SATAN The Angels fear him, Lord. THE LORD GOD How fear? SATAN They fear his tongue, Unscrupulous to speak, the right he hath in wrong, The wrong he hath in right. They doubt he hath Thine ear, Lord of the Universe. They are excused of fear. They see his long success, his victory over good, They count the nations lost which were of kindlier blood But could not stand before him, his great subtlety, His skill in the arts, the crafts. They mark the powers that be In earth, air, water, fire, all banded in his plan And used to the world's hurt as never yet by Man. They look on Thee, Lord God, as one that careth not, On him as Thy supplanter and the iron as hot Which shall reforge the chain by which the Earth is bound. They fear to awaken Thee from Thy long sleep profound. He hath become their God, one impious and profane, But strong and unreproved, ascendant on Thy wane. They kneel to the new comer as all courtiers use Who fear a change of king. Their news is an ill news, Nay, Lord, 'tis but a lie. I know it well, their story. 'Tis but the man's own boast, his mouthings of vain glory Repeated day by day with long reiterate stress, Till the world half believes in sheer ear-weariness, And they, who think to please, retail it as their own. What say they of him, Lord? That he hath one God alone, Is not as the lewd nations, keepeth Thy Sabbath holy, Nor Thy name vainly taketh in the ways of folly, Hath a wise polity--his Church and State close blent, A lordly bench of bishops, peers of Parliament, A Convocation House which yearly witnesseth A king by grace of God, Defender of the Faith, Thy ten commandments set in all his Courts of Law. They show his fanes restored by highway, hedge and shaw, His missions to the Jews, his Church societies, The zeal of his free sects, each than the rest more wise, The wealth of his chief priests, his weekly public prayer, Things proving him devout more than the nations are. They cite his worldly worth, his virtue these beyond, His high repute in trade, his word held as his bond, The valour of his dealings, his long boast of truth, The prudent continence of his unwedded youth, Uxorious faith in marriage, husband of one wife, Nor taking her next sister to his widowed life. These tales they hear and bring, some true, some false, but all Of the common Saxon brag for first original. So too of his world-science, social schemes, reforms, His school-boards, gaols new systemed, signalling of storms, Posts, railways, Homes for orphans, Charities organised, His Mansion House funds floated, alms economised, His hospitals, museums, baths, parks, workhouses, And that last glorious marvel, his free Daily Press. A wonderful Saxon truly, each day interviewed By his own wondering self and found exceeding good. All this and more they cite.