And if you have, why fear you here a knife?—
You think the blade might draw some little blood;—
Would that much signify?—the body pain’d?
Suppose that one should wield some subtler blade
And draw some tears, mere watery tears, weak things;—
Would they much signify?—a soul in pain?
And did you never now do that?—draw tears?—
And think, is not the soul much worse to harm
Than is the body?—Fy! why fear a knife?
If I supposed that through a lifetime long