Sagittulae, Random Verses | Page 4

and how
to walk;
(For young women, trust me, Clio, can do something
more than talk)
How to climb the Alps in summer; how in winter
time
to skate;
How to hold the deadly rifle; how a yacht to navigate;

How to make the winning hazard with an effort sure
and strong;
How to play the maddening comet, how to sing a comic
song; How to 'utilize' Professors; how to purify the Cam;
How to

brew a sherry cobbler, and to make red-currant jam. All the arts which
now we practise in a desultory way
Shall be taught us to perfection,
when we own the
Ladies' sway."
Thus I spake, and strove by speaking to assuage
sweet Clio's fears;
But she shook her head in sorrow, and departed
drowned
in tears.
(1874).
[1] Mr. J. B. Close, a well-known oarsman, stroke of the First Trinity
1st Boat.
[*] [Transcriber's note: The word "psychroloutes" appears in the
original book in Greek. It has been transliterated from the Greek letters
psi, upsilon, chi, rho, omicron, lambda, omicron, upsilon, tau, eta, and
sigma.]
ATHLETES AND AESTHESIS.
An Idyll of the Cam.
It was an Undergraduate, his years were scarce nineteen;
Discretion's
years and wisdom's teeth he plainly ne'er had seen; For his step was
light and jaunty, and around him wide and far He puffed the fragrant
odours of a casual cigar.
It was a sweet girl-graduate, her years were thirty two;
Her brow was
intellectual, her whole appearance blue;
Her dress was mediaeval,
and, as if by way of charm,
Six volumes strapped together she was
bearing 'neath her arm.
'My beautiful Aesthesis,' the young man rashly cried,
'I am the young
Athletes, of Trinity the pride;
I have large estates in Ireland, which

ere long
will pay me rent;
I have rooms in Piccadilly, and a farm (unlet) in
Kent.
'My achievements thou hast heard of, how I chalk the wily cue, Pull an
oar, and wield the willow, and have won my double-blue; How I ride,
and play lawn tennis; how I make a claret cup; Own the sweetest of
bull terriers, and a grand St. Bernard pup.
'But believe me, since I've seen thee, all these
pleasures are a bore;
Life has now one only object fit to love and to
adore;
Long in silence have I worshipped, long in secret have I sighed:
Tell me, beautiful Aesthesis, wilt thou be my blooming bride?'
'Sir Student,' quoth the maiden, 'you are really quite intense, And I ever
of this honour shall retain the highest sense; But forgive me, if I
venture'--faintly blushing thus she spoke-- 'Is not true love inconsistent
with tobacco's mundane smoke?'
'Perish all that comes between us,' cried Athletes, as he threw His weed
full fifty paces in the stream of Camus blue:
The burning weed
encountered the cold river with the hiss Which ensues when fire and
water, wranglers old, are forced to kiss.
'Sir Student, much I thank thee,' said the Lady, 'thou hast shown The
fragrance of a lily, or of petals freshly blown;
But before to thee I
listen there are questions not a few Which demand from thee an answer
satisfactory and true.'
'Fire away,' exclaimed Athletes, 'I will do the best I can; But remember,
gentle Maiden, that I'm not a reading man;
So your humble servant
begs you, put your questions pretty plain, For my Tutors all assure me
I'm not overstocked with brain.
'Sir Student' cried the Lady, and her glance was stern and high, Hast

thou felt the soft vibration of a summer sunset sky? Art thou soulful?
Art thou tuneful? Cans't thou
weep o'er nature's woes?
Art thou redolent of Ruskin? Dost thou love
a yellow rose?
'Hast thou bathed in emanations from the canvass of Burne Jones? As
thou gazest at a Whistler, doth it whistle wistful tones? Art thou sadly
sympathetic with a symphony in blue?
Tell me, tell me, gentle
Student, art thou really quite tootoo?'
''Pon my word,' replied the Student, 'this is coming
it too strong:
I can sketch a bit at Lecture, and can sing a comic song;
But my head with all these subjects 'tis impossible to cram; So, my
beautiful Aesthesis, you must take me as I am.'
'Wilt thou come into my parlour,' sweetly blushing
asked the Maid,
'To my little bower in Girton, where a table shall be
laid? Pen and paper I will bring thee, and whatever thou shalt ask, That
is lawful, shall be granted for performance of thy task.'
Lightly leapt the young Athletes from his seat beside the Cam: 'This is
tempting me, by Jingo, to submit to an Exam!
So it's time, my learned
Lady, you and I should say good-bye'-- And he stood with indignation
and wild terror in his eye.
They parted, and Athletes had not left her very far,
Ere again he
puffed the odours of a casual cigar;
But he oftentimes lamented, as to
manhood's years he grew,