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Behold the Child among his new‑born...

Language: English

Behold the Child among his new-born blisses, 
A six years' Darling of a pigmy size! 
See, where 'mid work of his own hand he lies, 
Fretted by sallies of his mother's kisses, 
With light upon him from his father's eyes! 
See, at his feet, some little plan or chart, 
Some fragment from his dream of human life, 
Shaped by himself with newly_learned art; 
   A wedding or a festival, 
   A mourning or a funeral; 
      And this hath now his heart,
   And unto this he frames his song: 
      Then will he fit his tongue 
To dialogues of business, love, or strife; 
   But it will not be long 
   Ere this be thrown aside, 
   And with new joy and pride 
The little Actor cons another part; 
Filling from time to time his "humorous stage" 
With all the Persons, down to palsied Age, 
That Life brings with her in her equipage; 
   As if his whole vocation 
   Were endless imitation.


Input by Ahmed E. Ismail

Authorship

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Date added to the website: 2005-12-31.

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