The mean of soul are sure their faults to gloss,
And find a secret gain in others' loss.

--John Boyle O'Reilly.

Ah, a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's heaven for?

--Robert Browning.

Though thy name be spread abroad,
Like winged seed, from shore to shore,
What thou art before thy God,
That thou art and nothing more.

My business is not to remake myself,
But make the absolute best of what God made.

--Robert Browning.

For never land long lease of empire won
Whose sons sat silent when base deeds were done.

--James Russell Lowell.

He that would free from malice pass his days
Must live obscure and never merit praise.

--John Gay.

Wearing the white flower of a blameless life,
Before a thousand peering littlenesses.

--Alfred Tennyson.

The aim, if reached or not, makes great the life,
Try to be Shakespeare--leave the rest to fate.

--Robert Browning.

Unblemished let me live, or die unknown;
O, grant an honest fame, or grant me none.

--Alexander Pope.

With fame in just proportion envy grows;
The man that makes a character makes foes.

--Edward Young.

'Tis not what man does which exalts him,
But what man would do.

--Robert Browning.

Better have failed in the high aim, as I,
Than vulgarly in the low aim succeed.

--Robert Browning.

The simple, silent, selfless man
Is worth a world of tonguesters.

--Alfred Tennyson.

DUTY

LOYALTY, FAITHFULNESS, CONSCIENCE, ZEAL

ODE TO DUTY

Stern daughter of the voice of God!
O Duty! if that name thou love
Who art a light to guide, a rod
To check the erring and reprove;
Thou who art victory and law
When empty terrors overawe;
From vain temptation dost set free;
And calm'st the weary strife of frail humanity!

There are who ask not if thine eye
Be on them; who, in love and truth,
Where no misgiving is, rely
Upon the genial sense of youth;
Glad hearts, without reproach or blot,
Who do thy work and know it not:
Oh! if through confidence misplaced
They fail, thy saving arms, dread Power, around them cast.

Serene will be our days, and bright
And happy will our nature be,
When love is an unerring light,
And joy its own security;
And