 | I. |
 | II. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
|
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII, IX, X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
 | The Poetical Works of Robert Browning |  |
VII.
Plain retrogression, this!No, no: we poets go not back at all:
What you did we could do—from great to small
Sinking assuredly: if this world last
One moment longer when Man finds its Past
Exceed its Present—blame the Protoplast!
If we no longer see as you of old,
'T is we see deeper. Progress for the bold!
You saw the body, 't is the soul we see.
Try now! Bear witness while you walk with me,
I see as you: if we loose arms, stop pace,
'T is that you stand still, I conclude the race
209
The “Walk”: if I to-day as you of yore
See just like you the blind—then sight shall cry
—The whole long day quite gone through—victory!
| The Poetical Works of Robert Browning | |