Women must see to it that men do not have it all their own way for ever. LANDOR was moved to a perfect lyric by love of ROSE AYLMER. Is the following any less perfect?
Ah! what avails the sceptred race? Ah! what the form divine? What every virtue, every grace? George Aylmer, all were thine.
George Aylmer, whom these wakeful eyes May weep, but never see, A night of memories and sighs I consecrate to thee.
George is of course not the only name, nor is Aylmer. The adaptrix, however, must be careful that the Christian name is a monosyllable and the other a dissyllable.
Again, in the following feminine version of a Shakspearean song the name is subject to alteration:--
Who is Bertie? What is he That all the girls commend him? Handsome, brave and wise is he; The heavens such grace did lend him That he might admired be.
Examples might be adduced from many poets, but two more will suffice. A female TENNYSON might have begun a song in the following terms:--
It is the youthful miller, And he is grown so dear, so dear, That I would be the pencil That trembles on his ear: For 'midst his curls by day and night I'd touch his neck so warm and white.
Finally, let us look at the very prince of love poets--ROBBIE BURNS. Two of his most famous songs might as well have been written of swains as maidens. Here is one in which in the most natural way in the world lassie becomes laddie, and Mary, Harry:--
Go, fetch to me a cup o' tea, And take it from a silver caddie, That I may drink a health to thee, A service to my bonnie laddie! The boat rocks at the pier o' Leith, Fu' loud the wind blaws frae the Ferry, The ship rides by the Berwick-Law, And I maun leave my bonnie Harry.
Is that injured by the change? Not a bit. And here is another in which we have successfully introduced a variation of the original name:--
Of a' the airts the wind can blaw I dearly like the west, For there the bonnie laddie lives, The laddie I lo'e best. There wild woods grow, and rivers row By mony a fleecy flock, But day and night my fancy's flight Is ever wi' my Jock.
After reading these famous stanzas in their amended form our women poets may perhaps take heart and emulate them: to the immense delight of their _fiancés_, who like to be wooed as well as to woo, and have never shied very much at adulation.