"They err, who count it glorious to subdue "By conquest far and wide, to overrun
"Large countries, and in field great battles win,
"Great cities by assault: what do these worthies,
"But rob, and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslave
"Peaceable nations, neighbouring or remote,—
"Made captive, yet deserving freedom more
"Than those their conquerors, who leave behind
Nothing but ruin wheresoe'er they rove,
"And all the flourishing works of peace destroy;
"Then swell with pride, and must be titled Gods,
"Great benefactors of mankind, deliverers,
"Worshipped with temple, priest, and sacrifice?
"One is the son of Jove, of Mars the other;
"Till conqueror Death discover them scarce men,
Rolling in brutish vices, and deformed,—
"Violent or shameful death their due reward.
"But if there be in glory aught of good,
"It may by means far different be attained,
"Without ambition, war, or violence ;-
By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent,
"By patience, temperance:-I mention still
"Him, whom thy wrongs, with saintly patience borne, "Made famous in a land and times obscure:
"Who names not now with honour patient Job?
"Poor Socrates, (who next more memorable?)
"6 By what he taught, and suffered for so doing,—
"For truth's sake suffering death unjust,―lives now
Equal in fame to proudest conquerors.
"Yet if for fame and glory aught be done,
Aught suffered; if young African for fame
"His wasted country freed from Punic rage;
"The deed becomes unpraised,-the man at least,-
"And loses, though but verbal, his reward.
"Shall I seek glory then, as vain men seek,
"Oft not deserved ?-I seek not mine, but his
"Who sent me; and thereby witness whence I am."
To whom the Tempter murmuring thus replied:
"Think not so slight of glory; therein least
"Resembling thy great Father: he seeks glory,
"And for his glory all things made, all things
"Orders and governs; not content in Heaven,
"By all his angels glorified, requires
"Glory from men, from all men, good or bad,
"Wise or unwise,-no difference, no exemption:
"Above all sacrifice or hallowed gift,
"Glory he requires, and glory he receives,
"Promiscuous from all nations, Jew or Greek,
"Or barbarous, nor exception hath declared:
"From us, his foes pronounced, glory he exacts."
To whom our Saviour fervently replied:
"And reason; since his Word all things produced,
"Though chiefly-not for glory as prime end,—
"But to show forth his goodness, and impart
"His good communicable to every soul
Freely; of whom what could he less expect
"Than glory and benediction, that is, thanks?—
The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense
"From them who could return him nothing else;
"And, not returning that, would likeliest render
"Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy-
"Hard recompense, unsuitable return
"For so much good, so much beneficence!
"But why should man seek glory, who of his own
"Hath nothing, and to whom nothing belongs,
"But condemnation, ignominy, and shame ?—
"Who, for so many benefits received,
"Turned recreant to God, ingrate and false,
"And so of all true good himself despoiled:
"Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take
"That which to God alone of right belongs:
"Yet so much bounty is in God, such grace,
"That who advance his glory, not their own,
"Them he himself to glory will advance.”
So spake the Son of God: and here again
Satan had not to answer, but stood struck
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