Cardinal Manning

I learn’d his greatness first at Lavington: The moon had early sought her bed of brine, But we discours’d till now each starry sign Had sunk: our theme was one and one alone: “Two minds supreme,” he said, “our earth has known; One sang in science; one served God in song; Aquinas—Dante.” Slowly in me grew strong A thought, “These two great minds in him are one; ‘Lord, what shall this man do?’” Later at Rome Beside the dust of Peter and of Paul Eight hundred mitred sires of Christendom In Council sat. I mark’d him ’mid them all; I thought of that long night in years gone by And cried, “At last my question meets reply.”