Soul scarce might light her temple fair defaced,—
Its chastest sanctities coerced to give
For painful bread to eat, for piteous chance to live.
XV.
While such her fate in lands of cultured creed,
Judge woman’s griefs with man of barbarous breed;
Slave to his lust, and tiller of his soil,
Crippled and crushed by cruelty and toil;
Yet still her heart a gentle mien essayed,
By deeper passion, holier impulse, swayed;