Lord Lilac thought it rather rotten br That Shakespeare should be quite forgotten, br And therefore got on a Committee br With several chaps out of the City, br And Shorter and Sir Herbert Tree, br Lord Rothschild and Lord Rosebery, br And F.C.G. and Comyn Carr br Two dukes and a dramatic star, br Also a clergy man now dead; br And while the vain world careless sped br Unheeding the heroic name -- br The souls most fed with Shakespeare's flame br Still sat unconquered in a ring, br Remembering him like anything. br br Lord Lilac did not long remain, br Lord Lilac did not some again. br He softly lit a cigarette br And sought some other social set br Where, in some other knots or rings, br People were doing cultured things. br -- Miss Zwilt's Humane Vivarium br -- The little men that paint on gum br -- The exquisite Gorilla Girl . . . br He sometimes, in this giddy whirl br (Not being really bad at heart), br Remembered Shakespeare with a start -- br But not with that grand constancy br Of Clement Shorter, Herbert Tree, br Lord Rosebery and Comyn Carr br And all the other names there are; br Who stuck like limpets to the spot, br Lest they forgot, lest they forgot. br br Lord Lilac was of slighter stuff; br Lord Lilac had had quite enough.