PANEFUL!
It was the Palace of the Board,
The Board of London's Schooling,
Where Members lately have enjoyed
Some high artistic fooling.
"Oh, why"—hear Mr. Coxhead plead,
In tones of sheer amazement—
"Do hideous faces wrought in glass
Stare down from every casement?"
Then up spake General Moberly,
The Board's supreme apologist,
And told them all the time of day
Like any good horologist.
"The Architect," quoth he, "had planned
To grave upon the panes
Portraits of bygone Classic wights,
Of British youth the banes.
"But as the Chairman of the Works'
Committee he had said,
That Cicero should be deposed,
And Diggle reign instead.
"To oust Herodotus would be
An inexpensive job,
And Socrates should be bowled out
By a seductive Lobb."
Further, he argued that it would
Only be right and manly
If Archimedes did resign
His pane to Lyulph Stanley.
And out he brought his final word
Both modestly and soberly—
"I think that Julius Cæsar might
Give place to General Moberly!"
O Boardmen, shall the little plan
Be thus allowed to pass?
It will, unless your Veto stop
This filling of the glass!