He’d pray devoutly and divinely sing.

Admit that he the holy day would spend

As priests approved not, still he was a friend;

Much then I blame the preacher as too nice

To call such trifles by the name of vice;

Hinting, though gently and with cautious speech,

Of good example—’tis their trade to preach.


A weaker man, had he been so reviled,

Had left the place—he only swore and smiled.”