Now since I’ve succeeded—­I pray do not frown—­
To Ticknor’s and Longfellow’s classical gown, 70
And profess four strange languages, which, luckless elf,
I speak like a native (of Cambridge) myself,
Let me beg, Mr. President, leave to propose
A sentiment treading on nobody’s toes,
And give, in such ale as with pump-handles we brew,
Their memory who saved us from all talking Hebrew,—­
A toast that to deluge with water is good,
For in Scripture they come in just after the flood: 
I give you the men but for whom, as I guess, sir,
Modern languages ne’er could have had a professor, 80
The builders of Babel, to whose zeal the lungs
Of the children of men owe confusion of tongues;
And a name all-embracing I couple therewith,
Which is that of my founder—­the late Mr. Smith.

A PARABLE

An ass munched thistles, while a nightingale
From passion’s fountain flooded all the vale. 
‘Hee-haw!’ cried he, ‘I hearken,’ as who knew
For such ear-largess humble thanks were due. 
‘Friend,’ said the winged pain, ’in vain you bray,
Who tunnels bring, not cisterns, for my lay;
None but his peers the poet rightly hear,
Nor mete we listeners by their length of ear.’

V. EPIGRAMS

SAYINGS

1.

In life’s small things be resolute and great
To keep thy muscle trained:  know’st thou when Fate
Thy measure takes, or when she’ll say to thee,
‘I find thee worthy; do this deed for me’?

2.

A camel-driver, angry with his drudge,
Beating him, called him hunchback; to the hind
Thus spake a dervish:  ’Friend, the Eternal Judge
Dooms not his work, but ours, the crooked mind.’

3.

Swiftly the politic goes:  is it dark?—­he borrows a lantern;
Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his steps by the stars.

4.

‘Where lies the capital, pilgrim, seat of who governs the Faithful?’ ‘Thither my footsteps are bent:  it is where Saadi is lodged.’

INSCRIPTIONS

FOR A BELL AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY

I call as fly the irrevocable hours,
  Futile as air or strong as fate to make
Your lives of sand or granite; awful powers,
  Even as men choose, they either give or take.

FOR A MEMORIAL WINDOW TO SIR WALTER RALEIGH, SET UP IN ST. MARGARET’S, WESTMINSTER, BY AMERICAN CONTRIBUTORS

The New World’s sons, from England’s breasts we drew
  Such milk as bids remember whence we came;
Proud of her Past, wherefrom our Present grew,
  This window we inscribe with Raleigh’s name.

PROPOSED FOR A SOLDIERS’ AND SAILORS’ MONUMENT IN BOSTON