FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   >>  
ng low. O Hesperus! O happy star! to bend O'er Helen's bosom in the tranced west-- To watch the hours heave by upon her breast And at her parted lip for dreams attend: If dawn defraud thee, how shall I be deem'd. Who house within that bosom, and am dreamed? CHANT ROYAL OF HIGH VIRTUE Who lives in suit of armour pent And hides himself behind a wall, For him is not the great event, The garland nor the Capitol. And is God's guerdon less than they? Nay, moral man, I tell thee Nay: Nor shall the flaming forts be won By sneaking negatives alone, By Lenten fast or Ramazan; But by the challenge proudly thrown-- _Virtue is that becrowns a Man!_ God, in His Palace resident Of Bliss, beheld our sinful ball, And charged His own Son innocent Us to redeem from Adam's fall. "Yet must it be that men Thee slay." "Yea, tho' it must, must I obey," Said Christ; and came, His royal Son, To die, and dying to atone For harlot, thief, and publican. Read on that rood He died upon-- _Virtue is that becrowns a Man!_ Beneath that rood where He was bent I saw the world's great captains all Pass riding home from tournament Adown the road from Roncesvalles-- Lord Charlemagne, in one array Lords Caesar, Cyrus, Attila, Lord Alisaundre of Macedon ... With flame on lance and habergeon They passed, and to the rataplan Of drums gave salutation-- _"Virtue is that becrowns a Man!"_ Had tall Achilles lounged in tent For aye, and Xanthus neigh'd in stall, The towers of Troy had ne'er been shent, Nor stay'd the dance in Priam's hall. Bend o'er thy book till thou be grey, Read, mark, perpend, digest, survey, Instruct thee deep as Solomon, One only chapter thou canst con, One lesson learn, one sentence scan, One title and one colophon-- _Virtue is that becrowns a Man!_ High Virtue's best is eloquent With spur and not with martingall: Swear not to her thou'rt continent: BE COURTEOUS, BRAVE, AND LIBERAL. God fashion'd thee of chosen clay For service, nor did ever say, "Deny thee this," "Abstain from yon," But to inure thee, thew and bone. To be confirmed of the clan That made immortal Marathon-- _Virtue is that becrowns a Man!_ ENVOY Young Knight, the lists are set to-day! Hereafter shall be time to pray In sepulture, with hands of stone. Ride, then! outride the bugle blown! And gaily dinging down the van, Charge with a cheer--_"S
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   >>  



Top keywords:
Virtue
 

becrowns

 

digest

 
perpend
 

survey

 
Instruct
 

Hesperus

 

Solomon

 

sentence

 

colophon


lesson

 
chapter
 

salutation

 

Achilles

 

rataplan

 

passed

 

habergeon

 

lounged

 

Xanthus

 
towers

Hereafter

 

Marathon

 
immortal
 

Knight

 

sepulture

 

dinging

 

Charge

 
outride
 

COURTEOUS

 
LIBERAL

chosen

 

fashion

 

continent

 

Macedon

 
martingall
 

service

 

confirmed

 
Abstain
 

eloquent

 

sneaking


negatives

 
Lenten
 

flaming

 

attend

 

dreams

 

Palace

 

breast

 

resident

 

beheld

 

parted