No[v]ethical system, no contemplation or action, No reason'd attitude of mind nor principle of faith, Neither Sōcratical wisdom nor saintly devotion, Buildeth a fortress against heart-ache & compassionate grief, Nor responds to desire, nor with true mastery yieldeth Easy repose to the mind; And since all our study endeth Emptily in full doubt,--fathoming the divine intention In this one thing alone, that, howsōe'er it affect us, 'Twas never intended for mortal fancy to compass,-- I[v]have concluded that from first purposes unknown 10 None should seek to deduce idēal laws to be liv'd by; And, loving art, am true to the Muse, & pōetry extol: Therefore 'twas that afore I prais'd & heartily enjoy'd Your human verses, FRASER, when nobody bought them, More than again I praise those serious exhortations, Wherewith you wu'd amend the degraded people about you. Nay tho' like a prophet with heav'n-sent dignity inspir'd, With ready convincement and stern example assuring, Mightily you proclaim your love-messag' in the assembly, Exhibiting panacēas of ancient ill, propagating 20 Out of a Scotch cerebrum the reforming zeal of a TOLSTOI, I listen all unmov'd, as a sceptic among the believers. Yet what a charm has an earnest soul, whom sympathy uncheckt For human suffering has strengthen'd and dedicated Bravely to serve his kind, to renounce his natural instinct, And liv' apart, indulging in acts of mercy, delighted In wisdom's rock-hewn citadel[v]her law to illustrate, Embodying the pattern of self-integrity complete. Yea, what a charm pervades discourse, that loftily reason'd Points the narrow pathway throu' this world's ugly disorder; How very fair will appear any gate of cleanliness, open 30 From the city's tumult, its rank impurity, its dread Vulgarity's triumph: Nay sure & bounteous as Truth, Beautiful in confusion appeareth Simplicity's way. --'Simple it is, (yóu say) God is good,--Nature is ample,-- 'Earth yields plenty for all,--and all might share in abundance, 'Were profit and labour but fairly divided among them. 'Scarce any laws are needed in our Utopia but these,-- 'No fruitless labour to provide mere useless adornment, 'No money encouraging man's sloth & slavery, no rents 40 'Of titeld landlords, no pamper'd luxury breeding 'Fleshly disease, worst fiend & foe of mind body and soul; 'All should work, and only produce life's only requirements: 'So with days all halfholidays, toil healthfully enjoy'd, 'Each might, throu' leisure hours of amusement pīety and peace, 'In the domestic joys & holy community partake.--' --This wer' a downleveling, my friend; yoū need, to assure me, Fix a limit to the folk; else, as their number is increas't,