Although hope may spring eternal, when the Ladies come to play?
They have conquered us at Croquet, though philosophers might scoff,
And the masculine intelligence was beaten by "two off."
As a vehicle for flirting we acknowledged all its charms,
And gay soldiers fell before it, although used to war's alarms;
But they held me-thinks their cricket-bats as doughty as their swords,
And they never dreamt of Ladies at the Oval or at Lord's.
Then we turned to Roller-skating, how the God of Love must wink
As he ponders o'er the havoc wrought on many a pleasant rink;
There the Ladies, as their wont is, held indubitable sway,