 | Poetical Works of Robert Bridges excluding the eight dramas |  |
7
PYTHAGORAS
Thou vainly, O Man, self-deceiver, exaltest
Thyself the king and only thinker of this world,
Where life aboundeth infinite to destroy thee.
Thyself the king and only thinker of this world,
Where life aboundeth infinite to destroy thee.
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Well-guided are thy forces and govern'd bravely,
But like a tyrant cruel or savage monster
Thou disregardest ignorantly all being
Save only thine own insubordinate ruling:
But like a tyrant cruel or savage monster
Thou disregardest ignorantly all being
Save only thine own insubordinate ruling:
As if the flower held not a happy pact with Spring;
As if the brutes lack'd reason and sorrow's torment;
Or ev'n divine love from the small atoms grew not,
Their grave affection unto thy passion mingling.
As if the brutes lack'd reason and sorrow's torment;
Or ev'n divine love from the small atoms grew not,
Their grave affection unto thy passion mingling.
An truly were it nobler and better wisdom
To fear the blind thing blindly, lest it espy thee;
And scrupulously do honour to dumb creatures,
To fear the blind thing blindly, lest it espy thee;
And scrupulously do honour to dumb creatures,
No one offending impiously, nor forcing
To service of vile uses; ordering rather
Thy slave to beauty, compelling lovingkindness.
To service of vile uses; ordering rather
Thy slave to beauty, compelling lovingkindness.
So should desire, the only priestess of Nature
Divinely inspir'd, like a good monarch rule thee,
And lead thee onward in the consummate motion
Of life eternal unto heav'nly perfection.
Divinely inspir'd, like a good monarch rule thee,
And lead thee onward in the consummate motion
Of life eternal unto heav'nly perfection.
| Poetical Works of Robert Bridges excluding the eight dramas | |