1920] on Science and Poetry 225 



gushed from the hoof-mark of the winged horse Pegasus ; the birth- 

 place of Hesiod was close at band ; and the summits of Parnassus 

 glowed in the sunlight between the black rocks of the gorg :. At that 

 spot, and in the age which was perhaps the greatest in human history, 

 not one but all the Muses were worshipped "there, and the Heliconian 

 Philosophy was born. But now the pillars of the temple are all 

 tumbled to earth and only the ancient pavements remain. Even 

 these are desecrated, for great tortoises and other reptiles sun them- 

 selves upon them; herds of hogs wander grunting and quarrelling 

 over them; and, instead of the songs of the Muses, we hear legions of 

 asses braying to each other across the valley. I hope you note the 

 parable — which is not of my making ! I have tried to put it and 

 some of my previous arguments in this sonnet. 



The Signpost. 



Adventurous Stranger who dost dare to climb 

 Huge Helicon : Eemember and mark well 

 What every several Muse may deign to tell, 

 If thou would' st hear Their symphony some time. 

 Not who hymn heaven always roll the rhyme — 

 Who scan th' unutterable stars, foretell ; 

 But haply as each far-fired pinnacle 

 Fumeth at sunrise sing Their song sublime. 



But if thou be too proud thou shalt be thrown 

 To dismal valleys where foul fog distills, 

 And the thick tortoise clambers to the stone, 

 The root-uprouting hog his belly fills, 

 And asses bray their wisdom to th' eternal hills. 



Some years later, that is, two and a-half years ago (December 16, 

 1917), I visited the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, two days after we had 

 been torpedoed off the Island of Ithaca and the Rock of Sorrow ; and 

 in my imagination I asked the god what was the cause of the war. 

 These verses, published soon 'afterwards, describe the circumstances,* 

 and his reply : — 



Lines. 



Between the grim Leucadian Rock of Woe 



(Where Sappho sank) and storied Ithaca, 



At morning the deep -lurking Murderer smote us 



Thrice, and the great ship groan'd and plunged. But soon 



Our long lean War-Hounds, gnashing teeth of rage, 



* We were torpedoed off Ithaca at 8 a.m., but escaped on our escortiDg 

 torpedo boats. We then proceeded to attack the submarines with depth- 

 charges because they could not escape in the land-locked bay. We brought 

 up one by a depth-charge and then sunk her with shells, and rescued 18 of 

 her crew. Two aeroplanes participated in the hunt, and we think we destroyed 

 another submarine by gun-fire Our ship, the Chateau Renault, was sunk. 



Vol. XXIH. (No. 1U) q 



