Ambition's Address to Gold.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume III, 1 October 1900, Page 12

Ambition's Address to Gold.

0 lustrous, incorrosive, sovereign dust ! Whose power to baffle evil, few distrust ; Whose shining countenance good friends can raise, And summon Honour from his jealous ways ; Thy master, I command, obey me still, And note the purpose of my sober will. Hard did I toil to win thee, faithful slave ; E'en closed mine eyes to Heaven, thy grains to save ; For thee my undivided being strove, As day and night thy glittering net I wove : The music of thy movements was my cheer, Nor had I oi'gans other tones to hear. Full slowly didst thou gather to my chest, Through years of anxious labour and unrest ; Now, stored and treasured, as my agent go, Enlarge my fortune with an aurus flow ; Extract thy kindred atoms from the ores And gravel beds along the rivers' shores. 1 take my late, long-sought and well-earned rest ; And thee, bright agent, with full powers invest To raise my reputation, and sustain The high distinctions that my soul would gain ; As I have striven, slave, to call thee mine, T trust thee now to make my interests thine. Go, spread abroad for me, and multiply ; " Like draws to like " — Draw thou from earth and sky, From wealth and poverty, from weak and strong, Where loans and usuries to me belong ; Grasp firmly what thou mayst by right of law ; Thou has not eyes to see, but power to draw. Nay, nay ! I love thee not. Such love were sin. But oh ! 1 love the plaudits thou canst win ! Thyself art beautiful, unmatched in might ; But golden worship is sin's grossest blight ; Yet serve me, Mammon, and my hopes fulfil, Then I shall praise tliee in my last writ will. Robt. E. Mansard.