Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/361

Rh The most are bad, wise men have said.

Let the best rule, they say again.

The best, then, to dominion hath the right.

Rights unconceded and denied,

Surely, if rights, may be by force asserted—

May be, nay should, if for the general weal.

The best, then, to the throne may carve his way,

And strike opposers down,

Free from all guilt of lawlessness,

Or selfish lust of personal power;

Bent only to serve virtue,

Bent to diminish wrong.

And truly, in this ill-ruled world,

Well sometimes may the good desire

To give to virtue her dominion due!

Well may he long to interrupt

The reign of folly, usurpation ever,

Though fenced by sanction of a thousand years!

Well thirst to drag the wrongful ruler down;

Well purpose to pen back

Into the narrow path of right

The ignorant, headlong multitude,

Who blindly follow, ever,

Blind leaders, to their bane!

But who can say, without a fear:

That best, who ought to rule, am I;

The mob, who ought to obey, are these;

I the one righteous, they the many bad?

Who, without check of conscience, can aver

That he to power makes way by arms,

Sheds blood, imprisons, banishes, attaints,

Commits all deeds the guilty oftenest do,