ear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish, her election
Hath sealed thee for herself; for thou hast been
As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing,
A man that fortune's buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks; and bless'd are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee.

_William Shakespeare._

THE BARS OF FATE

"There ain't no such beast," ejaculated a farmer as he gazed at the
rhinoceros at a circus. His incredulity did not of course do away with
the existence of the creature. But our incredulity about many of our
difficulties will do away with them. They exist chiefly in our
imaginations.

I stood before the bars of Fate
And bowed my head disconsolate;
So high they seemed, so fierce their frown.
I thought no hand could break them down.

Beyond them I could hear the songs
Of valiant men who marched in throngs;
And joyful women, fair and free,
Looked back and waved their hands to me.

I did not cry "Too late! too late!"
Or strive to rise, or rail at Fate,
Or pray to God. My coward heart,
Contented, played its foolish part.

So still I sat, the tireless bee
Sped o'er my head, with scorn for me,
And birds who build their nests in air
Beheld me, as I were not there.

From twig to twig, before my face,
The spiders wove their curious lace,
As they a curtain fine would see
Between the hindering bars and me.

Then, sudden change! I heard the call
Of wind and wave and waterfall;
From heaven above and earth below
A clear command--"ARISE AND GO!"

I upward sprang in all my strength,
And stretched my eager hands at length
To break the bars--no bars were there;
My fingers fell through empty air!

_Ellen M.H. Gates._

From "To the Unborn Peoples."

ULTIMATE ACT

It is well to have purposes we can carry out. It is also well to have
purposes so lofty that we cannot carry them out; for these latter are
the mighty inner fires which warm our being at its core and without
which our impulse to do even the lesser things would be feeble.

I had rather cut man's purpose deeper than
Achieving it be crowned as conqueror;
To will divinely is to accomplish more