"'Nathless is none with skill so fine, For all the crafts that ever he knew, That of that song might sing a line; Save these that hold the Lamb in view; From earth brought to that land divine, As first fruits that to God are due, They serve the Lamb and bear His sign, As like Himself in face and hue; For never lying nor tale untrue Defiled their lips in life's distress;' Whatever might move them, they but drew Nearer the Master, none the less." "Nevertheless, speak out I must, My Pearl, though queries rude I pose. To try thy fair wit were unjust Whom Christ to His own chamber chose. Behold, I am but dung and dust, And thou a rare and radiant rose, Abiding here in life, and lust Of loveliness that ever grows. A hind that no least cunning knows, I needs must my one doubt express; Though boisterous as the wind that blows, Let my prayer move thee none the less." XVI Yet, none the less, on thee I call, If thou wilt listen verily, As thou art glorious over all, Hearken the while I question thee. Within some splendid castle wall, Have ye not dwellings fair to see? Of David's city, rich, royal, Jerusalem, thou tellest me. In Palestine its place must be; In wildwood such none ever saw. Since spotless is your purity, Your dwellings should be free from flaw. "Now this most fair and flawless rout, Thronging thousands, as thou dost tell, They must possess, beyond a doubt, A sightly city wherein to dwell. 'T were strange that they should live without; For so bright a band it were not well; Yet I see no building hereabout. Dost thou linger as in a woodland cell, Alone and hidden, for the spell Of rushing stream and shining shaw? If thou hast a dwelling beyond this dell, Now show me that city free from flaw." "Not flawless the city in Juda's land," That gentle one gently to me spake, "But the Lamb did bless it when He planned To suffer there sorely for man's sake. That is the old city we understand, And there the bonds of old guilt did break; But the new, alighted from God's hand, The Apostle John for his theme did take. The Lamb Who is white with never a flake Of black, did thither His fair folk draw; For His flock no fenced fold need He make, Nor moat for His city free from flaw." "To figure flawlessly what may mean Jerusalems twain: the first of those Was 'the Sight of Peace' as it is seen In the word of God, for the gospel shows How there our peace made sure hath been, Since to suffer therein the Saviour chose; In the other is always peace to glean, Peace that never an ending knows. To that city bright the spirit goes When the flesh hath fallen beneath death's law; There glorious gladness forever grows For His fair folk that are free from flaw."