Wouldst thou be safe from those, who plead or sneer Against the virtue of our ancient frame Of thought, and noble models; wouldst thou claim A full exemption from this modern Fear, Pray, think, and strive! with God's good Book for guide: Be proof against the sweet word or the scoff: A light-laid faith will soon be lifted off Into some scorner's nostrils, when his pride Smells at your simple creed in free disdain; Nor let the smile of gentler critics fix Their spells upon you - they who deftly mix Some Christian truth with errors black as Styx; Charming to sleep the conscience and the brain, Without the spleen of coarser heretics. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JIM BLUDSO [OF THE PRAIRIE BELLE] by JOHN MILTON HAY AN UNINSCRIBED MONUMENT - BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS by HERMAN MELVILLE THE CHILD IN A GARDEN by MARIA ABDY THE FALCON by GRACE UPDEGRAFF BERGEN SOLOMON'S SONG by REGINA MIRIAM BLOCH SACRED FRUIT by HAZEL MCGEE BOWMAN THE WAY THAT LOVERS USE by RUPERT BROOKE PARLEYINGS WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE: APOLLO AND THE FATES by ROBERT BROWNING PREFIXED TO THOMAS RAVENSCROFT'S 'DISCOURSE...' by THOMAS CAMPION |