THE KASÎDAH VIII, 81, 92

“Go strain the draught before ’tis drunk,
 and learn that breathing every breath,
“With every step, with every gest,
 something of life thou do’est to death.”

Replies the Hindu: “Wend thy way
 for foul and foolish Mlenchhas fit;
“Your Pariah-par’adise woo and win;
 at such dog-Heav’en I laugh and spit.”

“Cannibals of the Holy Cow!
 who make your rav’ening maws the grave
“Of Things with self-same right to live;—
 what Fiend the filthy license gave?”

THE KASÎDAH V, 25, 36

Delusion, Ign’orance! Long ere Man
 drew upon Earth his earliest breath
The world was one contin’uous scene
 of anguish, torture, prey and Death;

Where hideous Theria of the wild
 rended their fellows limb by limb;
Where horrid Saurians of the sea
 in waves of blood were wont to swim:

The “fair young Earth” was only fit
 to spawn her frightful monster-brood;
Now fiery hot, now icy frore,
 now reeking wet with steamy flood.