Beauty and joy are hers by right; And, knowing this, I wonder less That she's so scorned, when falsely dight In misery and ugliness. What's that which Heaven to man endears, Than the heart says, with floods of tears, Were worse than never to have known; Go stumbling aye for want of eyes; Not patriots nor people's men, In whom two worse-matched evils meet Than ever sought Adullam's den, Base conscience and a high conceit; Not new-made saints, their feelings iced, Not great men, even when they're good; God fails not to humiliate; Not these: but souls, found here and there, Oases in our waste of sin, Where everything is well and fair, And Heaven remits its discipline; Whose sweet subdual of the world The worldling scarce can recognize, And ridicule, against it hurled, Drops with a broken sting, and dies; Who nobly, if they cannot know Fancy a falcon on the shield; God's honor, who creates success, Should move the minds of men so much. They live by law, not like the fool, But like the bard, who freely sings In strictest bonds of rhyme and rule, To courtly custom, appetite, To banquet goes with full delight; Nay, continence and gratitude So cleanse their lives from earth's alloy, They taste, in Nature's common food, Nothing but spiritual joy. They shine like Moses in the face, And teach our hearts, without the rod, That God's grace is the only grace, And all grace is the grace of God. Coventry Patmore [1823-1896] ODE TO DUTY STERN Daughter of the Voice of God! And calm'st the weary strife of frail humanity! There are who ask not if thine eye Be on them; who, in love and truth, Upon the genial sense of youth: Glad Hearts! without reproach or blot, O, if through confidence misplaced They fail, thy saving arms, dread Power! around them cast. Serene will be our days and bright, And happy will our nature be, When love is an unerring light, And they a blissful course may hold Live in the spirit of this creed; Yet seek thy firm support, according to their need. I, loving freedom, and untried; The task, in smoother walks to stray; But thee I now would serve more strictly, if I may. Through no disturbance of my soul, Or strong compunction in me wrought, Stern Lawgiver! yet thou dost wear Flowers laugh before thee on their beds, And fragrance in thy footing treads; And the most ancient heavens, through Thee, are fresh and strong. To humbler functions, awful Power! I call thee: I myself commend Unto thy guidance from this hour; The confidence of reason give; And in the light of truth thy Bondman let me live! William Wordsworth [1770-1850] CHANT ROYAL OF HIGH VIRTUE WHO lives in suit of armor pent, And hides himself behind a wall, For him is not the great event, And is God's guerdon less than they? By Lenten fast or Ramazàn, But by the challenge proudly thrown- God, in his Palace resident Of Bliss, beheld our sinful ball, Us to redeem from Adam's fall. To die, and dying to atone For harlot and for publican. Read on that rood He died upon- And by that rood where He was bent Virtue is that beseems a Man! Had tall Achilles lounged in tent For aye, and Xanthus neighed in stall, The towers of Troy had ne'er been shent, Nor stayed the dance in Priam's hall. Bend o'er thy book till thou be gray, Read, mark, perpend, digest, survey— Instruct thee deep as SolomonOne only chapter thou shalt con, One lesson learn, one sentence scan, One title and one colophon Virtue is that beseems a Man! High Virtue's hest is eloquent With spur and not with martingall: Sufficeth not thou'rt continent: BE COURTEOUS, BRAVE, AND LIBERAL. God fashioned thee of chosen clay For service, nor did ever say "Deny thee this," "Abstain from yon," Save to inure thee, thew and bone, To be confirmed of the clan That made immortal Marathon- ENVOY Young Knight, the lists are set to-day: In sepulture with hands of stone. |