 | Moral songs |  |
RICH AND POOR.
The rich man's house stands high and fair,
With tall trees over head,
And winding walks, and gardens rare,
And wild woods round it spread.
With tall trees over head,
And winding walks, and gardens rare,
And wild woods round it spread.
Beside his gate stands snug and small,
The poor man's cottage neat,
With jasmine nailed against the wall,
And rows of roses sweet.
The poor man's cottage neat,
With jasmine nailed against the wall,
And rows of roses sweet.
The rich man rideth far, and late,
Around his wide domain,
And servants tall his bidding wait
And take his bridle rein.
Around his wide domain,
And servants tall his bidding wait
And take his bridle rein.
The poor man cometh home at night,
His spade across his arm;
His wife has swept the hearthstone bright,
And kept his supper warm.
His spade across his arm;
His wife has swept the hearthstone bright,
And kept his supper warm.
Within the rich man's lordly halls,
Young footsteps lightly trip,
And there the sweetest music falls
From childhood's rosy lip.
Young footsteps lightly trip,
And there the sweetest music falls
From childhood's rosy lip.
And little arms as fondly meet
The poor man's neck around;
As merrily his children's feet
Along the red tiles sound.
The poor man's neck around;
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Along the red tiles sound.
The rich man hath his many friends,
And some are true, and dear,
His loaded board with plenty bends,
And they sit smiling near.
And some are true, and dear,
His loaded board with plenty bends,
And they sit smiling near.
The poor man has his feast days too,
He spreads his frugal fare,
And neighbours kind, and friends a few,
Drop gladly in, to share.
He spreads his frugal fare,
And neighbours kind, and friends a few,
Drop gladly in, to share.
The rich man has his cares, and ills,
That poor men do not know;
As snow will lie upon the hills,
When summer's down below.
That poor men do not know;
As snow will lie upon the hills,
When summer's down below.
And want will turn the poor man pale,
And need his soul affright;
As swelling streams will flood the vale,
That cannot reach the height.
And need his soul affright;
As swelling streams will flood the vale,
That cannot reach the height.
But rich, or poor, one bond they know,
Each is his neighbour's brother,
For neither on this earth below,
Could do without the other.
Each is his neighbour's brother,
For neither on this earth below,
Could do without the other.
Each has his pleasures, each his pains:
The mean man, and the great,
Must bow to that which God ordains,
Who fixes every state.
The mean man, and the great,
Must bow to that which God ordains,
Who fixes every state.
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