Madmoments: or First Verseattempts By a Bornnatural. Addressed to the Lightheaded of Society at Large, by Henry Ellison |
 | I. |
|
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| II. |
|
ON SELFISHNESS. |
|
 | Madmoments: or First Verseattempts |  |
ON SELFISHNESS.
If Men act selfishly towards thee doNot let that make thee selfish: let it be
A Spur to further Good, that all may see
Thus thy Disinterestedness, unto
Still greater Sacrifices, 'till that thro'
Constant Selfsacrifice it grow to thee
None, as to God, who gives all and so free-
Ly, even his own Spirit! and have you
Not still a full Reward e'en when Men pay
Thee with Ingratitude? hast thou not still
Thy godlike Feelings, pure Heart and strong Will?
Then do not Good alone, but go, I say,
One, one Step further, pardon those who ill-
Requite thee, let the Injury pass away,
Like to a Cloud from yon' eternal Blue,
So from thy Soul—for as that Cloud the Day,
So ill Thoughts bar the spiritual Ray
Of God's own Light—thus, like Him, wilt thou do
Good for itself, and like Him pardoning too
Thine Enemies will have none more, nor see
In their Ingratitude the Ill done thee
But that alone which to themselves is done,
For if thou thinkëst thus to thee is none!
| Madmoments: or First Verseattempts | |