Читать книгу Legends and Lyrics. Part 1 - Procter Adelaide Anne - Страница 16

Though he lived and died among us,

Yet his name may be enrolled

With the knights whose deeds of daring

Ancient chronicles have told.

Still a stripling, he encountered

Poverty, and struggled long,

Gathering force from every effort,

Till he knew his arm was strong.

Then his heart and life he offered

To his radiant mistress – Truth;

Never thought, or dream, or faltering,

Marred the promise of his youth.

So he rode forth to defend her,

And her peerless worth proclaim;

Challenging each recreant doubter

Who aspersed her spotless name.

First upon his path stood Ignorance,

Hideous in his brutal might;

Hard the blows and long the battle

Ere the monster took to flight.

Then, with light and fearless spirit,

Prejudice he dared to brave;

Hunting back the lying craven

To her black sulphureous cave.

Followed by his servile minions,

Custom, the old Giant, rose;

Yet he, too, at last was conquered

By the good Knight’s weighty blows.

Then he turned, and, flushed with victory

Struck upon the brazen shield

Of the world’s great king, Opinion

And defied him to the field.

Once again he rose a conqueror,

And, though wounded in the fight,

With a dying smile of triumph

Saw that Truth had gained her right.

On his failing ear re-echoing

Came the shouting round her throne;

Little cared he that no future

With her name would link his own.

Spent with many a hard-fought battle,

Slowly ebbed his life away,

And the crowd that flocked to greet her

Trampled on him where he lay.

Gathering all his strength, he saw her

Crowned and reigning in her pride!

Looked his last upon her beauty,

Raised his eyes to God, and died.