Page:The Poems and Prose remains of Arthur Hugh Clough, volume 2 (1869).djvu/37

 Strange metallurge is human life! ’Tis true; And Use and Wont in many a gorgeous case Full specious fair for casual outward view Electrotype the sordid and the base.

Nor lack who praise, avowed, the spurious ware, Who bid young hearts the one true love forego, Conceit to feed, or fancy light as air, Or greed of pelf and precedence and show.

True, false, as one to casual eyes appear, To read men truly men may hardly learn; Yet doubt it not that wariest glance would here Faith, Hope and Love, the true Tower-stamp discern.

Come years again! as many yet! and purge Less precious earthier elements away, And gently changed at life’s extremest verge, Bring bright in gold your perfect fiftieth day!

That sight may children see and parents show! If not—yet earthly chains of metal true, By love and duty wrought and fixed below, Elsewhere will shine, transformed, celestial-new;

Will shine of gold, whose essence, heavenly bright, No doubt-damps tarnish, worldly passions fray; Gold into gold there mirrored, light in light, Shall gleam in glories of a deathless day.