To make a scheming alchemist of man

To make a scheming alchemist of man
Hand him his image of putrid iron,
And show him glimpses ‘f the golden lion
Hidden in the base metal, which he can,
With proper diligence, extract and find;
Then leave him and observe the fervour
With which he partners pride ‘n his endeavour,
Observe the compulsion ‘f his fevered mind!
Bent over the broth of a heathen druid,
Skimming the froth and chis’ling the figure,
Yearning for gold with limpness and vigour,
Yearning for riches from his potent fluid!
The riches, which the heart of man desires,
Are not made in cauldrons, but in foreign fires.