THE PIIILOSOniRR IX SEARCH OE A RELIGION 245
How worthless an Elysium to the wise,
Peopled by such ! Sure 'twere small joy to meet
Tyrants and hypocrites with upturned eyes, Puflfing with pride on each celestial seat ;
'Twere a far happier destiny to dwell.
With wise and Sfood, in a more virtuous hell.
��Lo, where, by all despised, the homeless Jew
Views wistfully the lost land of his birth ; Faithful to old things rather than to new,
Oppressed by all, he wanders o'er the earth, Shunned e'en by him whose doctrine is but love ! Surely, the serpent hath devoured the dove.
Slaves 'neath the cross, Ham's sons, by Pleavcn's command.
Water a stranger soil with sweat and tears ; Slaves 'neath the crescent, Japhet's children stand ;
For truth in Spain grows falsehood in Algiers. In each, to piety fraud makes profession ; Power never yet lacked reasons for oppression.
Still Avarice in extortion must grow gray.
And Virtue fly to solitude from wrong ; For Innocence is Cunning's natural pre}',
The weak find ever bloodhounds in the strong; While Self, the hunter, with the whip of creed, Lashes his dogs to ravage at full speed.
See, through the world, what endless train of ills
Mankind to a blind fate ascribe — the wise To Ignorance, whom his own letter kills ;
Doomed slave of craft, and with hoodwinked eyes Led on by armed Religion to defend Fraud, force, and hate, in guilt that hath no end.
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