Rome does right well to censure all the vain <br />Talk of Jansenius, and of them who preach <br />That earthly joys are damnable! 'Tis plain <br />We need not charge at Heaven as at a breach; <br />No, amble on! We'll gain it, one and all; <br />The narrow path's a dream fantastical, <br />And Arnauld's quite superfluously driven <br />Mirth from the world. We'll scale the heavenly wall, <br />Escobar makes a primrose path to heaven! <br /> <br />He does not hold a man may well be slain <br />Who vexes with unseasonable speech, <br />You MAY do murder for five ducats gain, <br />NOT for a pin, a ribbon, or a peach; <br />He ventures (most consistently) to teach <br />That there are certain cases that befall <br />When perjury need no good man appal, <br />And life of love (he says) may keep a leaven. <br />Sure, hearing this, a grateful world will bawl, <br />'Escobar makes a primrose path to heaven!' <br /> <br />'For God's sake read me somewhat in the strain <br />Of his most cheering volumes, I beseech!' <br />Why should I name them all? a mighty train - <br />So many, none may know the name of each. <br />Make these your compass to the heavenly beach, <br />These only in your library instal: <br />Burn Pascal and his fellows, great and small, <br />Dolts that in vain with Escobar have striven; <br />I tell you, and the common voice doth call, <br />Escobar makes a primrose path to heaven! <br /> <br />ENVOY. <br /> <br />SATAN, that pride did hurry to thy fall, <br />Thou porter of the grim infernal hall - <br />Thou keeper of the courts of souls unshriven! <br />To shun thy shafts, to 'scape thy hellish thrall, <br />Escobar makes a primrose path to heaven!<br /><br />Andrew Lang<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ballade-against-the-jesuits/
