quote · Legacy record
Gold, many hunted, sweat, and bled for Gold; Waked all the night, and laboured all the day. And what was this allurement dost thou ask? A dust dug from the bowels of the earth, Which, being cast into the fire, came out A shining thing that fools admired, and called A god; and in devout and humble plight Before it kneeled, the greater to the less; And on its altar sacrificed ease, peace, Truth, faith, integrity, good conscience, friends, Love, charity, benevolence, and all The sweet and tender sympathies of life; And to complete the horrid murderous rite, And signalize their folly, offered up Their souls and an eternity of bliss, To gain them—what? an hour of dreaming joy, A feverish hour that hasted to be done, And ended in the bitterness of woe.
Gold, many hunted, sweat, and bled for Gold; Waked all the night, and laboured all the day. And what was this allurement dost thou ask? A dust dug from the bowels of the earth, Which, being cast into the fire, came out A shining thing that fools admired, and called A god; and in devout and humble plight Before it kneeled, the greater to the less; And on its altar sacrificed ease, peace, Truth, faith, integrity, good conscience, friends, Love, charity, benevolence, and all The sweet and tender sympathies of life; And to complete the horrid murderous rite, And signalize their folly, offered up Their souls and an eternity of bliss, To gain them—what? an hour of dreaming joy, A feverish hour that hasted to be done, And ended in the bitterness of woe.
In print by 1888 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Meaning not yet available
An individual explanation has not yet been added. We do not substitute a generic description for an interpretation of these particular words.
Begin with source-checked readings and explanations ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Pollok (identity unresolved)
Attribution: unknown - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1888 AD · industrial
In print by 1888: recorded in A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888) (1888 AD)
Page 256 · printed citation: Pollok · subject: GOLD
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.