On a Deaf and Dumb Artist

And hath thy blameless life become
A prey to the devouring tomb?
A more mute silence hast thou known,
A deafness deeper than thine own,
While time was? and no friendly Muse,
That marked thy life and knows thy dues,
Repair with quickening verse the breach,
And write thee into light and speech?
The Power that made the tongue restrained
Thy lips from lies and speeches feigned;
Who made the hearing, without wrong
Did rescue thine from Siren’s song.
He let thee see the ways of men,
Which thou with pencil, not with pen,
Careful beholder, down didst note,
And all their motley actions quote,
Thyself unstained the while.    From look
Or gesture reading more than book,
In lettered pride thou took’st no part,
Contented with the Silent Art,
Thyself as silent.    Might I be
As speechless, deaf, and good, as he!