The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe :: :: University of Virginia Library

When mighty Jove had fashioned human kind,
And named the earth to be their dwelling-place
(So in an Eastern apologue we find),
He sent two ministers to rule the race.

He gave command to Pleasure and to Pain
(Of heavenly, one, and one of hellish birth):
“Henceforth, my minions, be it yours to reign
As sovereign lords o'er all the sons of earth.”

And soon it was agreed between the twain
A separate dominion would be best;
The vicious only should be ruled by Pain;
And Pleasure be the master of the rest.

A proper plan enough it seemed, at first;
But soon they found, despite each outward sign,
That—save, indeed, between the best and worst—
None less than Jove could fairly draw the line.

They found—to make discrimination nice—
To classify the race defied their skill:
The virtuous all had more or less of vice;
The vicious showed some sparks of virtue still.

The generous man was “fashed wi' worldly lust”;
The devotee was full of saintly pride;
The chaste was covetous; and none so just
But they had still some little sin to hide.

And, looking sharply at the darker part,
Not one among them all was wholly bad;
Here was a sot who had a generous heart,
And there a thief who saved a drowning lad.

Virtue and Vice!—how easily they trace
The larger forms of each; but to assign
Their just proportion in a special case,—
Who but the gods could safely draw the line?

And so it was agreed (lest strife befall
From such confusion) each, in turn, should reign:
Pleasure should have dominion over all;
And all, at times, should feel the rule of Pain.

And still, as erst, they rule the human race,—
Pleasure and Pain,—in short, alternate sway;

164

And whichsoe'er may show his regal face,
We know his fellow is not far away!