CUERVO - Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

PARACELSUS
The last and silliest outrage-mere pretence I
I knew it, I foretold it from the first,
How soon the stupid wonder you mistook
For genuine loyal ty-a cheering promise
Of better things to come-would pall and pass;
And every word comes true. Saul is among
The prophets I Just so long as I was pleased
To playoff the mere marvels of my art­
Fantastic gambols leading to no end-
I got.huge praise; but one can ne'er keep down
Our foolish nature's weakness : there they flocked,
Poor devils, jostling, swearing, and perspiring,
Till the walls rang again; and all for me I
I had a kindness for them, which was right;
But then I stopped not till I tacked to that
A trust in them and a respect-a sort
Of sympathy for them: I must needs begin
To teach them, not amaze them; "to impart
" The spirit which should instigate the search
" Of truth: " just what you bade me I I spoke out.
Forthwith a mighty squadron, in disgust,
Filed off-" the sifted chaff of the sack," I said,
Redoubling my endeavours to secure
The rest; when 10 lone man had stayed thus long
Only t o ascertain if I supported
This tenet of his, or that; another loved
To hear impartially before he judged,
And having heard, now judged; this bland disciple
Passed for my dupe, but all along, it seems,
Spied error where his neighbours marvelled most :
That fiery doctor who had hailed me friend,
Did it because my bye-paths, once proved wrong
And beaconed properly, would commend again
The good old ways our sires jogged safely o'er,
Though not their squeamish sons; the other worthy
Discovered divers verses of St. John,
\Vhich, read successively, refreshed the soul,
But, muttered backwards, cured the gout, the stone,
The choIic, and what not :-quid mulla? The end
Was a clear class-room, with a quiet leer
From grave folk, and a sour reproachful glance
From those in chief, who, cap in hand, installed
The new professor scaree a year before;
And a vast flourish about patient merit
Obscured awhile by flashy tricks, but sure
Sooner or later to emerge in splendour-
Of which the example was some luckless wight
'Vhom my arrival had discomfited,
But now, it seems, the general voice recalled
15-D
©Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia
97