Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Fuess and Stearns, comps. The Little Book of Society Verse. 1922.

By. Austin Dobson

A Dialogue from Plato

I’D read three hours. Both notes and text

Were fast a mist becoming;

In bounced a vagrant bee, perplexed,

And filled the room with humming.

Then out. The casement’s leafage sways,

And, parted light, discloses

Miss Di., with hat and book,—a maze

Of muslin mixed with roses.

“You’re reading Greek?” “I am—and you?”

“O, mine’s a mere romancer!”

“So Plato is.” “Then read him—do;

And I’ll read mine in answer.”

I read. “My Plato (Plato, too,—

That wisdom thus should harden!)

Declares ‘blue eyes look doubly blue

Beneath a Dolly Varden.’”

She smiled. “My book in turn avers

(No author’s name is stated)

That sometimes those Philosophers

Are sadly mistranslated.”

“But hear,—the next’s in stronger style:

The Cynic School asserted

That two red lips which part and smile

May not be controverted!”

She smiled once more—“My book, I find,

Observes some modern doctors

Would make the Cynics out a kind

Of album-verse concoctors.”

Then I—“Why not? ‘Ephesian law,

No less than time’s tradition,

Enjoined fair speech on all who saw

DIANA’S apparition.’”

She blushed—this time. “If Plato’s page

No wiser precept teaches,

Then I’d renounce that doubtful sage,

And walk to Burnham-beeches.”

“Agreed,” I said. “For Socrates

(I find he too is talking)

Thinks Learning can’t remain at ease

While Beauty goes a-walking.”

She read no more. I leapt the sill:

The sequel’s scarce essential—

Nay, more than this, I hold it still

Profoundly confidential.