[BNP/E3, 78A – 47]

TRIFLES.

They wear no real greatness who have faith

     In God, or Matter, in Life’s In or Out.

Only perpetual doubt is truly great,

     And the pain of perpetual doubt.

8/5/09.

TO A MORALIST.

Thou dost say that too soon we grow old,

That all pleasure of earth is but air;

Ay, but tell me, oh moralist cold,

Besides pleasure what pleasure is there?

1/3/09.

TO A FRIEND WHO ASKED FOR AN EPITAPH.

“He was good and kind to all mankind,

     Strong all temptations though.”

May this epitaph be written over thee,

     And, what’s more, may it be true.

23/2/09.

TO A MATERIALIST.

Thou dost explain by Law the weaving

     Of all the world, by Chance ruled ever.

I never thought Law was so living,

     Nor did I deem Chance was so clever.

8/5/09.

THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN SOCIETY.

Apollo married and Hercules married, and this was in real life.

The wife of Hercules loved beautiful rather than strong men,

And strong and not beautiful men were[1] the taste of Apollo’s wife.

[1] were ^/was\