 | Vigil and vision |  |
“A MAD WORLD, MY MASTERS!”
THIS world a cage is (old Bandello says)Full of an infinite variety
Of fools. Since God made heaven and earth and sea
And setting folly in the place of praise,
The world's brows with a fool's cap bound for bays,
Was ever such a rabble-rout to see
As that which squeaks and gibbers, fancy-free,
In these our Will-intoxicated days?
Midas of old was fain his asses' ears
To hide nor bared his blame for all to know:
But now each coxcomb, when the maggot spurs,
In hall and highway, mart and street and school,
Goes glorying in his shame and crying, “Lo!
“With what a peerless grace I play the fool!”
| Vigil and vision | |