14
THE POST OF HONOR.
Rome's cautious bard, of verse the lyric sage, 8
Wrote fuge magna on his glowing page.
Greatness avoid I the throne has pangs to hide
That only lurk where kings and crowns abide.
Swing from the Common in your own balloon,
You may reach Marshfield in the afternoon;
But many a bog 'twixt here and Marshfield lies,
And gas may leak, and water fill your eyes.
Wrote fuge magna on his glowing page.
Greatness avoid I the throne has pangs to hide
That only lurk where kings and crowns abide.
Swing from the Common in your own balloon,
You may reach Marshfield in the afternoon;
But many a bog 'twixt here and Marshfield lies,
And gas may leak, and water fill your eyes.
All are not born the glory of their race,
But all may shun the pathway to disgrace;
In humblest vales the patriot heart may glow;
That nurtures men — they give the inspiring blow.
Point back to heroes battling for the right,
To modest martyrs dying out of sight,
When low-born cowards loitered in the dust,
And when 't was honored to be brave and just;
When gray-haired age with reverend footsteps trod,
And when sweet childhood learned to worship God;
When truth was sacred, and when men were rare
Who bartered Faith for nothing and Voltaire.
But all may shun the pathway to disgrace;
In humblest vales the patriot heart may glow;
That nurtures men — they give the inspiring blow.
Point back to heroes battling for the right,
To modest martyrs dying out of sight,
When low-born cowards loitered in the dust,
And when 't was honored to be brave and just;
When gray-haired age with reverend footsteps trod,
And when sweet childhood learned to worship God;
When truth was sacred, and when men were rare
Who bartered Faith for nothing and Voltaire.
