II
keen-hearted sportsmen and the brave gamesters of life,adventurers whose joy danceth on peril's edge,for whom life hath no relish save in danger of death;who love sport for its hazard, and of all their sportswhere hazard is at highest look to find the bestthere on the field where hourly they may stake their all.And 'tis because they feel their spirit's ecstasyis owing in nought to Reason, but exultantlyblendeth with the old Selfhood wherefrom it sprang—'tis thus951they can be friendly at heart with nature's heartlessness,nor heed the wrongs and cruelties that come and pass,overlook'd as by men who hav suffer'd not nor seen.
But we who hav seen, condemn'd in savage self-defenceto train our peaceful folk in the instruments of death,and of massacre and mourning hav suffer'd four years—we hav no need to recount in vindication of peace,sorrows which no glory of heroism can atone,horrors which to forget wer cowardice and wrong,960dishonesty of heart and repudiation of soul,—yet gladly might forget in the passing of pain;and memory is so complacent that we well may fearlest our children forget;—and see Nature already,regardless how her fractious babe had scratch'd her cheek,
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