"Fill the can, and fill the cup: All the windy ways of men Are but dust that rises up, And is lightly laid again. "Trooping from their mouldy dens The chap-fallen circle spreads: Welcome, fellow-citizens, Hollow hearts and empty heads! "You are bones, and what of that? Padded round with flesh and fat, "Death is king, and Vivat Rex! Tread a measure on the stones, Madam-if I know your sex, 66 From the fashion of your bones. No, I cannot praise the fire In your eye-nor yet your lip : Joints of cunning workmanship. "Lo! God's likeness-the ground-plan- "Drink to Fortune, drink to Chance, Drink to heavy Ignorance! Hob-and-nob with brother Death! "Thou art mazed, the night is long, "Youthful hopes, by scores, to all, Unto me my maudlin gall And my mockeries of the world. "Fill the cup, and fill the can! Mingle madness, mingle scorn! Dregs of life, and lees of man: Yet we will not die forlorn.' The voice grew faint: there came a further change; Below were men and horses pierced with worms, By shards and scurf of salt, and scum of dross, B B Another said: "The crime of sense became The crime of malice, and is equal blame." A little grain of conscience made him sour.” Cry to the summit, "Is there any hope?" THE SKIPPING-ROPE. SURE never yet was Antelope Stand off, or else my skipping-rope Will hit in the eye. you How lightly whirls the skipping-rope! How fairy-like you fly! Go, get you gone, you muse and mopeI hate that silly sigh. Nay, dearest, teach me how to hope, Or tell me how to die. There, take it, take my skipping-rope, And hang yourself thereby. MOVE eastward, happy earth, and leave Yon orange sunset waning slow: From fringes of the faded eve, O, happy planet, eastward go; Till over thy dark shoulder glow Thy silver sister-world, and rise To glass herself in dewy eyes That watch me from the glen below. Ah, bear me with thee, lightly borne, Dip forward under starry light, And move me to my marriage-morn, And round again to happy night. |