The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-05-22
DELUSIONS.

As diamonds sparkle in the light,
Are rayless in the shades Of night
Or seen through colored glass appear
The color of the glass to wear;
So do the windows OF the soul
The images within controls;
Their forms and colors, light and shad,
Are by the outward senses made.
Through perfect vision nature shines,
Shows beauteous forms and graceful lines,
But spectral shapes and funeral gloom,
Through morbid sight, and film and rheum.
And taste depraved is prone to cheat
Win make nauseous weed seem sweet,
And poisonous drinks, and noxlous food,
Preferred to wholesome, pure and good.
The ear, TO jargon bred and used,
VIII hear harmonious notes confused,
Or membrane stunned or rent, mayhap,
BY cannon boom or thunderclap,
Will say there is no voice nor sound,
Though Babel's builders clatter round.
Thus weakened or perverted sense
viii serve us with incompetence,
Or manifest a vicious force
And run true nature out of course.
And thus each groveling, sordid mind
Will search the world in vain to find
The shining treasures manifold
Its mines Of thought and wisdom hold.
Foul passions stains and gloomy doubt
Will shut the blessed visions out,
To dingy dross change lustrous gold,
And paint the fresh earth grim and old
Turn diamond to worthless stone,
And childhood's laughter to groan.
See how distorted partial views
Through dim and narrow avenues
Make shadows seem as real things,
And warp our best imaginings.
And mortals thus deluded rest
On fame and gain to make them best
Forget what wise experience says,
And cling to broken promises;
On fame-that vague, unreal form
Whose heart no generous feelings warm,
Whose outstretched hand no love imparts,
But points them out for envy's darts;
And cruel mammon-that false god
Men worship while he plies the rod.
They groan, but still his service keep,
Though wounds and nightmare murder sleeI
Most cruel oft when worshiped most,
He iilts them as a jeering ghost,
Then sinks amid the gloom away,
AS night absorbs the waning day.
Yet more deceived the idle throng
Who row no boat but float along,
Who quit the fields of useful strife,
And make a childish toy of life,
Deem pleasure paradise enough,
And waste their hour at blind mans buzz"
And, catching shadows, wildly guess
Each phantom form is happiness;
But blind. see not her shining face,
And pass her in their hapless chase.
Meanwhile she laughs and sings for all
Who hear and heed her gracious call:
Go, seek me not with selfish breast,
To be alone of bliss possessed;
Your motive would defeat your aim:
To win me thus would change my name.
When thus pursued 1 rise and fly,
AS scared bird from hunters eye.
Go, see and hear, and taste and feel,
All God and nature will reveal;
But keep your spirits windows clean,
That visions may be clearly seen,
Lest in your twilight specters rise,
Or vices pose in virtues guise.
For truth and duty you must learn,
And real from the false discern.
You'll see me when your eyes are free
From coveting and jealousy.
Your gladdene1 ear will hear my voice,
When yours has made the sad rejoice.
You'll feel my presence when your hand
Has helped fallen one to stand.
You'll clasp me in rapt embrace,
When your love clasps the human race"
". r. w. Horton, in Western Rural.