44 THE WHALE AND 



Thoughts at Leaving. Seed Dropping. 



a few fruits and flowers, exchange good wishes 

 and kind words with the friends of a day, truly 

 love and are loved by some congenial hearts, 

 both drop and take some seeds of good and evil, 

 to spring up when we are in our graves, and 

 then we are away ; the places that now know us 

 know us no more forever, and the faces that now 

 smile upon us we never see again. Who can 

 help sighing as he thinks of it, and wishing to 

 leave, wherever he goes, some durable evidence 

 that an immortal spirit has passed that way ! 



Oh, at what time soever thou 



(Unknown to me) the heavens wilt bow, 



And, with thy angels in the van, 



Descend to judge poor careless man, 



Grant I may not like puddle lie, 



In a corrupt security, 



Where, if'a traveler water crave, 



He finds it dead, and in a grave ; 



But as the clear running spring 



All day and night doth flow and sing ; 



And though here born, yet is acquainted 



Elsewhere, and, flowing, keeps untainted 



So let me all my busy age 



In thy free services engage. 



And though (while here) of force I must 



Have commerce sometimes with poor dust, 



Yet let my course, my aim, my love, 



And chief acquaintance be above ; 



So when that day and hour shall come 



In which thyself will be the sun, 



Thou'lt find me dressed and on my way, 



Watching the break of thy great day. 



