Explore "Building Palaces" by Ruth Collie on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
A prison or a palace? Will you choose? For one or other is your / dwelling-place, and this is regulated by your views which have the / power to make a thing of grace out of a seeming dull, confined and / ugly space. Don't scorn the town or village where you dwell, deeming / yourself too fine a soul for it. The smallest place has magic things / to tell to those who have an understanding wit, a lamp of / friendliness that is forever lit. Often we hear a foolish person / say, "How you can live in this place, I don't know! " And yet the sun / gives of his golden ray; nor do the stars withhold their silver glow; / flourish the trees, birds sing and blossoms grow. 'Tis not the / place, but quality of mind that builds a palace or a prison bare. / With ears and eyes we may be deaf and blind to harmony and beauty / passing fair. There is no spot but Friendship blossoms there.