The Spirit of Mr. Clement Shorter and Chorus of Subtershorters
are detected and expelled.

_—­we hasten to denounce_
As giving an entirely false account
Of our impressions.

SPIRIT IRONIC.

Hear, hear!

SPIRIT SINISTER.

Hear, hear!

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Hear!

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

Intensive vision has this Mr. Hardy, With a dark skill in weaving word-patterns Of subtle ideographies that mark him A man of genius.  So am not I, But a plain Spirit, simple and forthright, With no damned philosophical fal-lals About me.  When I visited that planet And watched the animalculae thereon, I never said they were “automata" And “jackaclocks,” nor dared describe their deeds As “Life’s impulsion by Incognizance." It may be that those mites have no free will, But how should I know?  Nay, how Mr. Hardy? We cannot glimpse the origin of things, Cannot conceive a Causeless Cause, albeit Such a Cause must have been, and must be greater Than we whose little wits cannot conceive it. "Incognizance”!  Why deem incognizant An infinitely higher than ourselves? How dare define its way with us?  How know Whether it leaves us free or holds us bond?

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Allow me to associate myself With every word that’s fallen from your lips. The author of “The Dynasts” has indeed Misused his undeniably great gifts In striving to belittle things that are Little enough already.  I don’t say That the phrenetical behaviour Of those aforesaid animalculae Did, while we watched them, seem to indicate Possession of free-will.  But, bear in mind, We saw them in peculiar circumstances—­ At war, blinded with blood and lust and fear. Is it not likely that at other times They are quite decent midgets, capable Of thinking for themselves, and also acting Discreetly on their own initiative, Not drilled and herded, yet gregarious—­ A wise yet frolicsome community?

SPIRIT IRONIC.

What are these “other times” though?  I had thought Those midgets whiled away the vacuous hours After one war in training for the next. And let me add that my contempt for them Is not done justice to by Mr. Hardy.

SPIRIT SINISTER.

Nor mine.  And I have reason to believe
Those midgets shone above their average
When we inspected them.

A RUMOUR (tactfully intervening).

            Yet have I heard
  (Though not on very good authority)
  That once a year they hold a festival
  And thereat all with one accord unite
  In brotherly affection and good will.