THE HERMIT 
23 
 
When God revealed Himself to mortal prayer 
He gave a fatal opening to Voltaire. 
 
Our hermit had dispensed with Sinai’s thunder, 
But on the other hand he made no blunder ;   
 
He knew (no doubt) that any axiom 
Would furnish bricks to build some Donkeydom. 
 
But !—all who urged that hermit to confess 
Caught the infection of his happiness. 
 
I would it were my fate to dree his weird ;   
I think that I will grow an elfin beard.