nor hope defer'd shall hurt the heart.

But!--faded flow'er and fallen leaf
no more shall deck the parent tree;
And man once dropt by Tree of Life
what hope of other life has he?

The shatter'd bowl shall know repair;
the riven lute shall sound once more;
But who shall mend the clay of man,
the stolen breath to man restore?

The shiver'd clock again shall strike;
the broken reed shall pipe again:
But we, we die, and Death is one,
the doom of brutes, the doom of men.

Then, if Nirwana* round our life
with nothingness, 'tis haply best;
Thy toils and troubles, want and woe
at length have won their guerdon--Rest.

* Comparative annihilation.

Cease, Abdu, cease! Thy song is sung,
nor think the gain the singer's prize;
Till men hold Ignor'ance deadly sin,
till man deserves his title "Wise:"*

* "Homo sapiens."