 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
LAUGHING PHILOSOPHY.
(“Life is to those who think a comedy.”)
Cares and snares are like a fetter
On the person and the purse,
But no moping makes us better,
It can only edge the curse;
Men are born to toils and trials,
And they may not banish fears,
Though the trouble of denials
Never was improved by tears;
Sorrow is the soul's anointing,
Pain our portion—more than half,
Every day is disappointing—
Therefore live and laugh.
On the person and the purse,
But no moping makes us better,
It can only edge the curse;
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And they may not banish fears,
Though the trouble of denials
Never was improved by tears;
Sorrow is the soul's anointing,
Pain our portion—more than half,
Every day is disappointing—
Therefore live and laugh.
Woes will come, and death is master
Over our poor bodies' ill,
But we yet may turn disaster
Into gain, by gallant will;
We may pluck a song from sadness,
Of which pleasure is not lord,
For the neck find wreath of gladness,
If within the hangman's cord;
But there is no food in fretting,
No despair doth comfort give,
Like the wisdom of forgetting,
Therefore laugh and live.
Over our poor bodies' ill,
But we yet may turn disaster
Into gain, by gallant will;
We may pluck a song from sadness,
Of which pleasure is not lord,
For the neck find wreath of gladness,
If within the hangman's cord;
But there is no food in fretting,
No despair doth comfort give,
Like the wisdom of forgetting,
Therefore laugh and live.
Some may reap a larger measure
Of the fishes and State loaf,
But a cheery heart is treasure
Shared alike by earl and oaf;
Some have meat without the gravy,
Some must merely drumsticks eat,
But the best confess Peccavi,
And the Devil cannot cheat;
Be not dragged by bane or Berry,
As to slaughter house a calf
Tamely, while you may be merry—
Therefore live and laugh.
Of the fishes and State loaf,
But a cheery heart is treasure
Shared alike by earl and oaf;
Some have meat without the gravy,
Some must merely drumsticks eat,
But the best confess Peccavi,
And the Devil cannot cheat;
Be not dragged by bane or Berry,
As to slaughter house a calf
Tamely, while you may be merry—
Therefore live and laugh.
Comes to all the ultimatum,
That snuffs out the Royal gas;
Vanitas O vanitatum,
Omnia sunt vanitas!
But, though every one is mortal,
Young as old, even prolix Pat
Ever knocking at our portal,
Do not be disturbed by that;
God is good—aye, God is better
Than the system or the sieve,
Which but keeps the lying letter—
Therefore laugh and live.
That snuffs out the Royal gas;
Vanitas O vanitatum,
Omnia sunt vanitas!
But, though every one is mortal,
Young as old, even prolix Pat
Ever knocking at our portal,
Do not be disturbed by that;
God is good—aye, God is better
Than the system or the sieve,
Which but keeps the lying letter—
Therefore laugh and live.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |