 | Thoughts in Verse |  |
TRUE NOBILITY.
To the Teachers of Georgia, May, 1887. Atlanta.
Plutarch's Lives of Men, in story,
Bring instruction to our minds;
There we learn of men of glory—
Men who lived in other climes.
Youth were there of noble bearing,
Youth were there of nobler heart,
Who took great delight in sharing
In life's war a heroes' part.
Bring instruction to our minds;
There we learn of men of glory—
Men who lived in other climes.
Youth were there of noble bearing,
Youth were there of nobler heart,
Who took great delight in sharing
In life's war a heroes' part.
There is one, about the races,
And the games of other days;
Where a lesson sage he traces
From their conduct at the plays.
His comparisons are rigid;
His deductions are concise;
And he counts all men invalid,
Who are not both true and wise.
And the games of other days;
Where a lesson sage he traces
From their conduct at the plays.
His comparisons are rigid;
His deductions are concise;
And he counts all men invalid,
Who are not both true and wise.
83
Listen! I will tell the story
Which we glean from history's page,
Of Athenian pride and folly,
And a stranger bent with age.
Also, of true Spartan manhood,
Which is better far than pride;
More to be desired than rubies,—
Yes, than all the world beside.
Which we glean from history's page,
Of Athenian pride and folly,
And a stranger bent with age.
Also, of true Spartan manhood,
Which is better far than pride;
More to be desired than rubies,—
Yes, than all the world beside.
Day of joy and pride in Athens;
Youth and maidens in full glee;
Subjects rare, of vast importance,
Cæsar great and Sophocles
Are discussed by strong debaters,
Ready with their war of words,—
Like contestants in the races,—
Fleet and strong as eagle-bird.
Youth and maidens in full glee;
Subjects rare, of vast importance,
Cæsar great and Sophocles
Are discussed by strong debaters,
Ready with their war of words,—
Like contestants in the races,—
Fleet and strong as eagle-bird.
In the crowded amphitheatre,
Lords and ladies sit and gaze,
Dressed like kings, and queen's of fairies,
In the palmy olden days;
Courtiers grand, of every station;—
But the thoughts of all are kin,—
Faces beam with expectation
As activities begin.
Lords and ladies sit and gaze,
Dressed like kings, and queen's of fairies,
In the palmy olden days;
Courtiers grand, of every station;—
But the thoughts of all are kin,—
Faces beam with expectation
As activities begin.
Each desirous that his favorite
Horse or wrestler win a prize;
Each is filled with keen excitement,
Bated breath and anxious eyes.
Hear them cheer the strong and wary!
Little pity for the weak!
Strength and fortitude will carry
All of worth for which they seek.
Horse or wrestler win a prize;
Each is filled with keen excitement,
Bated breath and anxious eyes.
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Little pity for the weak!
Strength and fortitude will carry
All of worth for which they seek.
See! there comes an aged stranger,
With a form bent low with years;
And his locks are white and silvery—
Plebeian is the dress he wears.
Slow his step; he's lame and weary,
From his journey from afar,
Yet his countenance is cheery,
For his eyes shine like a star.
With a form bent low with years;
And his locks are white and silvery—
Plebeian is the dress he wears.
Slow his step; he's lame and weary,
From his journey from afar,
Yet his countenance is cheery,
For his eyes shine like a star.
Shining with the light of wisdom,—
Learning, knowledge, faith and truth;
Wise his mien, like Sage of Hebron,
Who remembered God from youth.
Low he bows to young Athenians—
They a haughty bow return;
Slighted is the aged Lydian,—
Sense of slight within him burns.
Learning, knowledge, faith and truth;
Wise his mien, like Sage of Hebron,
Who remembered God from youth.
Low he bows to young Athenians—
They a haughty bow return;
Slighted is the aged Lydian,—
Sense of slight within him burns.
For they knew full well his mission,—
As a guest to them he came,
Pride and scorn meet his condition,
Though he's old, and weak, and lame.
Tired he is, but no one asks him
To be seated; “Will you rest”?
But with proud disdain repulse him,
Thus their breeding low confessed.
As a guest to them he came,
Pride and scorn meet his condition,
Though he's old, and weak, and lame.
Tired he is, but no one asks him
To be seated; “Will you rest”?
But with proud disdain repulse him,
Thus their breeding low confessed.
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Proud are these Athenian grandees,
And they hold themselves aloof,—
Must not stoop below their circle
Of their standing “airs” is proof.
Spartans wait the coming contests,
Not with proud and haughty mien;
Spite of dress of jean and homespun,
True nobility is seen.
And they hold themselves aloof,—
Must not stoop below their circle
Of their standing “airs” is proof.
Spartans wait the coming contests,
Not with proud and haughty mien;
Spite of dress of jean and homespun,
True nobility is seen.
Men, a king might well do homage;
Men of character and worth!
Men, hard-handed, full of courage
Heroes true, of noble birth.
They have come to see the races;
Come to spend a holiday;
Come to study forms and faces,
Speech, and tragedy and play.
Men of character and worth!
Men, hard-handed, full of courage
Heroes true, of noble birth.
They have come to see the races;
Come to spend a holiday;
Come to study forms and faces,
Speech, and tragedy and play.
Toward the lowly seat, where Spartans,
Noble in their meekness sat,
Calmly walked the aged Lydian,
And each Spartan raised his hat—
Rose with one accord, to meet him
Gallantly, as if a king,
Covered o'er with royal vestments,
They to court were welcoming.
Noble in their meekness sat,
Calmly walked the aged Lydian,
And each Spartan raised his hat—
Rose with one accord, to meet him
Gallantly, as if a king,
Covered o'er with royal vestments,
They to court were welcoming.
“Come, my father, pray be seated!
Thou art weary; rest thee here!
Take my seat!” each one entreated—
“Be at ease; be of good cheer!
Welcome, welcome, to the stranger,
Blessed of God with length of days;
Honor be to age! my grandsire
Come, and welcome!” each one says.
Thou art weary; rest thee here!
Take my seat!” each one entreated—
“Be at ease; be of good cheer!
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Blessed of God with length of days;
Honor be to age! my grandsire
Come, and welcome!” each one says.
With that dignity which old age
Always lends, the Sage replies:
“True nobility and courage
In the willing action lies.
Wisdom in its highest nature
Is an inborn principle;
Not veneer—a foreign creature—
But a springing fountain-well.
Always lends, the Sage replies:
“True nobility and courage
In the willing action lies.
Wisdom in its highest nature
Is an inborn principle;
Not veneer—a foreign creature—
But a springing fountain-well.
Long live Sparta! Long live Sparta!
Let Athenians wisdom learn,
From the noble youth of Sparta!
In their hearts true wisdom burns.
Ye say, “Give the head that's hoary
All the honor that is due,
But your words, like fiction's story,
Is, when matched with life—untrue!”
Let Athenians wisdom learn,
From the noble youth of Sparta!
In their hearts true wisdom burns.
Ye say, “Give the head that's hoary
All the honor that is due,
But your words, like fiction's story,
Is, when matched with life—untrue!”
Moral.
Spurious gems are always plenteous,
But the genuine are few.
Precepts teach us to be virtuous;
Practice is the work we do.
Not enough to know the precept,
And with eloquence to preach;
We with earnestness must practice
Always what the precepts teach.
But the genuine are few.
Precepts teach us to be virtuous;
Practice is the work we do.
Not enough to know the precept,
And with eloquence to preach;
We with earnestness must practice
Always what the precepts teach.
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Noble band of earnest teachers,
From this scene a lesson take:
Be not only able preachers,
But in practice progress make.
Teach by precept and example,
In the day and in the night,
Follow e'er the Great Exemplar!
And thy evening shall be light!
From this scene a lesson take:
Be not only able preachers,
But in practice progress make.
Teach by precept and example,
In the day and in the night,
Follow e'er the Great Exemplar!
And thy evening shall be light!
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