_Gold_, many hunted, sweat, and bled for _Gold_; Waked all the night, and laboured all the day. And what was this allurement dost thou ask? A dust dug from the bowels of the earth, Which, being cast into the fire, came out A shining thing that fools admired, and called A god; and in devout and humble plight Before it kneeled, the greater to the less; And on its altar sacrificed ease, peace, Truth, faith, integrity, good conscience, friends, Love, charity, benevolence, and all The sweet and tender sympathies of life; And to complete the horrid murderous rite, And signalize their folly, offered up Their souls and an eternity of bliss, To gain them--what? an hour of dreaming joy, A feverish hour that hasted to be done, And ended in the bitterness of woe. _Pollok._ The deep damnation of the crowd, O _Gold_! Heapeth reproach upon thy innocent dust! “Evil’s prolific root,”--“Bribe of the just,”-- “Strength of the false and cruel,”--“God, extoll’d By priests, by whom heaven’s pardoning grace is sold,”-- Such are thy titles! while, with covetous lust, Men hoard the very ore they have befoul’d With the tongue’s obloquy of wordy rust,-- Yet thou art sinless, _Gold!_ and bright, and bland, And fit for glorious offices; and blest, When put to uses holy. Oh, be sure The curse is not on thee; for ’tis the hand That toucheth thee doth thee with stains invest, Or maketh thee beneficent and pure! _Calder Campbell._ That universal idol, _Gold_, In homage all unites; Without a temple, ’tis adored, And has no hypocrites. Nay, more, _Gold’s_ warmest devotees Strive most to hide their zeal; And he that loves this idol most, Would most that love conceal. _Colton._ GOODNESS. There be many that say, Who will shew us any _good_? Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.--Psalm iv. 6. There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth _good_, and sinneth not.--Ecclesiastes, vii. 20. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is _good_; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.--Micah, vi. 8. Do _good_ to them that hate you.--Matthew, v. 44. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do _good_ unto all men.--Galatians, vi. 10. Hold fast that which is _good_.--I. Thessalonians, v. 21. Therefore to him that knoweth to do _good_, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.--James, iv. 17. How far the little candle throws his beams! So shines a _good_ deed in a naughty world. _Shakspere._