CHAPTER VII 



CLEAR THE WAY 



Men of thought ! be up and stirring night and day ! 

 Sow the seed ! withdraw the curtain ! clear the way ! 



There's a fount about to stream; 



There's a light about to beam ; 



There's a warmth about to glow; 



There's a flower about to blow ; 

 There's a midnight darkness changing into gray. 

 Men of thought, and men of action, clear the way ! 



Once the welcome light has broken, who shall say 

 What the unimagined glories of the day? 

 What the evils that shall perish in its ray? 



Aid the daring, tongue and pen ! 



Aid it, hope of honest men ! 



Aid it, paper ! aid it, type ! 



Aid it, for the hour is ripe! 

 And our efforts must not slacken into play. 

 Men of thought, and men of action, clear the way ! 



Lo, a cloud's about to vanish from the day! 

 Lo, the right's about to conquer ; clear the way ! 

 And a broken wrong to crumble into clay. 



With that right shall many more 



Enter smiling at the door. 



With that giant wrong shall fall 



Many others, great and small, 

 That for ages long have held us for their prey. 

 Men of thought, and men of action, clear the way ! 



— Charles Mackay. 

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