Thoughts by the Way.

Evening Star, Issue 7331, 1 October 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

Thoughts by the Way.

Paet Third. Unhappy State, where rural life is ever on the wane, Where wealth monopolise the land and desolate the plain; Where the mere patches of the ground are all that's left the poor, And of that miserable all their hold is insecure. Toil as they may, they earn a scauty pittance at the best. And only at the grave they hope from all their toils to rest; Small wonder though the peasant, brooding o'er his wretched state, May sometimes talk as if the laws were made to suit the great. When mutt'ring discontentment marches onward through the land, Let those who rule the Empire, then, be quick to understand; The righteous anger of the poor treat not with proud disdain, But rectify the wrongs that they so- bitterly complain. Even now their plea is heard within the Court of Heaven, And the Judge shall carry out in full the sentence given; When pride and callousness presume to trample on the poor, Ihe Avenger is not far behind—his stroke is swiit and sure. E'en on the clemency of God an empire may enoroach, And what is man who dare presume his Maker to reproach? If the foundation's insecure the fabric may be grand, But that shall not prevent its fall or make it firmer stand. What though our peasant'y may pass along through life obscure, Yet resting on their loyalty the empire stands secure; Shake their allegiance and it sosn shall totter to its fall, And when foundations are removed confusion covers all. In all societies there must be various grades in life, 'Tis not gradation that produces lawlessness or strife, But 'tis that overbearing pride hateful to God and man, That sweeps all interests aside to carry out its plan. 'Tis then the oords that bind society are snapped in twain, Then justice drooping, helpless weeps, and charity is slain; And if the friction does not cease, the flames may soon arise. Till that which only creak'd at first, in thousand pieces flies. The high and low, the rich and poor, in harmony may dwell, For every man's a common good who does his duty well: The ripples of each life act and react throughout all time; 'Tis only character can make our lives truly ] sublime. Not what we have but what we are, by that we stand or fall, Our reputation may be great, our character but ' small I Not by the prowess of our arms, whether by sea or land, , But by the moral power we wield, so shall our empire stand. Rothesay. Hugh TflOJirsON.