Thus had the Woman been dethroned, when she
Had forfeited her Birth's-equality
And even Nature with the Man, to be
By him despised and treated shamefully,
As of another, lower race than he.
Perchance forgetful, or unknowing, he
Lost sight of his dethronement. Verily,
If Woman lost her Queenship, so did he
His wisdom's worth, his grand supremacy
Of intellect - his Kingdom's sovereignty.
But the great woe was this - that Unity
Of Nature lost its vital potency;
The spiritual tie was weakened. See,
Usurped her throne the fleshly tendency,
And lorded over Nature's dignity,
And Nature's self was sick and like to die
When Nature, threefold, lost simplicity.
When God's fair Image was obscured, to be
Exchanged for Sin's foul image, gradually
Flesh o'er the Spirit gained the mastery.
Not so the Brute-creation; for they be
Unfallen from their natural destiny.
In brutes, inordinate can nothing be
Who follow Nature's laws unconsciously,
And thus, God's everlasting Will obey.
But with the Gifts of Reason, powers that be
Conferred to aid Man in his destiny,
And raise him to that eminent degree
Of worship and unchallenged sovereignty
Which God designed his lasting lot to be;
Man found fierce weapons in his hands, when he
The end distorted of his primacy;
When virtues lost their influence to be
By pride converted into passions- he
Became the tyrant; reigned by tyranny.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote