Heart of man to let corruption serve man's head as cynosure?

Was the magic in the dictum "All that 's good is gone and past;

Bad and worse still grows the present, and the worst of all comes last:

Which believe—for I believe it"? So preached one his gospel-news;

While melodious moaned the other, "dying day with dolphin-hues!

Storm, for loveliness and darkness like a woman's eye! Ye mounts

Where I climb to 'scape my fellow, and thou sea wherein he counts

Not one inch of vile dominion! What were your especial-worth

Failed ye to enforce the maxim 'Of all objects found on earth

Man is meanest, much too honored when compared with—what by odds