]
To shorten the long, and to lengthen the short,
May have made the Greek robber-chief excellent sport;
But the Stretcher's strange pallet-rack seems out of date
In the land of the free, 'neath a well-ordered State.
MENIPPUS told NIREUS,[1] that pet of the ladies,
Equality perfect prevaileth in--Hades
"Where all are alike." Said THERSITES, "for me
That's enough," but _beau_ NIREUS could hardly agree
With such levelling down to the churl who for shape
In his strange second life chose the form of an ape.
For THERSITES & Co., for the weakly and small,
Who in free competition must go to the wall,
The plan of PROCRUSTES has obvious charms:
"Cut 'em down to _our_ standard, chop legs, shorten arms!
Bring us all to one level in power and pay,
By the rule of a legalised Eight Hours Day!"
So shouts Labour's Lilliput--that is _its_ voice,
And the modern PROCRUSTES thereat must rejoice.
"No giants, no dwarfs!" So say BROWNING and BURT,
But to "raise the whole race" can't be done in a spurt,
And while Nature provides us with genius _and_ clown,
There is nought to be gained by mere levelling down.
So the plan of PROCRUSTES, my boys, will not work,
Or will benefit none save the sluggard or shirk.
Oh yes, the bold bully stands swaggering there
With the axe in his hand, and his head in the air,
Type of heedless Compulsion, the shallow of pate,
Who man's freedom would sell to a fetish of State.
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