If we work upon marble it will perish. If we work upon brass
time will efface it. If we rear temples they will crumble to
dust. But if we work upon men's immortal minds, if we imbue them
with high principles, with the just fear of God and love of their
fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something which no time
can efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.
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Thou, in our wonder and astonishment
Hast built thyself a life-long monument.
Thou, in our wonder and astonishment
Hast built thyself a life-long monument.
Where London's column, pointing at the skies,
Like a tall bully, lifts the head and lies.
Where London's column, pointing at the skies,
Like a tall bully, lifts the head and lies.
Let it rise! let it rise, till it meet the sum in his coming;
let the earliest light of read more
Let it rise! let it rise, till it meet the sum in his coming;
let the earliest light of the morning gild it, and the parting
day linger and play on its summit.
Their monument sticks like a fishbone
in the city's throat.
Their monument sticks like a fishbone
in the city's throat.
You shall not pile, with servile toil,
Your monuments upon my breast,
Nor yet within the common read more
You shall not pile, with servile toil,
Your monuments upon my breast,
Nor yet within the common soil
Lay down the wreck of power to rest,
Where man can boast that he has trod
On him that was "the scourge of God."
Tombs are the clothes of the dead. A grave is but a plain suit,
and a rich monument is read more
Tombs are the clothes of the dead. A grave is but a plain suit,
and a rich monument is one embroidered.
Soldiers, forty centuries are looking down upon you from these
pyramids.
[Fr., Soldats, du haut ces Pyramide quarante read more
Soldiers, forty centuries are looking down upon you from these
pyramids.
[Fr., Soldats, du haut ces Pyramide quarante siecles vous
contemplent.]
Marble statues, engraved with public inscriptions, by which the
life and soul return after death to noble leaders.
read more
Marble statues, engraved with public inscriptions, by which the
life and soul return after death to noble leaders.
[Lat., Incisa notis marmora publicis,
Per quae spiritus et vita redit bonis
Post mortem ducibus.]
For men use, if they have an evil tourne, to write it in marble;
and whoso doth us a read more
For men use, if they have an evil tourne, to write it in marble;
and whoso doth us a good tourne we will write it in duste.
