"HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN".
The sleek and smiling mask upon the face—
The eye that sparkles but to hide its note—
Tell me, ye worms, could ye well bear the rub
That tore these silken windings from the grub?
The eye that sparkles but to hide its note—
Tell me, ye worms, could ye well bear the rub
That tore these silken windings from the grub?
Ye lips that gloat upon a brother's sin,
With moral mouthing in the whisper'd speech;
Methinks I've seen the poison-fang within,
Betray the viper rather than the leech.
I've mark'd the frailties of some gifted one,
Blazon'd with prudent doubt and virtuous sigh;
But through the whining cant of saintly tone,
Heard Joy give Pity the exulting lie;
As if it were a pleasant thing to find
The racer stumbling, and the gazehound blind.
With moral mouthing in the whisper'd speech;
Methinks I've seen the poison-fang within,
Betray the viper rather than the leech.
I've mark'd the frailties of some gifted one,
Blazon'd with prudent doubt and virtuous sigh;
But through the whining cant of saintly tone,
Heard Joy give Pity the exulting lie;
As if it were a pleasant thing to find
The racer stumbling, and the gazehound blind.
Too proud, too ignorant,—too mighty Man,—
Why dost thou so forget the lesson taught?
Why not let Mercy cheer our human span?
Ye say ye serve Christ—heed him as ye ought:
He did not goad the weeping child of clay;
He heap'd no coals upon the erring head;
Fix'd no despair upon the sinner's way;
And dropp'd no gall upon the sinner's bread:
He heard Man's cry for Vengeance, but he flung,
Man's Conscience at the yell; and hush'd the tongue.
Why dost thou so forget the lesson taught?
Why not let Mercy cheer our human span?
Ye say ye serve Christ—heed him as ye ought:
He did not goad the weeping child of clay;
He heap'd no coals upon the erring head;
Fix'd no despair upon the sinner's way;
And dropp'd no gall upon the sinner's bread:
He heard Man's cry for Vengeance, but he flung,
Man's Conscience at the yell; and hush'd the tongue.
Great teaching from a greater teacher—fit
To breathe alike to Infancy and Age:
No garbled mystery o'ershadows it;
And noblest hearts have deepest read the page.
Carve it upon the mart and temple arch;
Let our fierce Judges read it as they go;
Make it the key-note of Life's pompous march;
And trampling steps will be more soft and slow:
For God's own voice says from the Eternal throne,
"Let him that is without sin cast the stone."
To breathe alike to Infancy and Age:
No garbled mystery o'ershadows it;
And noblest hearts have deepest read the page.
Carve it upon the mart and temple arch;
Let our fierce Judges read it as they go;
Make it the key-note of Life's pompous march;
And trampling steps will be more soft and slow:
For God's own voice says from the Eternal throne,
"Let him that is without sin cast the stone."
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