Page:The Century Of Life.pdf/21

 GREAT AND MEANER SPIRITS

Some from high action through base fear refrain; The path is difficult, the way not plain.

Others more noble to begin, are stayed

By a few failures. Great spirits undismayed Abandon never what once to do they swore. Baffled and beaten back, they spring once more, Buffeted and borne down, rise up again,

And, full of wounds, come on like iron men.

THE NARROW WAY

Kind to be, yet immutably be just; To find all baser act too hard to do,— Yea, though not doing shatter our life to dust ;— Contempt that will not to the evil sue; Not to the friend that’s poor our need to state; Baffled by fortune still erect to stand; Being small to tread in footprints of the great; Who for weak men such rugged path has planned, Harder to tread than edge of this sharp brand?