Who would call the tench a whale, or style a torch, Orion? Yet many a silly parent hath dealt likewise with his nurseling. Give thy child a fit distinguishment, making him sole tenant of a name, For it were a sore hindrance to hold it in common with a hundred: In the Babel of confused identities fame is little feasible, The felon shall detract from the philanthropist, and the sage share honours with the simple: Still, in thy title of distinguishment, fall not into arrogant assumption, Steering from caprice and affectations; and for all thou doest, have a reason. He that is ambitious for his son, should give him untried names, For those that have served other men, haply may injure by their evils; Or otherwise may hinder by their glories; therefore, set him by himself, To win for his individual name some clear specific praise. There were nine Homers, all goodly sons of song, but where is any record of the eight? One grew to fame, an Aaron's rod, and swallowed up his brethren: Who knoweth? more distinctly titled, those dead eight had lived; But the censers were ranged in a circle to mingle their sweets without a difference. Art thou named of a common crowd, and sensible of high aspirings? It is hard for thee to rise,--yet strive: thou mayest be among them a Musæus. Art thou named of a family, the same in successive generations? It is open to thee still to earn for epithets, such an one, the good or great. Art thou named foolishly? Show that thou art wiser than thy fathers; Live to shame their vanity or sin by dutiful devotion to thy sphere. Art thou named discreetly? It is well, the course is free; No competitor shall claim thy colours, neither fix his faults upon thee: Hasten to the goal of fame between the posts of duty, And win a blessing from the world, that men may love thy name: Yea, that the unction of its praise, in fragrance well deserving, May float adown the stream of time, like ambergris at sea; So thy sons may tell their sons, and those may teach their children, He died in goodness, as he lived;--and left us his good name. And more than these: there is a roll whereon thy name is written; See that, in the Book of Doom, that name is fixed in light: Then, safe within a better home, where time and its titles are not found, God will give thee His new Name, and write it on thy heart: A Name better than of sons, a Name dearer than of daughters, A Name of union, peace, and praise, as numbered in thy God. OF THINGS. [Illustration: "T"]