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Wisdom! where art thou? none on earth,
tho' grasping wealth, fame, pow'r,
But what, O death! thro' thy approach,
is wiser ev'ry hour;
tho' grasping wealth, fame, pow'r,
But what, O death! thro' thy approach,
is wiser ev'ry hour;
Approach how swift! how unconfin'd!
worms feast on viands rare,
Those little epicures have kings
to grace their bill of fare:
worms feast on viands rare,
Those little epicures have kings
to grace their bill of fare:
From kings what Resignation due
to that almighty will,
Which thrones bestows, and, when they fail,
can throne them higher still?
to that almighty will,
Which thrones bestows, and, when they fail,
can throne them higher still?
Who truly great? the good and brave,
the masters of a mind
The will divine to do resolv'd,
to suffer it resign'd.
the masters of a mind
The will divine to do resolv'd,
to suffer it resign'd.
Madam! if that may give it weight,
the trifle you receive
Is dated from a solemn scene,
the border of the grave;
the trifle you receive
Is dated from a solemn scene,
the border of the grave;
Where strongly strikes the trembling soul
eternity's dread pow'r,
As bursting on it thro' the thin
partition of an hour;
eternity's dread pow'r,
As bursting on it thro' the thin
partition of an hour;
Hear
