If Luther's day expand to Darwin's year, br Shall that exclude the hope--foreclose the fear? br br Unmoved by all the claims our times avow, br The ancient Sphinx still keeps the porch of br shade; br And comes Despair, whom not her calm may br cow, br And coldly on that adamantine brow br Scrawls undeterred his bitter pasquinade. br But Faith (who from the scrawl indignant br turns) br With blood warm oozing from her wounded br trust, br Inscribes even on her shards of broken urns br The sign o' the cross--the spirit above the dust! br br Yea, ape and angel, strife and old debate-- br The harps of heaven and dreary gongs of hell; br Science the feud can only aggravate-- br No umpire she betwixt the chimes and knell: br The running battle of the star and clod br Shall run forever--if there be no God. br br Degrees we know, unknown in days before; br The light is greater, hence the shadow more; br And tantalized and apprehensive Man br Appealing--Wherefore ripen us to pain? br Seems there the spokesman of dumb Nature's br train. br br But through such strange illusions have they br passed br Who in life's pilgrimage have baffled striven-- br Even death may prove unreal at the last, br And stoics be astounded into heaven. br br Then keep thy heart, though yet but br ill-resigned-- br Clarel, thy heart, the issues there but mind; br That like the crocus budding through the br snow-- br That like a swimmer rising from the deep-- br That like a burning secret which doth go br Even from the bosom that would hoard and br keep; br Emerge thou mayst from the last whelming br sea, br And prove that death but routs life into victory.