Explore "Duties of Life" by James McIntyre on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Life is greatly what we make it, / Through good and ill we must take it;
And we should not troubles borrow, / But strive to banish all our sorrow.
Each man for life should choose a mate, / And true love should cultivate;
For women unto us are given, / To transform the earth to Heaven.
Abroad the men should never roam, / But make a Paradise of home;
Domestic bliss is truest joy, / With wife and little girl and boy.
But all need to be forgiven, / And to put their trust in Heaven;
The truest joys are above, / Obtained alone but through Christ's Love.
While doing right if you seem to fail, / You must not for a moment quail;
But at once banish all your fear, / Press nobly on in your career.
More honor far then you will gain.
Because you strove right to obtain;
And as you have been dutiful, / You've won good, true and beautiful.