As we account perfection—at most pure

O' the special gold, whate'er the form it take,

Head-work or heart-work, fined and thrice-refined

I' the crucible of life, whereto the powers

Of the refiner, one and all, are flung

To feed the flame, he saw that e'en the block,

Such perfect man holds out triumphant, breaks

Into some poisonous ore, gold's opposite,

At the very purest, so compensating

Man's Adversary—what if we believe?