Our times are in His hands

Who saith, "A whole I planned,

Youth shows but half; trust God: see all,

nor be afraid!"

August Fifth.

Poor vaunt of life indeed,

Were man but formed to feed

On joy, to solely seek and find and feast:

Brain

Each sting that bids nor sit nor stand, but

Shoul

1

go!

Be our joys three parts pain!

Strive, and hold cheap the strain;

Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe!

I own the Past profuse

Of power each side, perfection every turn:

Eyes, ears took in their dole,

Brain treasured up the whole;

Should not the heart beat once-"How good

to live and learn?"

August Ninth.

Praise be Thine!

I see the whole design,

I who saw power, see now love perfect too.

August Tenth.

Spite of this flesh to-day

I strove, made head, gained ground upon the whole!

August Eleventh.

As the bird wings and sings,

Let us cry, “All good things

Are ours, nor soul helps flesh more, now,

than flesh helps soul!”

THOUGHTS FIT TO TREASURE UP.

107

August Twelfth.

Youth ended, I shall try

My gain or loss thereby;

Leave the fire ashes, what survives is gold:

And I shall weigh the same,

Give life its praise or blame:

Young, all lay in dispute; I shall know, being old.

August Thirteenth.

Now, who shall arbitrate?

Ten men love what I hate,

Shun what I follow, slight what I receive;

Ten, who in ears and eyes

Match me: we all surmise,

They, this thing, and I, that: whom shall

my soul believe?

108

BROWNING YEAR BOOK.

August Fourteenth.

All I could never be,

All, men ignored in me;

This I was worth to God.

August Fifteenth.

So, take and use Thy work,

Amend what flaws may lurk,

What strain o' the stuff, what warpings past

the aim!

My times be in Thy hand!

Perfect the cup as planned!

Let age approve of youth, and death complete the same!

August Sixteenth.

The body sprang

At once to the height, and stayed; but the

soul,-no!