Wonderful little, when all is said,

Wonderful little our fathers knew.
Half their remedies cured you dead-
Most of their teaching was quite untrue
"Look at the stars when a patient is ill,
(Dirt has nothing to do with disease,)
Bleed and blister as much as you will,
Blister and bleed him as oft as you please.'
Whence enormous and manifold

Yet when the sickness was sore in the land, And neither planets nor herbs assuaged, They took their lives in their lancet-hand

And, oh, what a wonderful war they waged! Yes, when the crosses were chalked on the doorYes, when the terrible dead-cart rolled, Excellent courage our fathers bore

Excellent heart had our fathers of old,
None too learned, but nobly bold
Into the fight went our fathers of old.

If it be certain, as Galen says,

And sage Hippocrates holds as much "That those afflicted by doubts and dismays

Are mightily helped by a dead man's touch,"

Then, be good to us, stars above!

Then, be good to us, herbs below!
We are afflicted by what we can prove,
We are distracted by what we know.
So-ah, so!

Down from your heaven or up from your

mould,

Send us the hearts of our fathers of old!

THE HERITAGE

Our Fathers in a wondrous age,
Ere yet the Earth was small,
Ensured to us an heritage,

And doubted not at all

That we, the children of their heart,
Which then did beat so high,

In later time should play like part
For our posterity.

A thousand years they steadfast built,
To 'vantage us and ours,

The Walls that were a world's despair,

The sea-constraining Towers:

Yet in their midmost pride they knew,
And unto Kings made known,

Not all from these their strength they drew,
Their faith from brass or stone.

Youth's passion, manhood's fierce intent,
With age's judgment wise,

They spent, and counted not they spent,

At daily sacrifice.

Not lambs alone nor purchased doves

Or tithe of trader's gold

Their lives most dear, their dearer loves, They offered up of old.

Refraining e'en from lawful things,
They bowed the neck to bear
The unadorned yoke that brings
Stark toil and sternest care.
Wherefore through them is Freedom sure;
Wherefore through them we stand
From all but sloth and pride secure,

In a delightsome land.

Then, fretful, murmur not they gave
So great a charge to keep,

Nor dream that awestruck Time shall save
Their labour while we sleep.

Dear-bought and clear, a thousand year,

Our fathers' title runs.

Make we likewise their sacrifice,

Defrauding not our sons.

SONG OF THE FIFTH RIVER

When first by Eden Tree,
The Four Great Rivers ran,
To each was appointed a Man
Her Prince and Ruler to be

But after this was ordained, (The ancient legends tell), There came dark Israel,

For whom no River remained.

Then He Whom the Rivers obey Said to him: "Fling on the ground A handful of yellow clay,

And a Fifth Great River shall run, Mightier than these Four,

In secret the Earth around;

And Her secret evermore,

Shall be shown to thee and thy Race."

So it was said and done.

And, deep in the veins of Earth,

And, fed by a thousand springs