Page:Works of Tagore from the Modern Review, 1909-24 Segment 1.pdf/194

434 I ask my destiny—What power is this That cruelly drives me onward without rest? My destiny says, "Look round!" I turn back and see It is I myself that is ever pushing me from behind.

The ashes whisper, "The fire is our brother." The smoke curls up and says, "We are twins." "I have no kinship," the firefly says, "with the flame— But I know I am more than a brother to him."

The night comes stealthily into the forest and loads its branches With buds and blossoms, then retires with silent steps. The flowers waken and cry—"To the morning we owe our all." And the morn asserts with a noise, "Yes, it is doubtlessly true."

The night kissed the departing day and whispered, "I am death, thy mother, fear me not. I take thee unto me only to give thee a new birth And make thee eternally fresh."

Death, if thou wert the void that our fear let us imagine, In a moment the universe would disappear through the chasm. But thou art the fulfilment eternal, And the world ever rocks on thy arms like a child.

Death threatens, "I will take thy dear ones." The thief says, "Thy money is mine." Fate says, "I'll take as my tribute whatever is thine own." The detractor says, "I'll rob you of your good name." The poet says, "But who is there to take my joy from me?"

R. P. N. Bose, B. Sc. (London), the worthy son-in-law of Mr. R. C. Dutt and the author of a History of Hindu Civilisation under British Rule, has recently brought out a book on Epochs of Civilisation, which is a valuable addition to historico-sociological literature. In his usual simple, perspicuous and pleasant style, Mr. Bose enunciates in this book a theory of civilisation which may not be altogether new, but which is laid down, for the first time, in a definite and categorical form, and fully developed and elaborated by this learned and thoughtful writer. It may be briefly stated thus:

The history of human progress may be divided into three epochs. The first epoch (B.C. 6000–2000) comprises the history of the earlier civilisations of Egypt, Babylonia and China. The second epoch (about B.C. 2000–700 A.D.) comprises the later civilisations of Egypt and China and the civilisations of India, Greece, Rome, Assyria, Phœnicia, and Persia. We are living in the third epoch, which commenced about 700 A.D. The most important fact of this epoch is the rise and progress of Western civilisation. Every epoch of