To till the land and lay it out for seeds, And yet none sown, will bring forth nought but weeds; And wanting grace to fill, the void within Breeds, with self-merit, all presumptuous sin.
Fruitless his skill who would a vessel steer Without a rudder to direct and veer; More fruitless still his aim who seeks to win To Heaven, when wanting prayer for light within.
Hopeless his task who seeks to safely go, Without a chart the dangerous rocks to show; More hopeless still his aim, who seeks to win To Heaven, when wanting faith to lead him in.
IN the still midnight hour I sat alone Within my chamber, sunk in reverie, No sound disturbed my musings, all was hushed In silence and in sleep, the light near done, A dim uncertain flickering threw around. The waning fire was but a heap of ashes, While there and there a feeble red remained, That now and then threw out a fitful gleam. Something like slumber fell upon my eyes, And a dream passed o'er my spirit stealthily, As, in the early grey of morn, the mists, Gathered in masses, up the hill-sides creep, Ere they dissolve before the sun away. Remembrance cannot all its features tell, Though vivid and particular they seemed When that dread vision on my senses came, And I could trace the shadowy details, As one might mark a phantom army march O'er its last field of battle, ere it passed, Into obscurity,--could note it then,-- But afterwards cannot recall the place, Order and rank, of each brigade and file.
Methought I stood upon a bare hill-top, And overlooked a vast and fertile plain Peopled with many multitudes,--there met Men of all tribes and nations that the globe Holds in its wide extent, of every kind, The Mongol, the Malayan, and the Negro, The red American and Caucasian fair. Among them Evil strode ubiquitous, And threw its shadow wheresoe'er it came. Its Jackal, lewd Temptation, went before, With angel face and soft alluring eyes, While close behind Guilt, Anguish, Care, and Pain Followed incessantly, and left on all Their mark impressed as with hot iron seared. As then I looked upon the scene below, Meseemed that wheresoe'er Temptation came, And she came everywhere,--no spot escaped,-- That many, most indeed of these vast crowds, Themselves threw madly in her way, and sought To win her smiles, nor deemed them poisonous; And once within her meshes, few had will To fly them, or to manfully resist, As a strong man confronts his enemy, And strives to overthrow him where they meet;-- And she the while assumed all shapes and moods That suited were to their intents and aims, For, with a penetrating eye precise, Intuitively still their minds she knew, Tendencies and dispositions, and wore,-- As snares in readiness she had for all,-- The very guise adapted for their lure, But carefully concealed the stings they bore.