A book of pleasant phrase, but narrow span Of thought, is coming, in its cheapest guise, Home to the hearths of each poor artisan Throughout unhappy France - to make him wise With a false gospel; and that, so enticed, And flushed with petty raptures, he may give His horny hands to this Parisian Christ, Who lacks the strength to lift them! Shall it live This pleasant book? Oh! join with one accord! Reject the lore, which - void of spleen or joke, And in wild earnest - cuts down at one stroke The measure of the stature of our Lord, To this unscriptural pigmy! nor invoke A frail young saint, in lieu of God the Word! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO A WEALTHY MAN by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS BOSTON COMMON: 1869 by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES LOVE IN A COTTAGE by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS THE SISTERS by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS A VINDICATION by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) TO EMILY DICKINSON by MARY BOWEN BRAINERD ASOLANDO: ARCADES AMBO by ROBERT BROWNING TO THE MOST PRINCELY AND VERTUOUS THE LADY ELIZABETH by THOMAS CAMPION |