Son, happy art thou that Wisdom hath led thee hitherward: For otherwise never hadst thou known the joy-giving name of our Queen. Behold her, the life of men, the anchor of their shipwrecked hopes: Behold her, the shepherdess of souls, who bringeth back the wanderers to God. And for that modest herald, she is named on earth, Humility: And hast thou not known, my son, the tearful face of Repentance? Faith is yon time-scarred hero, walking in the shade of his laurels: And Reason, the serious sage, who followeth the footsteps of Faith: And we, all we, are but handmaids, ministers of minor bliss, Who rejoice to be counted servants in the train of a Queen so glorious: But for her name, son of man, it is strange to the language of heaven, For those who have never fallen need not and may not learn it: Ligeance we swear to our God, and ligeance well have we kept; It is only the band of the redeemed who can tell thee the fulness of that name; Yet will I comfort thee, my son, for the love wherewith thou hast loved me, And thou shalt touch for thyself the golden sceptre of Religion. So that blessed train passed by me; but the vision was sealed upon my soul; And its memory is shrined in fragrance, for the promise of the Spirit was true: I learn from the silent poem of all creation round me, How beautiful their feet, who follow in that train. OF A TRINITY. [Illustration: "D"] Despise not, shrewd reckoner, the God of a good man's worship, Neither let thy calculating folly gainsay the unity of three: Nor scorn another's creed, although he cannot solve thy doubts; Reason is the follower of faith, where he may not be precursor: It is written, and so we believe, waiting not for outward proof, Inasmuch as mysteries inscrutable are the clear prerogatives of godhead. Reason hath nothing positive, faith hath nothing doubtful; And the height of unbelieving wisdom is to question all things. When there is marvel in a doctrine, faith is joyful and adoreth; But when all is clear, what place is left for faith? Tell me the sum of thy knowledge,--is it yet assured of anything? Despise not what is wonderful, when all things are wonderful around thee. From the multitude of like effects, thou sayest, Behold a law: And the matter thou art baffled in unmaking, is to thy mind an element. Then look abroad, I pray thee, for analogy holdeth everywhere, And the Maker hath stamped His name on every creature of His hand: I know not of a matter or a spirit, that is not three in one, And truly should account it for a marvel, a coin without the image of its Cæsar.