Great captain if you will! great Duke! great Slave! br Great minion of the crown! - but a great man br He was not! He? the iron instrument br Of mere authority! the atheist br Of a conventional and most earthy duty! br To whom the powers that be were simply not br Of God-but in His stead! Shall we belie br All righteous instinct and profane all truth, br By calling great a man without a soul? br One who, apart from the despotic wills br Of crowned oppressors, knew no right, no wrong. br No faith, no country, and no brotherhood? br If such a man were great, may God most High br Spare henceforth to our universal race br All greatness, seeing it may sometimes be br A rigid, kindiess battlement of Power br Self throned and sanctioned only by the sword. br And if' as Englishmen are proud to boast, br He was their greatest countryman-alas! br For England's national sterility! br But they who thus belaud him, lie, as all br True patriots most feelingly perceive. br Besides, he was not England's son at all: br He was an Irishman, with whom the name br Of Ireland was a scoff! An Irishman, br Who for a hireling's meed and ministry, br Could tear away from his inhuman heart br The pleading image of his native land.