Library of the best American literature / Containing the lives of our authors in story form, their portraits, their homes, and their personal traits, how they worked and what they wrote; choice selections from eminent writers, embracing great American poets and novelists, foremost women in American letters, distinguished critics and essayists, our national humorists, noted journalists and magazine contributors, popular writers for young people, great orators and public lecturers

by Unknown

The mystery is thine,

For thine the more mysterious human heart,

The temple of all wisdom, Beauty’s shrine,

The oracle of Art!

Earth is thine outer court, and Life a breath;

Why should we fear to die, and leave the earth?

Not thine alone the lesser key of Birth,—

But all the keys of Death;

And all the worlds, with all that they contain

Of Life, and Death, and Time, are thine alone;