"There's one thing this house-boat needs,"wrote Homer in the complaint-book that adorned the centre-table in the reading-room,"and that is a Poets'Corner.There are smoking-rooms for those who smoke,billiard-rooms for those who play billiards,and a card-room for those who play cards.I do not smoke,I can't play billiards,and I do not know a trey of diamonds from a silver salver.All I can do is write poetry.Why discriminate against me?By all means let us have a Poets'Corner,where a man can be inspired in peace."For four days this entry lay in the book apparently unnoticed.On the fifth day the following lines,signed by Samson,appeared:
"I approve of Homer's suggestion.There should be a Poets'Corner here.Then the rest of us could have some comfort.While playing vingt-et-un with Diogenes in the card-room on Friday evening a poetic member of this club was taken with a most violent fancy,and it required the combined efforts of Diogenes and myself,assisted by the janitor,to remove the frenzied and objectionable member from the room.The habit some of our poets have acquired of giving way to their inspirations all over the club-house should be stopped,and Iknow of no better way to accomplish this desirable end than by the adoption of Homer's suggestion.Therefore I second the motion."Of course the suggestion of two members so prominent as Homer and Samson could not well he ignored by the house committee,and it reluctantly took the subject in hand at an early meeting.
"I find here,"said Demosthenes to the chairman,as the committee gathered,"a suggestion from Homer and Samson that this house-boat be provided with a Poets'Corner.I do not know that I approve of the suggestion myself,but in order to bring it before the committee for debate I am willing to make a motion that the request be granted.""Excuse me,"put in Doctor Johnson,"but where do you find that suggestion?'Here'is not very definite.Where IS 'here'?""In the complaint-book,which I hold in my hand,"returned Demosthenes,putting a pebble in his mouth so that he might enunciate more clearly.
A frown ruffled the serenity of Doctor Johnson's brow.
"In the complaint-book,eh?"he said,slowly."I thought house committees were not expected to pay any attention to complaints in complaint-books.I never heard of its being done before.""Well,I can't say that I have either,"replied Demosthenes,chewing thoughtfully on the pebble,"but I suppose complaint-books are the places for complaints.You don't expect people to write serial stories or dialect poems in them,do you?""That isn't the point,as the man said to the assassin who tried to stab him with the hilt of his dagger,"retorted Doctor Johnson,with some asperity."Of course,complaint-books are for the reception of complaints--nobody disputes that.What I want to have determined is whether it is necessary or proper for the complaints to go further.""I fancy we have a legal right to take the matter up,"said Blackstone,wearily;"though I don't know of any precedent for such action.In all the clubs I have known the house committees have invariably taken the ground that the complaint-book was established to guard them against the annoyance of hearing complaints.This one,however,has been forced upon us by our secretary,and in view of the age of the complainants I think we cannot well decline to give them a specific answer.Respect for age is de rigueur at all times,like clean hands.I'll second the motion.""I think the Poets'Corner entirely unnecessary,"said Confucius.
"This isn't a class organization,and we should resist any effort to make it or any portion of it so.In fact,I will go further and state that it is my opinion that if we do any legislating in the matter at all,we ought to discourage rather than encourage these poets.They are always littering the club up with themselves.Only last Wednesday I came here with a guest--no less a person than a recently deceased Emperor of China--and what was the first sight that greeted our eyes?""I give it up,"said Doctor Johnson."It must have been a catacornered sight,whatever it was,if the Emperor's eyes slanted like yours.""No personalities,please,Doctor,"said Sir Walter Raleigh,the chairman,rapping the table vigorously with the shade of a handsome gavel that had once adorned the Roman Senate-chamber.
"He's only a Chinaman!"muttered Johnson.
"What was the sight that greeted your eyes,Confucius?"asked Cassius.
"Omar Khayyam stretched over five of the most comfortable chairs in the library,"returned Confucius;"and when I ventured to remonstrate with him he lost his temper,and said I'd spoiled the whole second volume of the Rubaiyat.I told him he ought to do his rubaiyatting at home,and he made a scene,to avoid which I hastened with my guest over to the billiard-room;and there,stretched at full length on the pool-table,was Robert Burns trying to write a sonnet on the cloth with chalk in less time than Villon could turn out another,with two lines start,on the billiard-table with the same writing materials.
Now I ask you,gentlemen,if these things are to be tolerated?Are they not rather to be reprehended,whether I am a Chinaman or not?""What would you have us do,then?"asked Sir Walter Raleigh,a little nettled."Exclude poets altogether?I was one,remember.""Oh,but not much of one,Sir Walter,"put in Doctor Johnson,deprecatingly.