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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CARDINAL MANNING by AUBREY THOMAS DE VERE

First Line: I LEARN'D HIS GREATNESS FIRST AT LAVINGTON
Last Line: "AND CRIED, ""AT LAST MY QUESTION MEETS REPLY."
Subject(s): MANNING, HENRY EDWARD (1808-1892);
I LEARN'D his greatness first at Lavington:
The moon had early sought her bed of brine,
But we discours'd till now each starry sign
Had sunk: our theme was one and one alone:
"Two minds supreme," he said, "our earth has known;
One sang in science; one serv'd God in song;
Aquinas -- Dante." Slowly in me grew strong
A thought, "These two great minds in him are one;
'Lord, what shall this man do?'" Later at Rome
Beside the dust of Peter and of Paul
Eight hundred mitred sires of Christendom
In Council sat. I mark'd him 'mid them all;
I thought of that long night in years gone by
And cried, "At last my question meets reply."



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