BRIAREUS AND THE BULL. 443 



Thelance hath fled he writhes with agony ; 



Another he is weltering in his gore : 

 In vain he spurns the earth, and furiously 



Fills the wide air with his terrific roar : 

 In gaudy cloak of gay embroidery 



Lo springs against him the light matador ; 

 The scarf is flung, and flashes quick the brand 

 The forest monarch rolls upon the sand. 



And such the bloody sport of Spain ! but thine 



Is different, " island of the sage and free " 

 Thou hast thy fooleries, but they incline 



To gentler feats, sublimer in degree. 

 Thou hast thy bull-fights in another line, 



The combats of the intellect so free ; 

 When places serve for steeds, for lances words, 

 Quibbles for cloaks, and epigrams for swords. 



Westminster's city now shows signs of bustling, 



The cabs are rolling to St. Stephen's dome, 

 Police are scouring, pickpockets are hustling, 



Reporters flying to their dingy room ; 

 And up the staircase petticoats are rustling, 



To gain the loop-holes that o'erlook the gloom ; 

 All is commotion now, for lo ! to-night 

 Th' Hibernian monster must be quelled in fight. 



The Speaker 's seated, and in close array 



Th' assembled senators are packed around, 

 Exulting in the prospect of the fray, 



" No seat I ween for lated wight is found." 

 This night will compensate for long delay, 



This night their long crossed wishes shall be crown'd ; 

 And the great giant, stretched upon the floor, 

 Close his career, and agitate no more ! 



The signal's giv'n, and with delib'rate pace 



Erin's Briereus strides amid the bands ; 

 Awful and huge he lifts his dauntless face, 



As threatening woe to church and state he stands ; 

 While wide he flourishes thro' upper space 



Shilelahs num'rous in his hundred hands, 

 With which "through Connaught,Lienster,Ulster, Munster, 

 " It is his pastime rare to make the fun stir !" 



Scrawled o'er with hieroglyphics black and red, 

 A parchment girdle round his broad waist shone, 



The rent-roll of a kingdom ! and his head 

 " The likeness of a kingly crown had on ; 



His feet were cas'd in brogues, with which he sped 

 From shire to shire when work was to be done ; 



And what was fitted most to make men quail, 



From his huge r p there grew a huger tail" 



