GOLD.
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.—Job, xxiii. 10.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold.—Psalm xix. 9, 10.
The trial of your faith, being much more precious that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.—I. Peter, i. 7.
I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.—Revelation, xxi. 2, 18.
Never exceed thy income. Youth may make
Even with the year; but age if it will hit,
Shoots a bow short, and lessens still its stake,
As the day lessens, and his life with it.
Thy children, kindred, friends, upon thee call;
Before thy journey fairly part with all.
Yet in thy thriving still misdoubt some evil;
Lest gaining gain on thee, and make thee dim
To all things else. Wealth is the conjurer’s devil;
Whom when he thinks he hath, the devil hath him.
Gold thou mayest safely touch; but if it stick
Unto thy hands, it woundeth to the quick.
Herbert.
To purchase heaven has gold the power?
Can gold remove the mortal hour?
In life can love be bought with gold?
Are friendship’s pleasures to be sold?
No—all that’s worth a wish—a thought—
Fair virtue gives, unbrib’d, unbought.
Cease then on trash thy hopes to bind,
Let nobler views engage thy mind.
Dr. Johnson.
Oh, bane of man! seducing cheat!
Can man, weak man, thy power defeat?
Gold banish’d honour from the mind,
And only left the name behind;
Gold sow’d the world with ev’ry ill,
Gold taught the murderer’s sword to kill;
’Twas gold instructed coward hearts
In treachery’s more pernicious arts.
Gay.
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.