Ask not, who ended here his span?

His name, reproach, and praise, was Man.

Did no great deeds adorn his course?

No deed of his but show’d him worse:

One thing was great, which God supplied,

He suffer’d human life—and died.

What points of knowledge did he gain?

That life was sacred all—and vain:

Sacred how high, and vain how low?

He knew not here, but died to know.