Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages: Golden lads and girls all must, 5 As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. Fear no more the frown o’ the great, Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke; Care no more to clothe and eat; To thee the reed is as the oak: 10 The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust. Fear no more the lightning-flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; 15 Thou hast finished joy and moan: All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! 20 Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renownèd be thy grave! _William Shakespeare._ LV _ON THE TOMBS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY._ Mortality, behold and fear! What a change of flesh is here! Think how many royal bones Sleep within these heaps of stones; Here they lie, had realms and lands, 5 Who now want strength to stir their hands, Where from their pulpits sealed with dust They preach, ‘In greatness is no trust.’ Here’s an acre sown indeed With the richest royallest seed 10 That the earth did e’er suck in, Since the first man died for sin: Here the bones of birth have cried, ‘Though gods they were, as men they died!’ Here are sands, ignoble things, 15 Dropt from the ruined sides of kings: Here’s a world of pomp and state Buried in dust, once dead by fate. _Francis Beaumont._ LVI _DEATH’S FINAL CONQUEST._ Victorious men of earth, no more Proclaim how wide your empires are; Though you bind-in every shore And your triumphs reach as far As night or day, 5 Yet you, proud monarchs, must obey, And mingle with forgotten ashes, when Death calls ye to the crowd of common men. Devouring Famine, Plague, and War, Each able to undo mankind, 10 Death’s servile emissaries are; Nor to these alone confined, He hath at will More quaint and subtle ways to kill; A smile or kiss, as he will use the art, 15 Shall have the cunning skill to break a heart. _James Shirley._ LVII _THE SAME._