Man verily is vile, but more in capability than action; His sinfulness is deep, but his transgressions may be few, even from the absence of temptation: He is hanging in a gulf midway, but the air is breathable about him: Thrust him not from that slight hold, to perish in the vapours underneath. For, God pleadeth with the deaf, as having ears to hear, Christ speaketh to the dead, as those that are capable of living; And an evil teacher is that man, a tempter to much sin, Who looketh on his hearers with distrust, and hath no confidence in brethren. All may mend; and sympathies are healing: and reason hath its influence with the worst; And in those worst is ample hope, if only thou hast charity, and faith. Somewhiles have I watched a man exchanging the sobriety of faith, Old lamps for new,--even for fanatical excitements. He gained surface, but lost solidity; heat, in lieu of health; And still with swelling words and thoughts he scorned his ancient coldness: But, his strength was shorn as Samson's; he walked he knew not whither; Doubt was on his daily path; and duties shewed not certain: Until, in an hour of enthusiasm, stung with secret fears, He pinned the safety of his soul on some false prophet's sleeve. And then, that sure word failed; and with it, failed his faith; It failed, and fell; O deep and dreadful was his fall in faith! He could not stop, with reason's rein, his coursers on the slope, And so they dashed him down the cliff of hardened unbelief. With overreaching grasp he had strained for visionary treasures, But a fiend had cheated his presumption, and hurled him to despair. So he lay in his blood, the victim of a credulous false faith, And many nights, and night-like days, he dwelt in outer darkness. But, within a while, his variable mind caught a new impression, A new impression of the good old stamp, that sealed him when a child: He was softened, and abjured his infidelity; he was wiser, and despised his credulity; And turned again to simple faith more simply than before. Experience had declared too well his mind was built of water, And so, renouncing strength in self, he fixed his faith in God. It is not for me to stipulate for creeds; Bible, Church, and Reason, These three shall lead the mind, if any can, to truth. But I must stipulate for faith: both God and man demand it: Trust is great in either world, if any would be well. Verily, the sceptical propensity is an universal foe; Sneering Pyrrho never found, nor cared to find, a friend: How could he trust another? and himself, whom would he not deceive? His proper gains were all his aim, and interests clash with kindness. So, the Bedouin goeth armed, an enemy to all, The spear is stuck beside his couch, the dagger hid beneath his pillow. For society, void of mutual trust, of credit, and of faith, Would fall asunder as a waterspout, snapped from the cloud's attraction.