when Fancy lent a purer fire.

Where then "Th' Eternal nature-law
by God engraved on human heart?"
Behold his simiad sconce and own
the Thing could play no higher part.

Yet, as long ages rolled, he learnt
from Beaver, Ape and Ant to build
Shelter for sire and dam and brood,
from blast and blaze that hurt and killed;

And last came Fire; when scrap of stone
cast on the flame that lit his den,
Gave out the shining ore, and made
the Lord of beasts a Lord of men.

The "moral sense," your Zahid-phrase,
is but the gift of latest years;
Conscience was born when man had shed
his fur, his tail, his pointed ears.

What conscience has the murd'erous Moor,
who slays his guest with felon blow,
Save sorrow he can slay no more,
what prick of pen'itence can he know?

You cry the "Cruelty of Things"
is myst'ery to your purblind eye,
Which fixed upon a point in space