Page:Two Mock Epics (Hanuman and Tantum Religio), Lyrics, Post Meridian Verse, The Turret Captain's Toast and other Verses.pdf/72

 Where the parrot unprogressive,

Mocked it all with empty prate.

“What avails it, ah! that here in

All we’re just as human kind,”

Sighed he, “when to our advancement

Human eyes are ever blind,

And when he who formed the nation

Cultured Europe’s admiration

Of his merits fails to find?”

So his apes he called in conclave

And harangued them from the throne:

“Heaven permitted this exalted

Rôle to me of apes alone,

And that apes, by my endeavour

Raised to human height, should ever

Art and science love and own.

But ’tis meet to show to people

We’re no more a savage horde,

And a dignified position

Claim at Europe’s council board.

For State reasons, too, most meet ’tis

I should fortify by treaties

What I’ve won me by the sword.

Therefore I have firmly settled

For the glory of our race,

A stupendous expedition

Unto Europe’s shores to face;

There to show a world astounded

Apedom’s State, on Progress founded,

Stands compact from crown to base.