And the true child of letters learn

He has no space to breathe or turn,

And scorn accept the Century's plan,

That all may write, save those who can.

I turn me, wearied, at my desk,

From the last "thinker's" last burlesque

The last Agnostic's windy plea

That none knows anything, but he,

In English carefully destroyed

To hide his meaning's outer void;