Yet still there whispers the small voice within,
Heard through Gain's silence, and o'er Glory's din;
Whatever read more

Yet still there whispers the small voice within,
Heard through Gain's silence, and o'er Glory's din;
Whatever creed be taught or land be trod,
Man's conscience is the oracle of God.

O faithful conscience, delicately pure, how doth a little failing
wound thee sore!
[It., O dignitosa coscienza e read more

O faithful conscience, delicately pure, how doth a little failing
wound thee sore!
[It., O dignitosa coscienza e netta,
Come t' e picciol fallo amaro morso.]

But at sixteen the conscience rarely gnaws
So much, as when we call our old debts in
read more

But at sixteen the conscience rarely gnaws
So much, as when we call our old debts in
At sixty years, and draw the accounts of evil,
And find a deuced balance with the devil.

Now conscience wakes despair
That slumber'd, wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and read more

Now conscience wakes despair
That slumber'd, wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue!

Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear it.

Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear it.

Guilty consciences always make people cowards.

Guilty consciences always make people cowards.

So may heaven's grace clear away the foam from the conscience,
that the river of thy thoughts may roll read more

So may heaven's grace clear away the foam from the conscience,
that the river of thy thoughts may roll limpid thenceforth,
[It., Se toso grazia risolva le schiume
Di vostra conscienza, si che chiaro
Per essa scenda della mente il fiume.]

He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.

He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.

Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength to
prevent, it seldom has justice enough to read more

Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength to
prevent, it seldom has justice enough to accuse.