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The Greeks also – a kind of Eastern Irish papists – have a college of their ownat Maynooth – no, at Haivali; where the heterodox receive much the same kindof countenance from the Ottoman as the Catholic college from the Englishlegislature. Who shall then affirm that the Turks are ignorant bigots, whenthey thus evince the exact proportion of Christian charity which is tolerated inthe most prosperous and orthodox of all possible kingdoms? […] And shallwe then emancipate our Irish Helots? Mahomet forbid! We should then bebad Mussulmans, and worse Christians; at present we unite the best of both –jesuitical faith, and something not much inferior to Turkish toleration.(McGann 2.211).The basis of the poet’s criticism here is the failure of “Christian charity”. This ispointed both because it is presented in contrast and in competition with Islam, andbecause it is that fundamental requirement of Christianity. The English are called tolove their neighbours.In a similar vein, there was originally a note to “Poor child of Doubt and Death,whose hope is built on reeds” (2.3.23-7), but, according to George Ellis, it was“withdrawn, “from a fear,” says the poet, “that it might be considered rather as anattack, than a defence of religion””. 105 It was preserved in Richard Charles Dallas’Recollections (q.v. McGann 2.283:27). That the poet wished to present such a note as“a defence of religion” suggests that religion is defensible and worthy of defence.The note is a passionate advocation of Christian tolerance, and is couched indecidedly religious language throughout:In this age of bigotry, when the puritan and priest have changed places, andthe wretched catholic is visited with the ‘sins of his fathers,’ even untogenerations far beyond the pale of the commandment, the cast of opinion inthese stanzas will, doubtless, meet with many a contemptuous anathema. Butlet it be remembered, that the spirit they breathe is desponding, not sneering,scepticism; that he who has seen the Greek and Moslem superstitions105 Galignani Edition, p.99.61