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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CHINA, 1857, by RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES Poet Analysis Poet's Biography
First Line: The little athens from its pillared hill
Last Line: That does not raise or purify the soul.
Alternate Author Name(s): Houghton, 1st Baron; Houghton, Lord
Subject(s): China
First Line: The little athens from its pillared hill
Last Line: That does not raise or purify the soul.
Alternate Author Name(s): Houghton, 1st Baron; Houghton, Lord
Subject(s): China
THE little Athens from its pillared hill
Yet reigns o'er spacious tracts of human mind:
Britain, within her narrow bounds confined,
Bends East and West to her sagacious will:
While, recordless alike for good or ill,
China extends her name o'er so much rind
Of the round earth, and only stunts mankind
To mean desires, low acts, and puny skill.
Enormous masses of monotonous life!
Teaching how weak is mere material power
To roll our world toward its heavenly goal:
Teaching how vain is each exhausted hour
That does not mingle in the mental strife,
That does not raise or purify the soul.
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