 | Reverberations |  |
41
Prelude.
OUR AGE.
Friends! ye overpraise the times of old,
And ye languish o'er a dead ideal;
If we cannot boast an age of gold,
Men and women yet, thank God, are real!
And ye languish o'er a dead ideal;
If we cannot boast an age of gold,
Men and women yet, thank God, are real!
Knighthood, noble action, simple faith,
Regal Church and soldier King delight you;
But a royal life and knightly death,
Even in this age of prose, invite you.
Regal Church and soldier King delight you;
But a royal life and knightly death,
Even in this age of prose, invite you.
Think not that old pieties are fled,—
Think not faith and love can ever perish;
Do not mourn that the old forms are dead,
But the enduring spirit seek and cherish.
Think not faith and love can ever perish;
Do not mourn that the old forms are dead,
But the enduring spirit seek and cherish.
Trust the soul that dwells in every soul,
Into one brave friendship let men enter;
All the stars and planets, as they roll,
Find in one great sun their common centre.
Into one brave friendship let men enter;
All the stars and planets, as they roll,
Find in one great sun their common centre.
42
Gather up the coloured rays ere night,
Save them ere they fade from earth unheeded;
Mould them into pure creative light:
Never, never was that light more needed.
Save them ere they fade from earth unheeded;
Mould them into pure creative light:
Never, never was that light more needed.
Wander through the many winding ways
Of sweet thought, dissolved to feeling sweeter;
Flash the truth from swift and fiery lays,
Smooth rude passion into flowing metre.
Of sweet thought, dissolved to feeling sweeter;
Flash the truth from swift and fiery lays,
Smooth rude passion into flowing metre.
Wise and noble action is for man,
Healthy work for all, that none may sorrow;
He alone reveres the world's large plan,
Who with cheerful brow salutes the morrow.
Healthy work for all, that none may sorrow;
He alone reveres the world's large plan,
Who with cheerful brow salutes the morrow.
We are children of the ages past,
Trust me, friends, a right good time is ours:
Here is work that brings glad rest at last;
Here are hopes that bear immortal flowers.
Trust me, friends, a right good time is ours:
Here is work that brings glad rest at last;
Here are hopes that bear immortal flowers.
Crown and crosier, sword and lyre, are gone,
But a summer dawns when spring is failing;
And majestic days are marching on,
To reproach us for our weak bewailing.
But a summer dawns when spring is failing;
And majestic days are marching on,
To reproach us for our weak bewailing.
Truer Church shall be than in old times,
Lordlier governance shall bless the nations,
Sweeter lips shall murmur sweeter rhymes,
Life shall give us holier revelations.
Lordlier governance shall bless the nations,
Sweeter lips shall murmur sweeter rhymes,
Life shall give us holier revelations.
43
Courage! ye that praise the days of old;
Ye that languish o'er a dead ideal;
If we cannot boast an age of gold,
Men and women yet, thank God, are real!
Ye that languish o'er a dead ideal;
If we cannot boast an age of gold,
Men and women yet, thank God, are real!
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