Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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VENIT, VIDIT, VICIT!
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
VENIT, VIDIT, VICIT!
He came across the mountain, he came across the moor,
His heart was like a fountain, and if in vesture poor
Yet bubbled up with laughter and overflowed in joy
That lit the whole hereafter and made the earth its toy;
He chose the splendid chancing that kept his purpose strong;
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
His heart was like a fountain, and if in vesture poor
Yet bubbled up with laughter and overflowed in joy
That lit the whole hereafter and made the earth its toy;
He chose the splendid chancing that kept his purpose strong;
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
Beneath him spread the city in all its palaced pride,
Nor asked he man for pity, nor turned he once aside;
The world lay full before him, and heaven about him hung
Bright pictures to implore him, and he was free and strong;
New glories on him glancing concealed the crime and wrong,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
Nor asked he man for pity, nor turned he once aside;
The world lay full before him, and heaven about him hung
Bright pictures to implore him, and he was free and strong;
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And every step was dancing and every word a song.
Behind him now the squalor of cottage days grew dim,
And larger life through pallor of poverty to him
With golden promise pointed and opened wide its gate,
As if he were anointed for some imperial fate;
He heard the horses prancing, he saw the glittering throng,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
And larger life through pallor of poverty to him
With golden promise pointed and opened wide its gate,
As if he were anointed for some imperial fate;
He heard the horses prancing, he saw the glittering throng,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
He felt his spirit rising and equal to the hour,
And nothing was surprising when fancy burst in flower;
It seemed familiar beauty, it seemed his native land
That called him to the duty of some well known command;
It was his own advancing, which he had waited long,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
And nothing was surprising when fancy burst in flower;
It seemed familiar beauty, it seemed his native land
That called him to the duty of some well known command;
It was his own advancing, which he had waited long,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
The riches were his treasure, the gallant pomp his spoil,
Attending just his pleasure—the conquering of his toil;
He dreamed not of disaster, he would not brook a fall,
His faith was more than master of destiny and all;
The touch of its entrancing would break the captive thong,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
Attending just his pleasure—the conquering of his toil;
He dreamed not of disaster, he would not brook a fall,
His faith was more than master of destiny and all;
The touch of its entrancing would break the captive thong,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
But then he entered lightly the city and its crowd,
That yielded to him brightly as to the sun a cloud;
The years like moments hasted in visions of a dream,
No goodly work was wasted nor hope that had a gleam;
The real seemed but romancing, each struggle made him strong,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
That yielded to him brightly as to the sun a cloud;
The years like moments hasted in visions of a dream,
No goodly work was wasted nor hope that had a gleam;
The real seemed but romancing, each struggle made him strong,
And every step was dancing and every word a song.
| Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold | |