The lords of life, the lords of life, 



I saw them pass, 

 In their own guise, 



Like and Unlike, 

 Portly and Grim, 



Use and Surprise, 

 Surface and Dream, 



Succession swift, and spectral Wrong. 

 Temperament without a tongue, 



And the inventor of the game 

 Omnipresent without name ; 



Some to see, some to be guessed, 

 They marched from east to west : 



Little man, least of all, 

 Among the legs of his guardians tall, 



Walked about with puzzled look : 

 Him by the hand dear nature took ; 



Dearest nature, strong and kind, 

 Whispered, " Darling, never mind ! 



To-morrow they will wear another face, 

 The founder thou I these are thy race ! " 



EMERSON. 



