THE VALLEY OF LIFE.Inthe still midnight hour I sat aloneWithin my chamber, sunk in reverie,No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushedIn silence and in sleep, the light near done,A dim uncertain flickering threw around.The waning fire was but a heap of ashes,While there and there a feeble red remained,That now and then threw out a fitful gleam.Something like slumber fell upon my eyes,And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily,As, in the early grey of morn, the mists,Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep,Ere they dissolve before the sun away.Remembrance cannot all its features tell,Though vivid and particular they seemedWhen that dread vision on my senses came,And I could trace the shadowy details,As one might mark a phantom army marchO'er its last field of battle, ere it passed,Into obscurity,—could note it then,—But afterwards cannot recall the place,Order and rank, of each brigade and file.Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top,And overlooked a vast and fertile plainPeopled with many multitudes,—there metMen of all tribes and nations that the globeHolds in its wide extent, of every kind,The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro,The red American and Caucasian fair.Among them Evil strode ubiquitous,And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came.Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before,With angel face and soft alluring eyes,While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and PainFollowed incessantly, and left on allTheir mark impressed as with hot iron seared.As then I looked upon the scene below,Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came,And she came everywhere,—no spot escaped,—That many, most indeed of these vast crowds,Themselves threw madly in her way, and soughtTo win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous;And once within her meshes, few had willTo fly them, or to manfully resist,As a strong man confronts his enemy,And strives to overthrow him where they meet;—And she the while assumed all shapes and moodsThat suited were to their intents and aims,For, with a penetrating eye precise,Intuitively still their minds she knew,Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,—As snares in readiness she had for all,—The very guise adapted for their lure,But carefully concealed the stings they bore.Disease and sorrow on her victims fell,Too late they felt the curse that is entailedOn all who to the Tempter yield, and thusBecome an early prey to Evil, whoseInheritance is misery and woe.And I beheld some 'mongst the various crowdsWho stood aloof from her, and would not beEntangled with her witcheries or wiles.These with a resolute will refused to comeWithin her reach, and so escaped the firstOf Evil's followers, Guilt, though more or less,They had their share of what the others leftBehind,—Care, Pain, and Anguish,—for the doomPronounced on Man was on them, but they knewThat these, to all who hold out to the end,With a pure conscience and unspotted mind,To their endurance will be tempered still,And, in due season, turn to lasting good,Which to their spirits consolation brought.The valley watered was with goodly rivers,Upon the banks of which were many met.Prudence was one, and on its grassy sidesSat some who, calculating every chance,A deaf ear to Temptation, when she came,Turned, unseduced from their proprieties.Repentance was another, near it layThose who Remorse felt and a wounded spirit,Seeking relief from agonising thoughtAnd racking self-reproach. Beyond these twoWas Perseverance, where returning healthWas found by all who there due time remained.And farther still, with borders ever green,And fresh flowers ever springing, ever new,Were two sweet rills, Virtue and Faith their names,Where peace of mind was known and purity:And those who sought their banks,—they were not few,Though, midst the mighty myriads around,They seemed but small in number and select,—Remained unshaken in their constancy,Resisting all enticements of the Tempter,And gladly following the path of duty,Which brought to them a sure and high reward.On these, whate'er their griefs and trials were,And they had many, to refine their souls,And make them nobler after victory,Enduring hope and perfect peace abode.But whereso'er I looked besides, was seenThe power of Ill, shedding on all who boreThe fated impress of humanity,Torment and fear, and bitter agony,And pain intolerable,—At the sightMy spirit shrank, and, starting, I awoke!
Inthe still midnight hour I sat aloneWithin my chamber, sunk in reverie,No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushedIn silence and in sleep, the light near done,A dim uncertain flickering threw around.The waning fire was but a heap of ashes,While there and there a feeble red remained,That now and then threw out a fitful gleam.Something like slumber fell upon my eyes,And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily,As, in the early grey of morn, the mists,Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep,Ere they dissolve before the sun away.Remembrance cannot all its features tell,Though vivid and particular they seemedWhen that dread vision on my senses came,And I could trace the shadowy details,As one might mark a phantom army marchO'er its last field of battle, ere it passed,Into obscurity,—could note it then,—But afterwards cannot recall the place,Order and rank, of each brigade and file.Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top,And overlooked a vast and fertile plainPeopled with many multitudes,—there metMen of all tribes and nations that the globeHolds in its wide extent, of every kind,The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro,The red American and Caucasian fair.Among them Evil strode ubiquitous,And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came.Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before,With angel face and soft alluring eyes,While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and PainFollowed incessantly, and left on allTheir mark impressed as with hot iron seared.As then I looked upon the scene below,Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came,And she came everywhere,—no spot escaped,—That many, most indeed of these vast crowds,Themselves threw madly in her way, and soughtTo win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous;And once within her meshes, few had willTo fly them, or to manfully resist,As a strong man confronts his enemy,And strives to overthrow him where they meet;—And she the while assumed all shapes and moodsThat suited were to their intents and aims,For, with a penetrating eye precise,Intuitively still their minds she knew,Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,—As snares in readiness she had for all,—The very guise adapted for their lure,But carefully concealed the stings they bore.Disease and sorrow on her victims fell,Too late they felt the curse that is entailedOn all who to the Tempter yield, and thusBecome an early prey to Evil, whoseInheritance is misery and woe.And I beheld some 'mongst the various crowdsWho stood aloof from her, and would not beEntangled with her witcheries or wiles.These with a resolute will refused to comeWithin her reach, and so escaped the firstOf Evil's followers, Guilt, though more or less,They had their share of what the others leftBehind,—Care, Pain, and Anguish,—for the doomPronounced on Man was on them, but they knewThat these, to all who hold out to the end,With a pure conscience and unspotted mind,To their endurance will be tempered still,And, in due season, turn to lasting good,Which to their spirits consolation brought.The valley watered was with goodly rivers,Upon the banks of which were many met.Prudence was one, and on its grassy sidesSat some who, calculating every chance,A deaf ear to Temptation, when she came,Turned, unseduced from their proprieties.Repentance was another, near it layThose who Remorse felt and a wounded spirit,Seeking relief from agonising thoughtAnd racking self-reproach. Beyond these twoWas Perseverance, where returning healthWas found by all who there due time remained.And farther still, with borders ever green,And fresh flowers ever springing, ever new,Were two sweet rills, Virtue and Faith their names,Where peace of mind was known and purity:And those who sought their banks,—they were not few,Though, midst the mighty myriads around,They seemed but small in number and select,—Remained unshaken in their constancy,Resisting all enticements of the Tempter,And gladly following the path of duty,Which brought to them a sure and high reward.On these, whate'er their griefs and trials were,And they had many, to refine their souls,And make them nobler after victory,Enduring hope and perfect peace abode.But whereso'er I looked besides, was seenThe power of Ill, shedding on all who boreThe fated impress of humanity,Torment and fear, and bitter agony,And pain intolerable,—At the sightMy spirit shrank, and, starting, I awoke!
Inthe still midnight hour I sat aloneWithin my chamber, sunk in reverie,No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushedIn silence and in sleep, the light near done,A dim uncertain flickering threw around.The waning fire was but a heap of ashes,While there and there a feeble red remained,That now and then threw out a fitful gleam.Something like slumber fell upon my eyes,And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily,As, in the early grey of morn, the mists,Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep,Ere they dissolve before the sun away.Remembrance cannot all its features tell,Though vivid and particular they seemedWhen that dread vision on my senses came,And I could trace the shadowy details,As one might mark a phantom army marchO'er its last field of battle, ere it passed,Into obscurity,—could note it then,—But afterwards cannot recall the place,Order and rank, of each brigade and file.Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top,And overlooked a vast and fertile plainPeopled with many multitudes,—there metMen of all tribes and nations that the globeHolds in its wide extent, of every kind,The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro,The red American and Caucasian fair.Among them Evil strode ubiquitous,And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came.Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before,With angel face and soft alluring eyes,While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and PainFollowed incessantly, and left on allTheir mark impressed as with hot iron seared.As then I looked upon the scene below,Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came,And she came everywhere,—no spot escaped,—That many, most indeed of these vast crowds,Themselves threw madly in her way, and soughtTo win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous;And once within her meshes, few had willTo fly them, or to manfully resist,As a strong man confronts his enemy,And strives to overthrow him where they meet;—And she the while assumed all shapes and moodsThat suited were to their intents and aims,For, with a penetrating eye precise,Intuitively still their minds she knew,Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,—As snares in readiness she had for all,—The very guise adapted for their lure,But carefully concealed the stings they bore.Disease and sorrow on her victims fell,Too late they felt the curse that is entailedOn all who to the Tempter yield, and thusBecome an early prey to Evil, whoseInheritance is misery and woe.And I beheld some 'mongst the various crowdsWho stood aloof from her, and would not beEntangled with her witcheries or wiles.These with a resolute will refused to comeWithin her reach, and so escaped the firstOf Evil's followers, Guilt, though more or less,They had their share of what the others leftBehind,—Care, Pain, and Anguish,—for the doomPronounced on Man was on them, but they knewThat these, to all who hold out to the end,With a pure conscience and unspotted mind,To their endurance will be tempered still,And, in due season, turn to lasting good,Which to their spirits consolation brought.The valley watered was with goodly rivers,Upon the banks of which were many met.Prudence was one, and on its grassy sidesSat some who, calculating every chance,A deaf ear to Temptation, when she came,Turned, unseduced from their proprieties.Repentance was another, near it layThose who Remorse felt and a wounded spirit,Seeking relief from agonising thoughtAnd racking self-reproach. Beyond these twoWas Perseverance, where returning healthWas found by all who there due time remained.And farther still, with borders ever green,And fresh flowers ever springing, ever new,Were two sweet rills, Virtue and Faith their names,Where peace of mind was known and purity:And those who sought their banks,—they were not few,Though, midst the mighty myriads around,They seemed but small in number and select,—Remained unshaken in their constancy,Resisting all enticements of the Tempter,And gladly following the path of duty,Which brought to them a sure and high reward.On these, whate'er their griefs and trials were,And they had many, to refine their souls,And make them nobler after victory,Enduring hope and perfect peace abode.But whereso'er I looked besides, was seenThe power of Ill, shedding on all who boreThe fated impress of humanity,Torment and fear, and bitter agony,And pain intolerable,—At the sightMy spirit shrank, and, starting, I awoke!
Inthe still midnight hour I sat aloneWithin my chamber, sunk in reverie,No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushedIn silence and in sleep, the light near done,A dim uncertain flickering threw around.The waning fire was but a heap of ashes,While there and there a feeble red remained,That now and then threw out a fitful gleam.Something like slumber fell upon my eyes,And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily,As, in the early grey of morn, the mists,Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep,Ere they dissolve before the sun away.Remembrance cannot all its features tell,Though vivid and particular they seemedWhen that dread vision on my senses came,And I could trace the shadowy details,As one might mark a phantom army marchO'er its last field of battle, ere it passed,Into obscurity,—could note it then,—But afterwards cannot recall the place,Order and rank, of each brigade and file.
Inthe still midnight hour I sat alone
Within my chamber, sunk in reverie,
No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushed
In silence and in sleep, the light near done,
A dim uncertain flickering threw around.
The waning fire was but a heap of ashes,
While there and there a feeble red remained,
That now and then threw out a fitful gleam.
Something like slumber fell upon my eyes,
And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily,
As, in the early grey of morn, the mists,
Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep,
Ere they dissolve before the sun away.
Remembrance cannot all its features tell,
Though vivid and particular they seemed
When that dread vision on my senses came,
And I could trace the shadowy details,
As one might mark a phantom army march
O'er its last field of battle, ere it passed,
Into obscurity,—could note it then,—
But afterwards cannot recall the place,
Order and rank, of each brigade and file.
Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top,And overlooked a vast and fertile plainPeopled with many multitudes,—there metMen of all tribes and nations that the globeHolds in its wide extent, of every kind,The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro,The red American and Caucasian fair.Among them Evil strode ubiquitous,And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came.Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before,With angel face and soft alluring eyes,While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and PainFollowed incessantly, and left on allTheir mark impressed as with hot iron seared.As then I looked upon the scene below,Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came,And she came everywhere,—no spot escaped,—That many, most indeed of these vast crowds,Themselves threw madly in her way, and soughtTo win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous;And once within her meshes, few had willTo fly them, or to manfully resist,As a strong man confronts his enemy,And strives to overthrow him where they meet;—And she the while assumed all shapes and moodsThat suited were to their intents and aims,For, with a penetrating eye precise,Intuitively still their minds she knew,Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,—As snares in readiness she had for all,—The very guise adapted for their lure,But carefully concealed the stings they bore.
Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top,
And overlooked a vast and fertile plain
Peopled with many multitudes,—there met
Men of all tribes and nations that the globe
Holds in its wide extent, of every kind,
The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro,
The red American and Caucasian fair.
Among them Evil strode ubiquitous,
And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came.
Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before,
With angel face and soft alluring eyes,
While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and Pain
Followed incessantly, and left on all
Their mark impressed as with hot iron seared.
As then I looked upon the scene below,
Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came,
And she came everywhere,—no spot escaped,—
That many, most indeed of these vast crowds,
Themselves threw madly in her way, and sought
To win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous;
And once within her meshes, few had will
To fly them, or to manfully resist,
As a strong man confronts his enemy,
And strives to overthrow him where they meet;—
And she the while assumed all shapes and moods
That suited were to their intents and aims,
For, with a penetrating eye precise,
Intuitively still their minds she knew,
Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,—
As snares in readiness she had for all,—
The very guise adapted for their lure,
But carefully concealed the stings they bore.
Disease and sorrow on her victims fell,Too late they felt the curse that is entailedOn all who to the Tempter yield, and thusBecome an early prey to Evil, whoseInheritance is misery and woe.
Disease and sorrow on her victims fell,
Too late they felt the curse that is entailed
On all who to the Tempter yield, and thus
Become an early prey to Evil, whose
Inheritance is misery and woe.
And I beheld some 'mongst the various crowdsWho stood aloof from her, and would not beEntangled with her witcheries or wiles.These with a resolute will refused to comeWithin her reach, and so escaped the firstOf Evil's followers, Guilt, though more or less,They had their share of what the others leftBehind,—Care, Pain, and Anguish,—for the doomPronounced on Man was on them, but they knewThat these, to all who hold out to the end,With a pure conscience and unspotted mind,To their endurance will be tempered still,And, in due season, turn to lasting good,Which to their spirits consolation brought.
And I beheld some 'mongst the various crowds
Who stood aloof from her, and would not be
Entangled with her witcheries or wiles.
These with a resolute will refused to come
Within her reach, and so escaped the first
Of Evil's followers, Guilt, though more or less,
They had their share of what the others left
Behind,—Care, Pain, and Anguish,—for the doom
Pronounced on Man was on them, but they knew
That these, to all who hold out to the end,
With a pure conscience and unspotted mind,
To their endurance will be tempered still,
And, in due season, turn to lasting good,
Which to their spirits consolation brought.
The valley watered was with goodly rivers,Upon the banks of which were many met.Prudence was one, and on its grassy sidesSat some who, calculating every chance,A deaf ear to Temptation, when she came,Turned, unseduced from their proprieties.Repentance was another, near it layThose who Remorse felt and a wounded spirit,Seeking relief from agonising thoughtAnd racking self-reproach. Beyond these twoWas Perseverance, where returning healthWas found by all who there due time remained.And farther still, with borders ever green,And fresh flowers ever springing, ever new,Were two sweet rills, Virtue and Faith their names,Where peace of mind was known and purity:And those who sought their banks,—they were not few,Though, midst the mighty myriads around,They seemed but small in number and select,—Remained unshaken in their constancy,Resisting all enticements of the Tempter,And gladly following the path of duty,Which brought to them a sure and high reward.On these, whate'er their griefs and trials were,And they had many, to refine their souls,And make them nobler after victory,Enduring hope and perfect peace abode.But whereso'er I looked besides, was seenThe power of Ill, shedding on all who boreThe fated impress of humanity,Torment and fear, and bitter agony,And pain intolerable,—At the sightMy spirit shrank, and, starting, I awoke!
The valley watered was with goodly rivers,
Upon the banks of which were many met.
Prudence was one, and on its grassy sides
Sat some who, calculating every chance,
A deaf ear to Temptation, when she came,
Turned, unseduced from their proprieties.
Repentance was another, near it lay
Those who Remorse felt and a wounded spirit,
Seeking relief from agonising thought
And racking self-reproach. Beyond these two
Was Perseverance, where returning health
Was found by all who there due time remained.
And farther still, with borders ever green,
And fresh flowers ever springing, ever new,
Were two sweet rills, Virtue and Faith their names,
Where peace of mind was known and purity:
And those who sought their banks,—they were not few,
Though, midst the mighty myriads around,
They seemed but small in number and select,—
Remained unshaken in their constancy,
Resisting all enticements of the Tempter,
And gladly following the path of duty,
Which brought to them a sure and high reward.
On these, whate'er their griefs and trials were,
And they had many, to refine their souls,
And make them nobler after victory,
Enduring hope and perfect peace abode.
But whereso'er I looked besides, was seen
The power of Ill, shedding on all who bore
The fated impress of humanity,
Torment and fear, and bitter agony,
And pain intolerable,—At the sight
My spirit shrank, and, starting, I awoke!