Alas! the great world goes its way, And takes its truth from each new day; They do not quit, nor can retain, Far less consider it again. 1851 _NOLI ÆMULARI._ In controversial foul impureness The peace that is thy light to thee Quench not: in faith and inner sureness Possess thy soul and let it be. No violence—perverse, persistent— What cannot be can bring to be; No zeal what is make more existent, And strife but blinds the eyes that see. What though in blood their souls embruing, The great, the good, and wise they curse, Still sinning, what they know not doing; Stand still, forbear, nor make it worse. By curses, by denunciation, The coming fate they cannot stay; Nor thou, by fiery indignation, Though just, accelerate the day. ‘_WHAT WENT YE OUT FOR TO SEE?_’ Across the sea, along the shore, In numbers more and ever more, From lonely hut and busy town, The valley through, the mountain down, What was it ye went out to see, Ye silly folk of Galilee? The reed that in the wind doth shake? The weed that washes in the lake? The reeds that waver, the weeds that float?— A young man preaching in a boat. What was it ye went out to hear By sea and land, from far and near? A teacher? Rather seek the feet Of those who sit in Moses’ seat. Go humbly seek, and bow to them, Far off in great Jerusalem. From them that in her courts ye saw, Her perfect doctors of the law, What is it came ye here to note?— A young man preaching in a boat. A prophet! Boys and women weak! Declare, or cease to rave; Whence is it he hath learned to speak? Say, who his doctrine gave? A prophet? Prophet wherefore he Of all in Israel tribes?— _He teacheth with authority,_ _And not as do the Scribes._ 1851 _EPI-STRAUSS-IUM._ Matthew and Mark and Luke and holy John Evanished all and gone! Yea, he that erst his dusky curtains quitting, Thro’ Eastern pictured panes his level beams transmitting, With gorgeous portraits blent, On them his glories intercepted spent: Southwestering now, thro’ windows plainly glassed, On the inside face his radiance keen hath cast, And in the lustre lost, invisible and gone, Are, say you, Matthew, Mark and Luke and holy John? Lost, is it, lost, to be recovered never? However, The place of worship the meantime with light Is, if less richly, more sincerely bright, And in blue skies the Orb is manifest to sight. _THE SHADOW._[5]