 | Tablets by A. Bronson Alcott |  |
151
THE SOUL'S ERRAND.
“Go, Soul, the Body's guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best,
The truth shall be thy warrant;
Go, since all else must die,
And give all else the lie.
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best,
The truth shall be thy warrant;
Go, since all else must die,
And give all else the lie.
Go tell the Court it glows
And shines like rotten wood;
Go tell the Church it shows
What's good, but does not good:
If Court and Church reply,
Give Court and Church the lie.
And shines like rotten wood;
Go tell the Church it shows
What's good, but does not good:
If Court and Church reply,
Give Court and Church the lie.
Tell Potentates they live
Acting, but base their actions;
Not loved, unless they give,
Nor strong, save by their factions:
If Potentates reply,
Give Potentates the lie.
Acting, but base their actions;
Not loved, unless they give,
Nor strong, save by their factions:
If Potentates reply,
Give Potentates the lie.
Tell men of high condition,
That rule affairs of state,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice chiefly hate:
And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
That rule affairs of state,
Their purpose is ambition,
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And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell those that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending;
Who, in their greatest cost,
Seek nothing but commending:
And if they make reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
They beg for more by spending;
Who, in their greatest cost,
Seek nothing but commending:
And if they make reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
Tell Zeal it lacks devotion;
Tell Love it is but lust;
Tell Time it is but motion;
Tell Help it is but dust:
And wish them no reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell Love it is but lust;
Tell Time it is but motion;
Tell Help it is but dust:
And wish them no reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell Age it daily wasteth;
Tell Honor how it alters;
Tell Beauty that it blasteth;
Tell Favor that she falters:
And as they do reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell Honor how it alters;
Tell Beauty that it blasteth;
Tell Favor that she falters:
And as they do reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell Wit how much she wrangles
In fickle points of niceness;
Tell Wisdom she entangles
Herself in over niceness;
And if they do reply
Then give them both the lie.
In fickle points of niceness;
Tell Wisdom she entangles
Herself in over niceness;
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Then give them both the lie.
Tell Physic of her boldness;
Tell Skill it is pretension;
Tell Charity of coldness;
Tell Law it is contention;
And if they yield reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell Skill it is pretension;
Tell Charity of coldness;
Tell Law it is contention;
And if they yield reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell Fortune of her blindness;
Tell Nature of decay;
Tell Friendship of unkindness;
Tell Justice of delay;
And if they do reply,
Then give them still the lie.
Tell Nature of decay;
Tell Friendship of unkindness;
Tell Justice of delay;
And if they do reply,
Then give them still the lie.
Tell Arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell Schools they lack profoundness
And stand too much on seeming:
If Arts and Schools reply,
Give Arts and Schools the lie.
But vary by esteeming;
Tell Schools they lack profoundness
And stand too much on seeming:
If Arts and Schools reply,
Give Arts and Schools the lie.
Tell Faith it's fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood, shakes off pity,
Tell Virtue least preferreth;
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood, shakes off pity,
Tell Virtue least preferreth;
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
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So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing;
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing;
Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soul can kill.”
Commanded thee, done blabbing;
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing;
Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soul can kill.”
| Tablets by A. Bronson Alcott | |