversity of London, Sir—
-niversity of London, Sir!
[Weeps, and pulls out report of stormy meeting of Convocation of University of London, where new draft charter (of which Lord HERSCHELL and Lord Justice FRY were the most prominent advocates) was rejected by 461 votes against 197.
II.
Report! It saddens me—and you.
Was it in cruel fun done, Sir!
What QUAIN and HERSCHELL, said was true!
Durham can crow it o'er the U-
-niversity of London, Sir!
-niversity of London, Sir!
[At the repetition of this line young—but degreeless—Medical Student groans in cadence.
III.
Degrees! I cannot grant them—true!
Or it were with a run done, Sir.
I'm only the Metropolis. Pooh!
Provincial pedants flout the U-
-niversity of London, Sir!
-niversity of London, Sir!
IV.
Talk of Home Rule? It's all askew!
I have it not, for one done, Sir.
I've taught you; your "trademark"—boohoo!—
I cannot give you at the U-
-niversity of London, Sir!
-niversity of London, Sir!
V.
To knowledge in my halls you grew;
But now you are—dear son, done, Sir!
You're only a mere Medical Stu-
-dent at the sorely slighted U-
-niversity of London, Sir.
-niversity of London, Sir!
VI.
Off—to Newcastle, boy! Adieu!
By that big vote we're undone, Sir.
Provincial Colleges have exclu-
-sive rights denied to the poor U-
-niversity of London, Sir?
-niversity of London, Sir!
[During the last stanza, M.S. beats his breast with his stethoscope and goes off—like coals—to Newcastle, or like mustard—to Durham—to waste valuable time in getting in those colossal provincial centres what "Poor Little London" cannot grant him.