6. Fool! thinkest thou that because no one stands near with parchment and blacklead to note thy jargon, it therefore dies and is harmless? Nothing dies, nothing can die. No idlest word thou speakest but is a seed cast into Time, and grows through all Eternity! The Recording Angel, consider it well, is no fable, but the truest of truths: the paper tablets thou canst burn; of the “iron leaf” there is no burning.
Thomas Carlyle.
The rich man and the poor man.
I.
So goes the world;—if wealthy, you may
call
this friend, that brother;—friends
and brothers all;
Though you are worthless—witless—never
mind it:
You may have been a stable-boy—what then?
’Tis wealth, good sir, makes honorable
men.
You seek respect, no doubt, and you will find
it.
II.
But if you are poor, Heaven help you! though your
sire
Had royal blood within him, and though you
Possess the intellect of angels, too,
’Tis all in vain;—the world will
ne’er inquire
On such a score:—Why should it take the
pains?
’Tis easier to weigh purses, sure, than brains.
III.
I once saw a poor fellow, keen and clever,
Witty and wise:—he paid a man a visit,
And no one noticed him, and no one ever
Gave him a welcome. “Strange!” cried
I, “whence is
it?”
He walked on this side, then
on that,
He tried to introduce a social
chat;
Now here, now there, in vain he tried;
Some formally and freezingly replied,
And
some
Said by their silence—“Better stay
at home.”
IV.
A rich man burst the door;
As Croesus rich, I’m sure
He could not pride himself upon his wit,
And as for wisdom, he had none of it;
He had what’s better; he had wealth.
What a confusion!—all stand up erect—
These crowd around to ask him of his health;
These bow in honest duty and respect;
And these arrange a sofa or a chair,
And these conduct him there.
“Allow me, sir, the honor;”—Then
a bow
Down to the earth—Is’t possible to
show
Meet gratitude for such kind condescension?
V.
The poor man hung his head,
And to himself he said,
“This is indeed beyond my comprehension;”
Then looking round,
One friendly face he found,
And said, “Pray tell me why is wealth preferred
To wisdom?”—“That’s a
silly question, friend!”
Replied the other—“have you never
heard,
A man may lend his store
Of gold or silver ore,
But wisdom none can borrow, none can lend?”