Est Modus in Rebus.
We sat and listened in the creeping gloom :1
There was no dearth of talk ; the older men2
Were deep in all the wiles of politics,3
Touching each question with an easy hand,4
Smiling the little wayward fancies down5
Of those who bordered on the newer thought.6
“ Those who would tear this fair land into shreds7
To clothe a people who love best their rags ; ”8
So said my father, and the vicar smiled9
A gentle acquiescence : the good man10
Cared not to argue, for it seemed to him11
That words were pitiless, yet we well knew12
How all his acts belied his ready smile.13
But Harry—who can brook no tameness—cried14
Against my father’s verdict ; he could prove15
How well the people loved the people’s land ;16
“ For it was theirs, not ours to parcel out17
In meagre portions, and with grudging hand.”18
And while my father stared, as well he might,19
For never son of his had dared to speak20
Such words of treason, the good vicar saw21
The coming storm, and tried his best to stem—22
With all the subtleties of ready speech—23
The torrent ; but in vain, for Harry’s words24
Had burst upon the old men when their hearts25
Were touched by news of an old comrade’s death,26
Shot in his own park by assassin’s hand,27
And they were wroth with Harry, for he seemed28
To shield this people who had done the deed.29
Therefore they fell upon him one and all,30
And smote as only strong old age can smite,31
Calling him fool and meddler, matching well32
That other madman who had promised each33
Three acres of the land he did not own.34
And waxing louder as the word-storm grew,35
They taxed poor Harry with these evil times,36
Nor would they hear one word in his defence,37
Till our old colonel called a cheery halt,38
Said he was tired of all this war of words39
Where men did naught but rave against their kind.40
“ Better,” he said, “the quicker shot and steel ;41
Few arguments can stand a bayonet-thrust ;”42
And, “ Men forget to hate when dying fast.”43
Somehow his rough words fell with greater force44
Among the heated circle than the long45
Dull platitudes our Member rained on us,46
Anxious to show how vain it was to speak,47
Save in the House, of matters of the State.48
And Harry laughed at him, so did we all,49
Though secretly, fearing so great a man ;50
One who could help to make or mar our laws.51
The colonel’s words had brought a welcome peace ;52
My father laughed, and said he did not hate,53
But only sought to tame a foolish boy.54
Then Harry spoke : I need not tell you all55
He touched on, toiling back through many years,56
Pausing awhile before some mighty giant57
Such as great Montfort, who had not one thought58
Beyond the people ; and the steadfast monk59
Bacon, who laid his fortune with his life60
At the cold feet of Knowledge, caring not61
For priestly opposition—always calm,62
A man who dared not swerve from duty’s path ;63
And many others standing like bright stars64
In a chaotic firmament of crime.65
Thus wandered Harry in an aimless maze66
Through the dark centuries where passion reigned,67
And cruel men seized and held fast the land,68
Crushing the people when they tried to rise69
In feeble bands to claim their own again.70
Then tiring of the dead, with one quick bound71
He leapt our century, and landed far72
Into that misty time where unknown men73
Will laugh at us, and all our little ways.74
And with prophetic zeal he poured on us75
The horror of the day that is to come :76
“ You know not of the time, you see it not—77
For Tory pride forbids that you should raise78
The slender veil which hides from careless eyes79
The hideous ruin ; but the day must come,80
Is not far off, when Want, roused from her lair81
By her foul daughter Crime, shall rend this veil,82
And show the skeleton which lies behind.83
Too late to wring the hands and look aghast,84
Too late to promise help, and seek to clothe85
The naked ribs ; for Anarchy shall rise,86
And seize proud England by the very roots—87
Ay, though her fibres stretch through many lands—88
Till with one final wrench that shakes the world,89
Weakened by endless factions, England falls,90
Crushed into atoms on a pile of bones.”91
He ceased. The vicar cried, “ Ah Harry, boy !92
You wrestle with an eagle in a cage,93
And gather rosebuds with a glove of steel.94
Think you to make a better by a worse ?95
For worse it is to throw the parent’s blame96
On to the children. Keep to your own time——”97
Then Harry interrupted with the words,98
“ Not easy, when your Tory eagle sulks99
There in his cage ; but only let him out,100
And I will wrestle with him, though he use101
Both beak and talons. As for your rosebuds,102
Let them be plucked ere all their freshness goes ;103
Perchance the fragrance of their dying leaves104
May wake some sympathy for your dead cause.”105
The vicar shook his head, and called to us106
Who had not spoken— “ Come and help me, boys,107
For youth should answer youth.”
Then from our group108
Went Ernest ; ever first in field and hall,109
The strongest of us—strong in head and limb—110
And he had come but lately from the schools111
Of thought and reason, where men couch their words112
In syllogistic language, tearing down113
The flimsy judgments of untutored minds.114
And he had seen trite problems cast aside,115
And science. grasped and handled like a toy.116
Yet simple were his words and from the heart :—117
“ Is the cause dead, and must Old England fall ?118
Have you no remedy for this disease119
Which fills the air with blood and violence ?120
Are all the wise heads, turning grey with thought,121
Unwilling to devote one little hour122
To this most vital question ? Crude and weak123
I call the prophecy which only springs124
From party rancour ; therefore, let all men125
Cling to one cause, forsaking childhood’s creeds,126
Seek with one brain to think the matter out,127
With one hand to shake off the fatal grasp128
Of many-fingered Famine ; for the land129
Is burdened with its weight of poverty.130
The children cry for bread, while idle men131
Dream of some feeble cure, and others scream132
Land for the people—land ! as though God’s earth133
Began and ended in one little isle.134
Why talk of breaking up these paltry fields135
In fragments scarce enough to feed the cow136
Which one grave statesman portioned out for each ?137
Why let grotesque and futile fancy sway138
The minds, and blind the eyes of honest men,139
Till they forget their honesty, and strive140
To gather in the seed they have not sown ?141
Enough of this—leave to the sower’s hand142
The binding of the sheaves ; nor be content143
To glean from their poor harvests. Rouse yourselves,144
Break off the parent ties, and seek for land145
There in the West ; where countless acres lie146
In their primeval grandeur, with the strength147
Of an eternal spring that only waits148
The touch of man to change to autumn’s wealth.149
We hear sad tales of those who tried and failed—150
Oh noble failures, that have taught the world151
The lesson it is ever slow to learn !—152
That God, who sows the earth with many fields,153
Commands they should be tilled by many hands.154
No Ahab yearnings for one little spot,155
Or fruitless digging of one little spade,156
The much requires the many, and the few,157
Who strive to win the greater for the less,158
Find that God’s manna only lasts one day.159
I ask you, is it right that men should die160
Here in our streets, when yonder lies a cure ?161
Were it not well they should be forced to leave162
The reeking alley for the sunny plain ?163
And then you throw the answer back, ‘ Too late,’164
This earth-worn answer, smelling of defeat.165
Too late to touch the hearts of hardened men ;166
Ay, but the children, must the little ones167
Grow to this dwarfish stature like the rest ?168
Schools you have raised, and there the tender brains169
Learn all the hateful acts of savage men.170
And thus you think to nerve them for life’s fray ;171
Better they had been left in ignorance,172
Than reared within an atmosphere of lies ;173
For habit grows with hearing, and the child,174
Sipping the thoughts of this one and of that,175
May drink too deep of Anarchy ; for those176
Who tell the tales of long dead men forget177
To tell them simply, glazing over facts178
To show a reason for their party spite.179
And so our babies prate of politics,180
When they should only dream of daisy-chains.181
With germs of this life-fever in their blood,182
How can we wonder that they turn their steps183
From the broad acre’to the crowded street ?184
And all this time a simple remedy185
Lies near at hand ; for if in these same schools186
Men were to teach the use of spade and hoe,187
The time to sow, the time to gather in,188
Surely the children, bound by habit’s law,189
Would yearn to drive the plough in wider fields.190
I hear the cries of men : ‘ What means this fool ?191
Have we not schemes ? Do we not send abroad192
Those who have shown a wish for larger fields ? ’193
And I would answer, you have sent the tares ;194
Let all your seed be sifted ere you send :195
Young land requires young blood, not the weak hearts196
Of men who sicken when they strive, and fail.197
In all our schools let farming’s law be taught,198
And the rank smell of blood must then give place199
To sweeter scent of clover ; for green fields200
Breathe more of peace than slaughter—Nature’s voice201
Cries ever in the ear of man, ‘ Be still’—202
And hushed must grow the voice of discontent,203
When laugh of merry workers fills the air.204
No room for crime or want in Plenty’s lap.205
The skeleton which Harry raised shall find206
Those who can clothe its ribs. Is there no God207
To breathe into its nostrils and give life ?208
However hard men beat their little fists209
Against the face of Heaven, still the sun210
Warms the poor rebels, and refreshing rain211
Cools the dry fevered lips of blasphemy.212
So in our lesser way we too must give213
Of our own substance, even though the hands214
Strike as they take—what wonder if they strike,215
For what they have waited long, poor empty hands !—216
Yet better than all giving is the gift217
Of knowledge, the great ‘ can do’ of our time ;218
Possessed of this, men may go forth and win219
Field after field, until another land220
Is built from the first ploughshare, one more child221
Is born to the old mother in the east ;222
The chain which binds her safely to the world223
Is lengthened by a new and stronger link,224
That will not snap though strained by Anarchy.225
Heed not the idle tongues that croak in mud,226
The bat-like seers who fly in dusk and gloom,227
Sending their shadows where they dare not go.228
Rest not beneath the shade cast by their wings,229
For danger lies in darkness. Seek the light,230
And it will follow you, who knows how far ;231
Faintly, at first, perhaps, but gaining strength.232
Like to that streak of dawn the light myst come.”233
He pointed where the day shone through the night,234
Like gleam of dagger in a half-lit room,235
Then silence of the daybreak fell on all,236
The hush when Nature draws one long, deep breath237
Before she bursts into her myriad songs.238
And while we watched the shadows creep away,239
The spell was broken by the vicar’s voice :—240
“ Ernest, you answered well, but should have sent241
Your hands a little higher, till they thrust242
Beyond the earthly clouds that cling to us,243
Above the empty schemes, until they clasped244
The hand of God, and held fast, braving all.”245