Man

Man

The human mind - that lofty thing!

The palace and the throne

Where reason sits, a sceptered king,

And breathes his judgment tone.

Oh! who with silent step shall trace
The borders of that haunted place,

Nor in his weakness own

That mystery and marvel bind
That lofty thing - the human mind!

The human heart - that restless thing!

The tempter and the tried;

The joyous, yet the suffering -

The source of pain and pride;

The gorgeous thronged - the desolate,
The seat of love, the lair of hate -

Self-stung, self-defied!

Yet do we bless thee as thou art,
Thou restless thing - the human heart!

The human soul - that startling thing!

Mysterious and sublime!

The angel sleeping on the wing

Worn by the scoffs of time -

The beautiful, the veiled, the bound,
The earth enslaved, the glory crowned,

The stricken in its prime!

From heaven in tears to earth it stole,
That startling thing - the human soul!

And this is man - Oh! ask of him,

The gifted and forgiven -

While o'er his vision, drear and dim,

The wrecks of time are driven;

If pride or passion in their power,
Can chain the tide, or charm the hour,

Or stand in place at heaven?

He bends the brow, he bows the knee -
"Creator, Father! none but thee!"

Unattributed

2:35, p. 140

1838.10.20

From the Evening Post