Though thy path be thorn and briar, Every step shall bring thee nigher To Creation's prize; With "Excelsior" on thy flag, Thou shalt tread the topmost crag, And soar into the skies. Higher, then, and always higher, Let thy motto be "Aspire!" Whosoe'er thou be; Holy liver! happy dier! Earth's poor best, and Heaven's quire, Are reserved for thee! + Providential Hints. WATCH little providences: if indeed Or less there be, or greater, in the sight Of Him who governs all by day and night, And sees the forest hidden in the seed: Of all that happens take thou reverent heed, That all is well, that thou art led by Love, And in thy travel trackest old footprints. + The Heart's Youthfulness. As by an effort only, reckoning o'er The fleeting years, and lives of other men, How life creeps on apace, and why and when Its changing phases should affect us more, We guess and gather doubtingly for me, : (Startled at times mine equals old to see) My heart is young as ever, full of mirth And buoyancy, too light and fresh and free And not grow grave: thrice happy is the man Whose spirit, feeling a Tithonic birth, Never grows old, rejoices where it can, And cares no more for Time than it is worta. Fraternal Egotism. NOT in self-seeking doth the Poet draw All spirits to all spirits are a law: Whatever any mind has seen or felt, That inner secret which in self he saw With genial utterance to his brother dealt Shall quicken him, and make his hardness melt, His passion thrill, his frozen feeling thaw, His solitude to brotherhood aspire : So then, accuse not as of mean design The generous fervour of poetic fire,— Such noble thoughts to nobler thoughts inspire. Calculated Comfort. RECOLLECT, as well you may, (You that pine and brood in sorrow) If there's little luck to-day, More is left to come to-morrow; Every present grows to past Almost while the grumbler heeds it; But, for pleasure made to last, Look to where the future feeds it. Coming chances must be more, (Reason will herself remind us,) And all prizes crowd before If the blanks are all behind us; Therefore never go downcast, But let cares sit all the lighter, Since a dark and luckless past Argues all the future brighter. |