Making life death, the glad earth Tartarus?
I snatched a fellow-being, winged for heaven,
With God’s own impress on him still unblurred,
Who, but for me, would have flown chanting there
Anthems to angels. But with ruffian hands
I checked his flight, and stayed him for perdition.
Would that the ocean had received the child!
Would I had let him perish in the flames!
Would that this wound had marked me for the grave,
Ere I had saved him for an after life