he chorus sang its second
song.

Seven competitive examiners entered with another table, and sat down
on the opposite side of the stage to the spirit-rappers. They brought
forward Hermogenes{1} as a crammed fowl to argue with Gryllus. Gryllus
had the best of the argument; but the examiners adjudged the victory to
Hermogenes. The chorus sang its third song.

1 See chapter xv.

Circe, at the request of the spirit-rappers, whose power was limited
to the production of sound, called up several visible spirits, all
illustrious in their day, but all appearing as in the days of their
early youth, 'before their renown was around them.' They were all
subjected to competitive examination, and were severally pronounced
disqualified for the pursuit in which they had shone. At last came one
whom Circe recommended to the examiners as a particularly promising
youth. He was a candidate for military life. Every question relative
to his profession he answered to the purpose. To every question not so
relevant he replied that he did not know and did not care. This drew on
him a reprimand. He was pronounced disqualified, and ordered to join the
rejected, who were ranged in a line along the back of the scene. A touch
of Circe's wand changed them into their semblance of maturer years.
Among them were Hannibal and Oliver Cromwell; and in the foreground
was the last candidate, Richard Coeur-de-Lion. Richard flourished his
battle-axe over the heads of the examiners, who jumped up in great
trepidation, overturned their table, tumbled over one another, and
escaped as best they might in haste and terror. The heroes vanished. The
chorus sang its fourth song.

CHORUS
As before the pike will fly
Dace and roach and such small fry;
As the leaf before the gale,
As the chaff beneath the flail;
As before the wolf the flocks,
As before the hounds the fox;
As before the cat the mouse,
As the rat from falling house;
As the fiend before the spell
Of holy water, book, and bell;
As the ghost from dawning day,--
So has fled, in gaunt dismay,
This septemvirate of quacks
From the shadowy attacks
Of Coeur-de-Lion's battle-axe.

[Illustration: Coeur-de-Lion's battle-axe. 260-221]

Could he in corporeal might,
Plain to feeling as to sight,
Rise again to solar light,
How his arm would put to flight
All the forms of Stygian night
Tha