Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By Dora ReadGoodale

1594 The Soul of Man

SAY, in a hut of mean estate

A light just glimmers and then is gone,

Nature is seen to hesitate,—

Put forth and then retract her pawn;

Say, in the alembic of an eye

Haughty is mixed with poor and low;

Say, Truth herself is not so high

But Error laughs to see her so;

Say, all that strength failed in its trust;

Say, all that wit crept but a span;

Say, ’t is a drop spilled in the dust,—

And then say brother—then say man!