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Stephen Crane

I stood upon a high place,

And saw, below, many devils

Running, leaping,

And carousing in sin.

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adjective

Engaged in or ready for action; characterized by energetic work, thought, or speech.

The students were very active in class discussions, asking many thoughtful questions.

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XXIII. REMEMBERED GRACE.

42 lines
Coventry Patmore·1823–1896
ince succour to the feeblest of the wiseIs charge of nobler weightThan the securityOf many and many a foolish soul's estate,This I affirm,Though fools will fools more confidently be:Whom God does once with heart to heart befriend,He does so till the end:And having planted life's miraculous germ,One sweet pulsation of responsive love,He sets him sheer above,Not sin and bitter shameAnd wreck of fame,But Hell's insidious and more black attempt,The envy, malice, and pride,Which men who share so easily condoneThat few ev'n list such ills as these to hide.From these unalterably exempt,Through the remember'd graceOf that divine embrace,Of his sad errors none,Though gross to blame,Shall cast him lower than the cleansing flame,Nor make him quite departFrom the small flock named 'after God's own heart,'And to themselves unknown.Nor can he quailIn faith, nor flush nor paleWhen all the other idiot people spellHow this or that new Prophet's word beliesTheir last high oracle;But constantly his soulPoints to its poleEv'n as the needle points, and knows not why;And, under the ever-changing clouds of doubt,When others cry,'The stars, if stars there were,Are quench'd and out!'To him, uplooking t'ward the hills for aid,Appear, at need display'd,Gaps in the low-hung gloom, and, bright in air,Orion or the Bear.