Select Poetry.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 473, 4 February 1881, Page 2

Select Poetry.

" ENDYMION."

A New Panokama, by Loud Beaconsfield. Gather round, my British public; lam ! Beaconsfield the Bold ; » In my latest panorama- many wonders you'il behold. The sctmery is brilliant., and the dialogue's immense, And its all about Endymion, a youth of wondrous sense. Not Enriymion of Keats'—but a wist r sort of youth— A pseudonym, in fact, for me, the Champion of Truth. Again, my own biography is represented here— A highly colored version of my wonderful career. _»"■■ - Now, first you see Zenobia, tho Tory" ffH| parly's queen : Her magnificent reception room is on the canvas seen ; She's surrounded by "a chosen band of Fashion and of Rank " — None but people who possess a biggish _ balance at the bank. She sneers at the " opinion of the public," whic'i she calls A mass of ''hybrid sentiment," unfit for "* Fashion's halls— Old Wellington she glorifies; at Radicals she jeers— And praises, as I always praise, our noblo House of Peers. And next you see Endymion and Myra— tbey are twins, Who bave hardly reached tbe age of eight when this affair begins : They are dressed in silver filigree, and diamond- and pearls— In features they are beautiful, and so tbey are iv curls. (I always dress my characters in jewels rich and rare— I|possi»ss a sneaking fondness for all high life " gush " and glare.) But to resume : Their daddy croaks, and Endy gets a berth Under Government—a little post—but soon you'll see his worth. Endymion has now grown up—he's seeing life a bit— He's the darling of the ladies, and they'll help him make a hit ; For, look you, one of them, o'erstepping sense's bounds, When he wants a seat in Parliament, " springs " twenty thousand pounds. Now his rise begins—his band is sought, but Endy bides his time (Here the dialogue's magnificent—•unspeakably sublime) — He makes his maiden speech, and is applauded ill the House, Though he feels, when he's commencing it, as timid as a mouse. Now he's on tint road to eminence—begins to make his mnilc ; But still about his sweetheart you'ro at present in the dark. < Wait a bit. till Mont fort "snuffs*' it— (Imt I'm blabbing in advance) ' First of all, you know, bis sister wed_ tho Emperor of France. I call him Florestan in this—a parly with a " star" Which always rides his destiny, and lead* to Triumph's car— And I have a dig at Cobdcn—"always discoidented " he— And Penrnddock, that's tho Cardinal (oh! Manning, don't you see?) " But to follow up my story (and this part from life is sketched). Lad 3 T Mont fort's now a widow, and by Endy's charms is '• fetched." " Be my husband !" says this lad)', in a tone extremely swec 1 ', "And all my whnpnrig fortune I wil scatter at thy feel !" "Right yon are!'' our young friend answers, aud he Mien puts up tbe banns— And then he quietly proceeds to sketch his future plans. At the panorama's finish, moist with tears is ev'ry eye— When the Twins go off to visit their old garret near the sky. All the characters are portraits of a generation past, Just about as true a series as I painted in my last. And to guess at their originals much shrewdness if invites — 'Twill make, a pleasant pastimo for tho tedious winter nights. The whole affair is full of many a dig as yon may guess. I satirise the Lib'ral politicians—and tho Press. I always had a happy knack of christening my foes, Which, as the Daily New* observes, much " quiet malice" shows. " The commonplace ambition of the vulgar middle class " I am down on very neatly—they deserve my scorn, alas ! — Ponder well my sounding phrases—all ■ your little words I bate, And at syllabic contortions I was always reckoned great. <H Though the Press may say my hero is a " milksoup and a fool." ... ~'„ I laugh to scorn the critics with my •' Lothair" golden rule 0 — I admit 'tis chiefly " glitter," but it's "glitter" that will goYes, my latest panorama (like my politics) is '* show " ! ° '• Critics are men who have failed in literature an:J art."—" Lothair." .;; — Weekly Despatch. :\