^/6' 
 /.^9/ 
 
 to 
 
 
 n^wvM 
 
 %V9V% 
 
 l^JkJukJLiJLiAAAJLl.. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/bookofepigramsOOIyonrich 
 
A BOOK OF 
 
 EPIGRAMS 
 
 GATHERED BY 
 
 Ralph A. Lyon 
 
 evanston 
 
 William S. Lord 
 
 1902 
 
EPIGRAMS 
 
 POETRY 
 
 She comes like the hushed beauty of the 
 night, 
 But sees too deep for laughter ; 
 Her touch is a vibration and a light 
 From worlds before and after. 
 
 [Charles £. Markham 
 
 POETRY 
 
 Poetry? Can I define it , you inquire? 
 
 Yes ; by your pleasure , 
 Poetry is Thought, in princeliest attire, 
 
 Treading a measure. 
 
 [Dufield Osborne 
 
 395^943 
 
r\-4 i 
 
 THE YEAR'S MINSTRELSY 
 
 Spring, the low prelude of a lordlier song; 
 Summer, a music without hint of 
 death : 
 Autumn , a cadence lingeringly long : 
 
 Winter, a pause ; — the Minstrel-Year 
 takes breath. 
 
 [William Watson 
 
 THE SUN 
 
 All the World's bravery that delights our 
 
 eyes, 
 
 Is but thy several liveries ; 
 
 Thou the rich dye on them bestows't , 
 
 Thy nimble Pencil paints this landscape 
 
 as thou go'st. 
 
 [Abraham Cowley 
 
FAREWELL 
 
 I strove with none , for none was worth 
 my strife. 
 Nature I loved , and next to nature, art. 
 I warm'd both hands before the fire of 
 life: 
 It sinks ; and I am ready to depart. 
 
 [Walter Savage Landor 
 
 LIFE 
 
 As a shaft that is sped from a bow unseen 
 
 to an unseen mark. 
 As a bird that gleams in the firelight, and 
 
 hurries from dark to dark , 
 As the face of the stranger who smiled as 
 
 we passed in the crowded street, — 
 Our life is a glimmer, a flutter, a memory, 
 
 fading, yet sweet ! 
 
 [William Cranston Lawton 
 
EPIGRAM ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD 
 FORBES. 
 
 Nature, a jealous mistress, laid him low. 
 He woo'd and won her; and, by love 
 made bold , 
 She showed him more than mortal man 
 should know, 
 Then slew him lest her secret should 
 be told. 
 
 [Sydney Dobell 
 
 ON LONGFELLOW'S DEATH 
 
 No puissant singer he, whose silence 
 grieves 
 To-day the great West's tender heart 
 and strong ; 
 No singer vast of voice : yet one who 
 leaves 
 His native air the sweeter for his song. 
 
 [William Watson 
 
DANIEL WEBSTER 
 
 We have no high cathedral for his rest. 
 
 Dim with proud banners and the dust 
 
 of years ; 
 
 All we can give him is New England's 
 
 breast 
 
 To lay his head on — and his country's 
 
 tears. 
 
 [Thomas William Parsons 
 
 EUGENE FIELD 
 
 Fades his calm face beyond our mortal ken, 
 Lost in the light of lovelier realms 
 
 above ; 
 He left sweet memories in the hearts of 
 
 men 
 
 And climbed to God on little children's 
 
 love. 
 
 [Frank L. Stanton 
 
THE DEBTOR CHRIST 
 
 ^7iid Mihi Et Tibi 
 
 What , woman , is my debt to thee , 
 
 That I should not deny 
 The boon thou dost demand of me ? 
 
 "I gave thee power to die.'* 
 
 [Jolin B. Tabb 
 
 TWO SPIRITS 
 
 A spirit above and a spirit below , 
 A spirit of joy and a spirit of woe ; 
 The spirit above is the spirit divine , 
 The spirit below is the spirit of wine. 
 
 [Anonymous 
 
ON A SUN-DIAL 
 
 With warning hand I mark Time's rapid 
 
 flight 
 From lifers glad morning to its solemn 
 
 night ; 
 Yet 5 through the dear God's love, I also 
 
 show 
 
 There's Light above me by the Shade 
 
 Ipelow. 
 
 [John Gfcenleaf Whittier 
 
 BORROWING 
 
 Froin the JRrench 
 
 Sorne of your hurts you have cured , 
 And the sharpest you still have survived , 
 But what torments of grief you endured 
 From evils which never arrived ! 
 
 [Ralph Waldo Emerson 
 
YOUTH 
 
 The Tear , down Childhood's cheek that 
 
 flows , 
 Is like the dew-drop on the Rose; 
 When next the Summer breeze comes by, 
 And waves the bush , the Flower is dry. 
 
 [Sir Walter Scott 
 
 MY TROUBLES 
 
 I wrote down my troubles every day ; 
 
 And after a few short years , 
 When I turned to the heartaches passed 
 
 away , 
 
 I read them with smiles , not tears. 
 
 [John Boyle O'Reilly 
 
SENSIBILITY 
 
 The soul of Music slumbers in the shell , 
 Till waked and kindled by the Master's 
 
 spell ; 
 And feeling Hearts — touch them but 
 
 lightly — pour 
 A thousand melodies unheard before ! 
 
 [Samuel Rogers 
 
 IS LOVE SO BLIND 
 
 The records of ancient times declare 
 That hapless Love is blind , 
 
 Yet many's the virtue, sweet and rare, 
 That only Love can find. 
 
 [Henry W. Allport 
 
SYMPATHY 
 
 What gem hath dropped and sparkles o'er 
 
 his chain ? 
 The Tear most sacred, shed for other's 
 
 pain 5 
 That starts at once — bright — pure — from 
 
 Pity's mine , 
 Already polish'd by the Hand Divine. 
 
 [Lord Byron 
 
 GRIEF 
 
 What cannot be preserved when Fortune 
 
 takes , 
 Patience her injury a mockery makes. 
 The robb'd , that smiles , steals something 
 
 from the Thief; 
 
 He robs himself, that spend a bootless 
 
 Grief. 
 
 [William Shakespeare 
 
OPPORTUNITY 
 
 It is a hag whom Life denies his kiss 
 
 As he rides questward in knight-errant 
 wise ; 
 Only when he hath passed her is it his 
 To know too late the Fairy in disguise. 
 
 [Madison Cawein 
 
 COMPETITION 
 
 The race is won ! As victor I am hailed 
 With deafening cheers from eager 
 
 throats ; and yet 
 Gladder the victory could I forget 
 The strained , white faces of the men who 
 failed. 
 
 [Julia Shayer 
 
 II 
 
SLANDER 
 
 Oh ! many a shaft , at random sent , 
 
 Finds mark the archer little meant ; 
 
 And many a Word , at random spoken , 
 
 May soothe or wound a Heart that's 
 
 broken. 
 
 [Sir Walter Scott 
 
 VICE 
 
 Vice is a monster of so frightful mien , 
 As to be hated needs but to be seen ; 
 Yet seen too oft , familiar with her face , 
 We first endure, then pity , then embrace. 
 
 [Alexander Pope 
 
 12 
 
TALKING 
 Words learned by rote , a Parrot may 
 
 rehearse , 
 But talking is not always to converse ; 
 Not more distinct from Harmony divine , 
 The constant creaking of a Country Sign. 
 
 [William Cowper 
 
 THINKERS, PAST AND PRESENT 
 
 God y by the earlier sceptic , was exiled ; 
 The later is more lenient grown and mild: 
 He sanctions God , provided you agree 
 To any other other name for deity. 
 
 [William Watson 
 
THE COOK WELL DONE 
 
 Why call me a bloodthirsty , gluttonous 
 sinner 
 For pounding my chef when my peace 
 he subverts ? 
 If I can't thrash my cook when he gets a 
 poor dinner , 
 Pray how shall the scamp ever get his 
 
 desserts ? 
 
 [Martial 
 "U" AND 'i" 
 
 The difference between you and me 
 Is this , dear — more's the pity — 
 
 You're summering in the mountains , 
 I'm simmering in the city ! 
 
 [Ogden Ward 
 
 14 
 
THE FIVE DOUBLE US 
 
 Winsomeness , wardrobe , words of elo- 
 quence , 
 
 Wisdom , and wealth , bring men to con- 
 sequence. 
 
 That's something which a man in vain 
 pursues 
 
 Who is not blest with these five w's."^ 
 [From the Sanskrit (Tr. by Chas. R. Lanman) 
 
 WEALTH 
 
 Can wealth give Happiness ? look round , 
 
 and see 
 What gay distress ! what splendid misery ! 
 Whatever Fortune lavishly can pour , 
 The mind annihilates , and calls for more. 
 
 [Edward Young 
 
 *The Sanskrit word for each of thess five things begins with w. 
 
 15 
 
EQUITY—? 
 
 The meanest man I ever saw 
 Alius kep' inside o' the law ; 
 And ten-times better fellers IVe knowed 
 The blame gran'-jury's sent over the road. 
 
 [James Whitcomb Riley 
 
 A WHOLLY UNSCHOLASTIC OPINION 
 
 Plain hoss-sense in poetry-writin' 
 Would jest knock sentiment a-kitin'! 
 Mostly poets is all star-gazing' 
 And moanin*and groanin'and paraphrasin*! 
 
 [James Whitcomb Riley 
 
 i6 
 
GOLDEN ROD 
 
 It is the twilight of the year 
 
 And through her wondrous wide abode 
 The autumn goes , all silently , 
 
 To light her lamps along the road. 
 
 [Charles Hanson Towne 
 
 GRACE 
 
 Thou canst not move thy staff in air , 
 
 Or dip thy paddle in the lake , 
 But it carves the bow of beauty there , 
 And the ripples in rhyme the oar for- 
 sake. 
 
 [Ralph Waldo Emerson 
 
 17 
 
FROM THE FRENCH 
 
 Says Marmontel , The secret's mine 
 Of Racine's art-of-verse divine. 
 To do thee justice , Marmontel , 
 Never was secret kept so well. 
 
 [William Watson 
 
 TWO POETS 
 
 A peacock's-tail-like splendour hath this 
 
 Muse, 
 With eyes that see not throng'd, and gor- 
 geous hues. 
 The swan's white grace that other wears 
 
 instead , 
 Stately with stem-like throat and flower- 
 like head. 
 
 [William Watson 
 
 18 
 
TOMORROW 
 
 'Tis so far fetch'd, this morrow, that I fear 
 
 'Twill be both very old and very dear. 
 
 Tomorrow I will live , the fool doth say , 
 
 Why e'en to-day's too late, the wise lived 
 
 yesterday. 
 
 [Anonymous 
 
 QUATRAIN 
 
 Fear not the menace of the By-and-by ; 
 To-day is ours, tomorrow Fate must give; 
 Stretch out your hands and eat, although 
 
 ye die — 
 Better to die than never once to live. 
 
 [Richard Hovey 
 
 iQ 
 
ON MODERN STATESMEN 
 
 Midas, they say, possessed the art of old, 
 
 Of turning whatso'er he touched to gold. 
 
 This modern statesmen can reverse with 
 
 ease; 
 
 Touch them with gold, they'll turn to 
 
 what you please. 
 
 [Anonymous 
 ON FOLLY 
 
 The world of fools has such a store , 
 That he who would not see an ass 
 
 Must bide at home and bolt his door , 
 And break his looking-glass. 
 
 [From the French of La Monnoye 
 
ON THE ENBANKMENT 
 
 The impassive stony Sphinx kissed by the 
 
 amorous moon ; 
 The little coster-girl , a Covent Garden 
 
 rose ; 
 Three thousand years apart ! And yet 
 
 alike for once in this — 
 
 Tonight, each has a secret she will not 
 
 disclose. 
 
 [William Theodore Peters 
 
 LOVE 
 
 That happy minglement of Hearts , 
 
 Where , changed as chemic compounds 
 are, 
 Each with its own Existence parts , 
 To find a new one , happier far ! 
 
 [Thomas Moore 
 
 21 
 
LOVE 
 
 A mighty Pain to Love it is , 
 And 'tis a Pain that Pain to miss ; 
 But of all Pains , the greatest Pain 
 It is to Love 5 and Love in vain. 
 
 [Abraham Cowley 
 
 ON WOMEN AND HYMEN 
 
 Whether tall men, or short men, are best, 
 Or bold men, or modest and shy men, 
 
 I can't say , but I this can protest , 
 
 All the fair are in favour of Hy-men. 
 
 [Anonymous 
 
PETER AND HIS WIFE 
 
 After such years of dissension and strife, 
 Some wonder that Peter should weep for 
 
 his wife ; 
 But his tears on her grave are nothing 
 
 surprising , — 
 He's laying her dust, for fear of its rising. 
 
 [Thomas Hood 
 
 WHICH WAY DID HE CO? 
 
 (An Obituary) 
 His earthly warfare now is o'er 
 And closed his life sublime ; 
 From this cold world he vanished for 
 A brighter , warmer clime. 
 
 [Frank L. Stanton 
 
 23 
 
WAR'S GLORIOUS ART 
 
 One to destroy is murder by the law, 
 
 And gibbets keep the lifted hand in awe: 
 
 To murder thousands takes a spacious 
 
 name , 
 
 War's Glorious art , and gives immortal 
 
 Fame. 
 
 [Edward Young 
 
 ETERNITY 
 
 The One remains , the many change and 
 
 pass ; 
 
 Heaven's light forever shines, Earth's 
 
 shadows fly ; 
 
 Life , like a dome of many-coloured glass, 
 
 Stains the white radiance of Eternity. 
 
 '[Percy Bysshe Shelly 
 
 24 
 
395'943 
 
 m 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY ^j