Be thou, then, one among mankind
Whose heart is harder not for state,
Thou only virtuous, gentle, kind, 15
Amid a world of hate;
And by a slight endurance seal
A fellow-being’s lasting weal.

For pale with anguish is his cheek,
His breath comes fast, his eyes are dim, 20
Thy name is struggling ere he speak,
Weak is each trembling limb;
In mercy let him not endure
The misery of a fatal cure.

Oh, trust for once no erring guide! 25
Bid the remorseless feeling flee;
’Tis malice, ’tis revenge, ’tis pride,
’Tis anything but thee;
Oh, deign a nobler pride to prove,
And pity if thou canst not love. 30

***

TO MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT GODWIN.

[Composed June, 1814.  Published in “Posthumous Poems”, 1824.]

1. 
Mine eyes were dim with tears unshed;
Yes, I was firm—­thus wert not thou;—­
My baffled looks did fear yet dread
To meet thy looks—­I could not know
How anxiously they sought to shine 5
With soothing pity upon mine.

2. 
To sit and curb the soul’s mute rage
Which preys upon itself alone;
To curse the life which is the cage
Of fettered grief that dares not groan, 10
Hiding from many a careless eye
The scorned load of agony.

3. 
Whilst thou alone, then not regarded,
The ... thou alone should be,
To spend years thus, and be rewarded, 15
As thou, sweet love, requited me
When none were near—­Oh!  I did wake
From torture for that moment’s sake.

4. 
Upon my heart thy accents sweet
Of peace and pity fell like dew 20
On flowers half dead;—­thy lips did meet
Mine tremblingly; thy dark eyes threw
Their soft persuasion on my brain,
Charming away its dream of pain.

5. 
We are not happy, sweet! our state 25
Is strange and full of doubt and fear;
More need of words that ills abate;—­
Reserve or censure come not near
Our sacred friendship, lest there be
No solace left for thee and me. 30

6. 
Gentle and good and mild thou art,
Nor can I live if thou appear
Aught but thyself, or turn thine heart
Away from me, or stoop to wear
The mask of scorn, although it be 35
To hide the love thou feel’st for me.

NOTES:  2 wert 1839; did 1824. 3 fear 1824, 1839; yearn cj.  Rossetti. 23 Their 1839; thy 1824. 30 thee]thou 1824, 1839. 32 can I 1839; I can 1824. 36 feel’st 1839; feel 1824.