| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| The Builders |
| | | Ebenezer Elliott (1781–1849) |
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| SPRING, summer, autumn, winter, | |
| Come duly, as of old; | |
| Winds blow, suns set, and morning saith. | |
| “Ye hills, put on your gold.” | |
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| The song of Homer liveth, | 5 |
| Dead Solon is not dead; | |
| Thy splendid name, Pythagoras, | |
| O’er realms of suns is spread. | |
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| But Babylon and Memphis | |
| Are letters traced in dust: | 10 |
| Read them, earth’s tyrants! ponder well | |
| The might in which ye trust! | |
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| They rose, while all the depths of guilt | |
| Their vain creators sounded; | |
| They fell, because on fraud and force | 15 |
| Their corner-stones were founded. | |
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| Truth, mercy, knowledge, justice, | |
| Are powers that ever stand; | |
| They build their temples in the soul, | |
| And work with God’s right hand. | 20 |
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