Had we our senses 1
But perhaps 'tis well they're not at Home
So intimate with Madness
He's liable with them
Had we the eyes without our Head－ 5
How well that we are Blind－
We could not look upon the Earth－
So utterly unmoved－
But perhaps 'tis well they're not at Home
So intimate with Madness
He's liable with them
Had we the eyes without our Head－ 5
How well that we are Blind－
We could not look upon the Earth－
So utterly unmoved－
(F.1310/J.1284)
[1] we:: earth-shrews, or shrew-mice, hinted in line 7.
[3] Madness:: mania, rabies; rumored that shrew bites are venomous.
[4] liable:: the malignant influence of the shrew-mouse.
[5, 6] eyes, Blind:: shrew-mouse can hardly see.
[7] Earth:: a hint on earth-shrew, also called shrew-mouse or just shrew.
[8] unmoved:: still; passionless, frigid.
The shrew-mouse seems to form a shade in the order of diminutive animals, and to fill up the interval between the mole and the rat; . . . From this noisome odour a notion has been imbibed by ignorant people, that it is possessed of a considerable degree of venom; to which they attribute some diseases of horses and other cattle; ─ The Naturalist's Cabinet (1806)