Written At Florence, 1866: br br br Since Sovereign Nature, at the happy best, br Is rightful and sole paragon of Art, br Who, tho' she but in part, and part by part, br Paints, carves, or sings the whole, is still possest br By thee, all thee, oh somewhere unconfest br Apollo! in the worlds of men who art br A man, and, with a human body and heart, br Lookest her visible truths, and livest the rest; br Surely that strategy was well design'd br Which, laying siege to Art's proud Capital, br Armed not, against her matchless pow'rs-that-be, br Music, Painting, Sculpture, Poetry, br But sent a living womanhood of all br To queen, by their own laws, the masters of mankind.