 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
 | VI. |
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| VII. |
| VIII, IX, X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
 | The Poetical Works of Robert Browning |  |
II.
At first you say, “The whole, or chief“Of difficulties, is belief.
“Could I believe once thoroughly,
“The rest were simple. What? Am I
“An idiot, do you think,—a beast?
“Prove to me, only that the least
“Command of God is God's indeed,
“And what injunction shall I need
“To pay obedience? Death so nigh,
“When time must end, eternity
“Begin,—and cannot I compute,
“Weigh loss and gain together, suit
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“And give my body to be sawn
“Asunder, hacked in pieces, tied
“To horses, stoned, burned, crucified,
“Like any martyr of the list?
“How gladly!—if I make acquist,
“Through the brief minute's fierce annoy,
“Of God's eternity of joy.”
| The Poetical Works of Robert Browning | |