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1.

Sick, am I sick of a jealous dread?

Was not one of the two at her side

This new-made lord, whose splendour plucks

The slavish hat from the villager's head?

Whose old grand-father has lately died,

Gone to a blacker pit, for whom

Grimy nakedness dragging his trucks

And laying his trams in a poison'd gloom

Wrought, till he crept from a gutted mine

Master of half a servile shire,

And left his coal all turn'd into gold

To a grandson, first of his noble line,

Rich in the grace all women desire,

Strong in the power that all men adore,

And simper and set their voices lower,

And soften as if to a girl, and hold

Awe-stricken breaths at a work divine,

Seeing his gewgaw castle shine,

New as his title, built last year,

There amid perky larches and pine,

And over the sullen-purple moor

(Look at it) pricking a cockney ear.

2.

What, has he found my jewel out?

For one of the two that rode at her side

Bound for the Hall, I am sure was he:

Bound for the Hall, and I think for a bride.

Blithe would her brother's acceptance be.

Maud could be gracious too, no doubt,

To a lord, a captain, a padded shape,

A bought commission, a waxen face,

A rabbit mouth that is ever agape—

Bought? what is it he cannot buy?

And therefore splenetic, personal, base,

Sick, sick to the heart of life, am I.

3.

Last week came one to the county town,

To preach our poor little army down,

And play the game of the despot kings,

Tho' the state has done it and thrice as well:

This broad-brim'd hawker of holy things,

Whose ear is stuff'd with his cotton, and rings

Even in dreams to the chink of his pence,

This huckster put down war! can he tell

Whether war be a cause or a consequence?

Put down the passions that make earth Hell!

Down with ambition, avarice, pride,

Jealousy, down! cut off from the mind

The bitter springs of anger and fear;

Down too, down at your own fireside,

With the evil tongue and the evil ear,

For each is at war with mankind.

4.

Ah God, for a man with heart, head, hand,

Like some of the simple great ones gone

For ever and ever by,

One still strong man in a blatant land,

Whatever they call him, what care I,

Aristocrat, democrat, autocrat—one

Who can rule and dare not lie.