"Is Nature come to this?"

There was a man who died with rage — they said
It was a fearful sight — his spirit fled
In hate and cursing, and no tears were shed
By those around.
The oaths came rolling forth
Like fire from a volcano — and they forced
Their way with difficulty through the throat,
Which seemed with very hellishness to burst,
Till with one inward-breathed and deep-drawn note,
He howled his last.
And when he sank to earth,
All turned away — they could not bear to look
Upon the dreadful page of nature's book
Which lay before them— wherein hearts might read
In words of fire, how many a loathsome deed
Of strange, unholy darkness must have been
Before the world could bring forth so much sin !