Who e'er return'd to teach the Truth,
the things of Heaven and Hell to limn?
And all we hear is only fit
for grandam-talk and nursery-hymn.

"Have mercy, man!" the Zahid cries,
"of our best visions rob us not!
"Mankind a future life must have
to balance life's unequal lot."

"Nay," quoth the Magian, "'tis not so;
I draw my wine for one and all,
"A cup for this, a score for that,
e'en as his measure's great or small:

"Who drinks one bowl hath scant delight;
to poorest passion he was born;
"Who drains the score must e'er expect
to rue the headache of the morn."

Safely he jogs along the way
which 'Golden Mean' the sages call;
Who scales the brow of frowning Alp
must face full many a slip and fall.

Here extremes meet, anointed Kings
whose crowned heads uneasy lie,
Whose cup of joy contains no more
than tramps that on the dunghill die.