For where had been a progress, otherwise?

Mankind, made up of all the single men,—

In such a synthesis the labor ends.

Now mark me! those divine men of old time

Have reached, thou sayest well, each at one point

The outside verge that rounds our faculty;

And where they reached, who can do more than reach?

It takes but little water just to touch

At some one point the inside of a sphere,

And, as we turn the sphere, touch all the rest