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261
LINES
ON READING GOETHE'S “PROLOG ZU DEN NEUESTEN OFFENBARUNG GOTTES VERDEUTSCHT DURCH DR. CARL FRIEDRICH BEHRT.”
Keen satirist, thou yet hast miss'd the mark;Believe me, this most worthy company
Of holy John and Luke, Matthew and Mark,
Might yet be seen in good society,
If nothing but their antiquated dress
And foreign accent were in them amiss;
As for the cattle not being receiv'd,
O wisest Goethe! there thou art deceiv'd.
Beasts of all kinds are courteously admitted,
Lions are most especially petted;
The angel is the bore—for him indeed,
Of some polite disguise there were great need.
But were he turn'd into a “well-bred” youth
The saints were scarcely bearable in sooth,
They speak such gross offensive gospel truth.
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