of Saville
Sedately pacing life’s minuet, while steadily all the while
A horrid design is forming, a fungus spreads cancerous-vile,—
I have held the hand of a friend one hour and the next his spirit had fled,
Dismissed by self and violent means—Who knows? Had I sisterly said
A word of love I might have dissolved and melted his purpose dread,—
Clasp close the near ones about your hearth, let never caresses lack,
For the turn of a card, the fall of a leaf, may speed them adown the track
Facile, declivitous, into the bourne of the Acheron valley black!
Yet no,—this were not of the least avail; no aid that is won from without
Is offeree to cope with interior foes, to vanquish and put them to rout,—
The brood ignoble and self-engendered must even self-stifled be,
For a wanton zephyr deracinates not the sturdiest forest tree,
And often this deadly virus breeds in a strong determinate mind,
