 | Stones from The Quarry |  |
151
AN ALLEGORY.
Cometh the evil Spirit to the door;
He entereth in, and thinketh to dwell there,
And after his own evil heart to fare,
To spoil, and waste, beforehand reckoning score:
But, with misdoubting eyes, he noteth store;
The husbandry which hath, and hath to spare;
In great and little, the holy order, care,
And gainful virtue, neither rich nor poor!
He sees the busy hands their work still ply;
He hears the blessing at each break of bread;
The dawn not earlier than the industry,
The sweet sleeps each by prayer in-usherèd.
He came to curse, but, God-constrained, doth fly,
And, gnashing, howls a blessing forth instead!
He entereth in, and thinketh to dwell there,
And after his own evil heart to fare,
To spoil, and waste, beforehand reckoning score:
But, with misdoubting eyes, he noteth store;
The husbandry which hath, and hath to spare;
In great and little, the holy order, care,
And gainful virtue, neither rich nor poor!
He sees the busy hands their work still ply;
He hears the blessing at each break of bread;
The dawn not earlier than the industry,
The sweet sleeps each by prayer in-usherèd.
He came to curse, but, God-constrained, doth fly,
And, gnashing, howls a blessing forth instead!
The unclean Spirit entereth in again;
Nor far hath he to go to suit his mood,
Since Good hath ever evil neighbourhood.
“This nonce,” quoth he, “'tis labour not in vain!
Here Idlesse doth her fellows entertain
In sport; lewd hostess of a rout as lewd,
Whose orgies oft on modest Dawn intrude,
Blushing for cheeks false shame alone can stain!
With folded hands she sits, work doth detest;
Or flaunts and flares Dalilah-like; ne prayer
On her lewd lips, ne children at her breast!
No more need seek; there's room here and to spare,”
Quoth he, “for all;” so goes, and calls the rest,
And back with seven more unclean doth fare!
Nor far hath he to go to suit his mood,
Since Good hath ever evil neighbourhood.
“This nonce,” quoth he, “'tis labour not in vain!
Here Idlesse doth her fellows entertain
In sport; lewd hostess of a rout as lewd,
Whose orgies oft on modest Dawn intrude,
Blushing for cheeks false shame alone can stain!
With folded hands she sits, work doth detest;
Or flaunts and flares Dalilah-like; ne prayer
On her lewd lips, ne children at her breast!
No more need seek; there's room here and to spare,”
Quoth he, “for all;” so goes, and calls the rest,
And back with seven more unclean doth fare!
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