The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-25
Art sure TITS perfect? Be as sure
Twill shortly know decay.

Twill shortly know decay.
81. Flush youth and manhood join TO deck
In thee their noblest shrine;
With beauty, boundless energies,
And sraoes half divine.
-. The secretst lores of East and West
AS household words are known
To thee, most rich i'll others thoughts,
And richer in thine own.
%. Tn earth-crcling moon scarce sees thy peer
Yet all things meath the moon
But wax to wane; that moral drear
Zen thou must point, and soon.
81. wizard conqueror riots DER
The world that gave thee birth;
His Keeling revels cursing
The helpless down-trod earth.
25. Her maids and matrons faces fair
He seareth with his brand
Her towers and temples doth he raze,
And covers them with sand.
% lie bids her sons TO manhood rush
Along youths glowing track,
Then lifts his wand, and hurries Them
To less than childhood back
81 He in a slender hour-glass
Notes out their scanty days,
Then strown with ashes on her lap
Their whitened heads he lays
p Yet some in every age she bears
Above the common herd
Their breasts with purer breathings filed,
To loftier purpose stirred.
30 Who, ere they meet the common lot
Con,rive, with studious skill,
To bow this tyrant transiently,
And make him do their will.
80 And they who, born meath awful stars,
Essay the high emprise,
To master him in Fate's long halls,
Wherein he darkling lies.
81. When first life's spark begins to blaze,
From childhood's aimless play,
And from the haunts of trivial youth
Turn passively away,
81. With growing nigh, they onward so,
answering, undismayed,
Though on thom ope the mortal sears
That Adams frailty made
30. They seize the wizard ere his glass
Sits out their noon-tide hour
And, taken by the forelock then
Behold him in their power.
"a. For though their arm unnerved must fai
Soon sink their vital flame,
And soon he drives them back again,
Returning whence they came,
IS. Yet at their choosing he must give,
Before they meet their doom.
boon unto their realm or race,
Or trophy for their tomb.
So. Wilt thou bequeath in matchless verse
Some wealth to future days,
To buy to thy departed soul
Unnoted rites of praise
81. Thy life's young fires burn warm and high;
Lo! hand TO hand with thee,
The conquerer stands within the halls
OF dim, long DesIIy.
s.. AS ifin very love he stands,
Too fond 10 strike thee down;
This instant seize, and he is thine,
And his dear spoil, ronown.
%. Oh, toy not with his breathing space
Nor waste thy shortved power.
Oh, fruiiess in his grasp will fade
Thy manhood's swelling flower
40. The worm shall gnaw thy goOdy flesh
Beneath the churchyard stone,
And in dead memories charne-house
Thy name, Oblivion.
Al. Or 'gainst some chartered, honored Wong,
Doth claim thine early might,
Thy grooming country or thy kind,
Now arm thee for the fight.
~. In vain for thee shall Pride and Fear
With bigots choke the road;
For more than human is the might
Ofman that works with God.
43. Go, loving, bleeding conquering win
From angels tongues thy fame,
That in heavens welcoming windows write
With wreaths of stars thy name
a.. But turn'st thou first aside with him
Whose gaze lay svermore,
In heavens high galleries where he trod,
Upon the golden floor,
IS. Awhile within his murky caves
His crouching slave to grope,
And then thy loftier end fulfil,
How hopeless is thy hope!
46. With oulsiretched arms, and flying feel,
Go keep yon sun i'll eight
When this bright sward beneath thee now
Has rolled into the night;
AZ. But, when thy golden prime il sold
For drossy ore away,
Chase not again the vantage ground
Wherein thou s,andst to-day
IS. Too soon the fated sands sped;
Bot once doth manhood burn;
And giants enter Mammon's mines,
And only snomes return.
40. Wilt thou return at last TO wave
wasted arm on high,
And lift with mirth-provoking voice
Thine altered batte-cry?
50 Nay, seek thy grave; thy dotage hide
Beneath the kindly sods
Thou recreant to thy country's cause.
20 Freedoms, TO thy Gods.
81. Or hast thou to thy charge a well
Oflivng waters given,
Whose streams, by fainting pilgrims quaffed,
May win thee thanks in heaven?
50. Though green the groves that beckon thee,
And soft their warblers' song,
Though sore the travail and the heat,
Though lonely hours be long,
So Nor shady bank nor converse sweet
Shall lure thy steps to roam,
Until thy midnight Master call
His weary servant home
81 Serene and steadfast at thy post
Still keep thy patient stand,
And pour TO all in painting drought
Who pass, with plenteous hand.
S. For he must find, who seeks at eve
The trimming draughts of noon,
Thy pitcher broken at the fount
Thee TO thy fathers gone.
S. For TINE dost scorn, that tyrant proud.
The strength in which trust;
In wait he lies 10 our rise,
Then drives us back TO dust
81. Scarce from their first enfranchsed must
Brook earths exultant crowd
Their swaddng- bands and cradle LIST,
The coffin and the shroud.
Notes.-The story which suggested the above poem
Did follows in Lockharts " Life of ScottD volum