 | Studies from the Antique and Sketches from Nature |  |
247
VANITY LET IT BE.
Through wild-wood valleys roaming,
A maiden by my side,
I vowed to love her evermore,
My beautiful, my bride.
“All is vanity! vanity!”
A wise man said to me:
I pressed my true love's yielding hand,
And answered—frank and free—
“If this be vanity who'd be wise?
Vanity let it be!”
A maiden by my side,
I vowed to love her evermore,
My beautiful, my bride.
“All is vanity! vanity!”
A wise man said to me:
I pressed my true love's yielding hand,
And answered—frank and free—
“If this be vanity who'd be wise?
Vanity let it be!”
I sat with boon companions,
And quaffed the joyous wine,
We drank to Worth with three times three,
To Love with nine times nine.
“All is vanity! vanity!”
Said Wisdom, scorning me:
We filled our goblets once again,
And sang with hearty glee—
“If this be vanity, Hip! Hurrah!
Vanity let it be!”
And quaffed the joyous wine,
We drank to Worth with three times three,
To Love with nine times nine.
248
Said Wisdom, scorning me:
We filled our goblets once again,
And sang with hearty glee—
“If this be vanity, Hip! Hurrah!
Vanity let it be!”
| Studies from the Antique and Sketches from Nature | |