So neighborly to all unreasonableness!

As to love's object, whether love were sage

Or foolish, could Pompilia know or care,

Being still sound asleep, as I premised?

Thus the philosopher absorbed by thought,

Even Archimedes, busy o'er a book

The while besiegers sacked his Syracuse,

Was ignorant of the imminence o' the point

O' the sword till it surprised him: let it stab,

And never knew himself was dead at all.