The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay With Illustrations by John Gilbert |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
WINE AND GLORY. |
 | The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay |  |
WINE AND GLORY.
I
A fly on the brink of a tankard was sippingThe rich mantling wave of the ripe Rhenish wine;
“Oh, what are you doing? you rush to your ruin!
“Be wise, foolish fly, and to reason incline!”
Thus argued another, careering in gladness
Around the bright flame of a taper afar.
“All drinking 's a folly, and brings melancholy;
“Take warning, and shun it, lost fly that you are!
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II
“Behold how a passion more noble should move you;“'Tis Glory alone has a charm in my eyes;
“Whatever betide me, its radiance shall guide me!
“Good bye, silly toper, and learn to be wise.”
Thus saying, he sported his wings for a minute,
Then flew to the light that so tempted his gaze;
But burning his pinions in Glory's dominions,
He fell in the candle, and died in the blaze.
III
“Alas!” said the fly that was perch'd on the tankard,“Can aught for the want of self-knowledge atone?
“We rail against others, see faults in our brothers,
“And blame every folly and vice but our own.”
But whether this fly was converted from toping,
Or led a new life, is not easy to say;
But if flies are like drinkers 'mong two-legged thinkers,
'Tis likely he sips the red wine to this day!
| The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay | |