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[Greek: THAE PROTEKTED PHEMALE.]

[Illustration]

["For our part we do not believe in protected studies. Greek
came into the Western world, poor and needy, three centuries
ago. By her own unaided charms she has won her way. By
those charms we believe that she will hold her own against
all competitors until literature and civilisation are no
more."--_Times_.]

Protected Greek! Protected Greek!
BALFOUR may doubt, the _Times_ demur,
And chattering "correspondents" seek
Against the goddess strife to stir,
But while the Senate rules, you bet,
The Goths shan't smash the Grecians yet.

When Don meets Don injurious fray
Then comes in sooth the tug of war;
And on this memorable day
They gather in from near and far,
To whelm the unnatural ones who'd seek
To set the "Grace" against the Greek.

SWETE looks on JEBB and JEBB on BROWNE,
And BATESON looks on ROBERTSON SMITH.
They cry, "Of WELLDON 'tis ill-done!"
But THOMSON is a man of pith,
And GRIMTHORPE, that scalp-hunting "Brave"
Will tomahawk the "Modern" slave.

The Proctors sat with serious brow,
Within the swarming Senate House,
Voters in hundreds swarmed below,
Fellows of scholarship and _nous_.
They counted votes, and, when 'twas done,
_Non-placets_ had it, three to one!

And where are they, Granta's fell foes,
The champions of the Modern side?
Five twenty-five emphatic "Noes"
Have squelched their schemes, and dashed their pride.
Hurroo! for those so prompt to vindicate
Compulsory Greek against the Syndicate!

Thus sang, or would, or could, or should have sung,
The modern Greek, in imitative verse;
Meanwhile the Goddess, grave, though ever young,
Stood, Psyche-like, untempted to rehearse
The ragings--angrier ink was seldom slung--
Uttered by BYRON in Minerva's Curse.
She simply stood, as stately-proud as Pallas,
Looking so calm, some might have deemed her callous.

Amusing sight this game! _Don_ versus _Don_
Mixed in a sort of classic Donny brook.
A lethal weapon is a Lexicon
When rivals make a bludgeon of the book.
By her unaided charms the Goddess won
Her way. _This_ is the language of her look.
(The Laureate's) "Judge thou me by what I am,
"So shalt thou find me, fairest"--_sans_ Compulsory Cram!

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BETWEEN THE ACTS.

SCENE--_Europ